Spring SAVY 2018, Day 1- Probability and Prediction (Kindergarten)
Our first class was full of probability experiments and lively conversations! We started by talking about the definition of probability, and for our purposes right now, we are using this definition of probability: the chance that something will happen. First, the students did a simple coin flip experiment where they recorded if the coin landed heads or tails. This gave us lots of data to discuss. One of our big conversations centered on the idea of patterns vs. coincidence. Even if we noticed what looked like a pattern in our results, we talked about how that was a coincidence because each time a coin is flipped the result is not dependent on what happened previously. We then rolled dice and collected data to reinforce this idea. One student only rolled 2’s and 6’s. This gave us a great opportunity to talk about how even though this seemed like a pattern it wasn’t.
Our last experiment used spinners. One spinner was divided into 4 equal sections, and the other spinner was divided into 4 unequal sections where the 3 section comprised half the spinner. These experiments led to great discussions about what was possible vs. what was likely. For example, with the unequal spinner we talked about how it was possible that we could all spin and land on 1 each time, but it was more likely that we would land on 3 more often because it was a larger space.
Next week, we will be working with more data collection and sampling. I hope that you will continue these discussions of pattern vs. coincidence or possible vs. likely at home.
Lara Webb