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Units of Work

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Teaching and learning activities for around five classroom mathematics sessions. Units include links to the NZC, specific learning outcomes, descriptions of sequenced teaching and learning activities, useful questions to use with students, a list of the resource materials required, and any copymasters needed.

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Worms and more

Level One
Geometry and Measurement
Units of Work
This unit comprises 5 stations, which involve the students in developing an awareness of the attributes of length and area. The focus is on the development of appropriate measuring language for length and area.
  • Compare lengths from the same starting point.
  • Use materials to make a long or short construction.
  • Use materials to compare large and small areas.
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An Investigation of Random Processes

Level Six
Statistics
Units of Work
In this unit students experience "randomness" through a related set of activities that link large sequences of tossing coins, random walks, Pascal's Triangle, and probabilities. All of these are a little too complicated for probability trees.
  • Conduct straightforward experiments with coins, dice, spinners, and other random event generators.
  • Produce and understand the concept of a random walk.
  • Develop, understand, and apply Pascal's Triangle.
  • Determine probabilities of a class that is a little too complicated for probability trees.
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Probability Distributions

Level Five
Statistics
Units of Work
This unit introduces students to concepts that are important in probability, including the probability function. All the ideas are important as a base for future learning in this area of mathematics.
  • Explain what a probability distribution is.
  • Explain how probabilities are distributed.
  • Calculate what happens to the distribution when variables are summed.
  • Calculate expected number from theoretical probabilities.
  • Appreciate the difference between theoretical and experimental probabilities...
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Murphy's Law

Level Four
Statistics
Units of Work
In this unit students explore the commonly held belief that if anything bad can possibly happen, it will, and at the most inopportune time. They are encouraged to look at events involving chance and predict the likelihood of certain outcomes by both trialling the event and analysing it theoretically...
  • Use simulations to investigate probability in common situations.
  • Predict the likelihood of outcomes on the basis of an experiment.
  • Determine the theoretical probability of an event.
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The Coloured Cube Question

Level Four
Statistics
Units of Work
This unit analyses and extends a game of chance using both experimental and theoretical probability.
  • Find the theoretical probability of an event occuring.
  • Use more than one way to find a theoretical probability.
  • Check theoretical probabilities by trials.
  • Identify what a fair game is and how to make an unfair game fair.
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Beat It

Level Four
Statistics
Units of Work
The purpose of this unit is for students to use games to gather and present data in a systematic way. In turn, this allows them to determine the likely outcomes of some everyday events.
  • Investigate, state and justify the probability of events in common situations.
  • Theoretically and experimentally examine the probabilities of games of chance.
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Long Running

Level Three
Statistics
Units of Work
In this unit we take samples of blocks from a bag and use them to make predictions about the blocks that the bag actually contains. We discuss the difference between theoretical probability and experimental estimates of probability.
  • Take samples and use them to make predictions.
  • Compare theoretical and experimental probabilities.
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Counting on Probability

Level Three
Statistics
Units of Work
In this unit students investigate ways of systematically counting all the possible outcomes of an event. One particular approach is investigated: using tree diagrams.
  • Systematically find all possible outcomes of an event using tree diagrams and organised lists.
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I'm Spinning

Level Three
Statistics
Units of Work
In this unit we use spinners to develop our understanding of the probability of simple events occurring.
  • Determine an experimental estimate of the probability of simple events using frequency tables.
  • Determine the theoretical probability of simple events using percentages, fractions and decimals.
  • Systematically find all possible outcomes of an event using tree diagrams and organised lists.
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What's in the bag?

Level Three
Statistics
Units of Work
In this unit we experiment with cubes to make predictions about likelihood based on our observations. Students find out that with probabilistic situations there is no certain way to predict exactly what will happen.
  • Make predictions based on data collected.
  • Identify all possible outcomes of an event.
  • Assign probabilities to simple events using fractions (1/2, 1/6 etc).