Probability

Grade 8 · Mathematics

Semester 2 | Period 6 | Week 34

Download the Lessonotes Mobile Liberia app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.

Get it on Google Play Get it on the Apple App Store

Subject: Mathematics

Semester: 2

Period: 6

Week: 34

WEEK 34

Class: Grade 8
Age: 13 years
Duration: 40 minutes of 5 periods
Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Probability
Focus: Understanding Probability and Real-Life Applications

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

  1. Define probability as chances/events.
  2. State the importance and usefulness of probability in daily activities.
  3. Give numerous and natural examples of chances/events.
  4. Use games (like ludo) and tossing of coins to generate chances/events.

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES:

  • Question and answer
    • Guided demonstration
    • Group activity
    • Real-life application
    • Discussion

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

  • Coins
    • Ludo game set
    • Flashcards
    • Whiteboard and markers
    • Probability charts

 

PERIOD 1 & 2: Introduction to Probability

PRESENTATION:

Step

Teacher’s Activity

Pupil’s Activity

Step 1 - Introduction

Defines probability and explains it as the chance of something happening or not happening. Uses simple terms like "likely," "unlikely," and "impossible."

Pupils listen and participate in the discussion.

Step 2 - Explanation

Uses examples like tossing a coin (head or tail), rolling a die (numbers 1–6), and drawing a card from a deck.

Pupils practice by giving examples of their own.

Step 3 - Demonstration

Tosses a coin and discusses the possible outcomes: heads or tails.

Pupils toss coins and share the results.

Step 4 - Note Taking

Teacher writes definitions and examples on the board.

Pupils copy notes.

NOTE ON BOARD:

  • Probability is the chance that a particular event will occur.
  • The probability of an event is a number between 0 and 1.
    • 0 = Impossible
    • 1 = Certain
    • 0.5 = Even chance (like tossing a coin)

EVALUATION (5 exercises):

  1. What is the probability of tossing a coin and getting heads?
  2. What is the probability of rolling a die and getting a number less than 3?
  3. Which is more likely: picking a red ball or a green ball from a bag with 4 red balls and 6 green balls?
  4. Is it possible to roll a 7 on a 6-sided die?
  5. What are the possible outcomes when tossing a coin?

CLASSWORK (5 questions):

  1. What is the probability of tossing a coin and getting tails?
  2. What is the probability of rolling a die and getting a number greater than 4?
  3. If you toss a coin twice, what is the probability of getting heads both times?
  4. Name two events in your life where probability plays a role.
  5. Write down the possible outcomes of tossing a coin.

ASSIGNMENT (5 tasks):

  1. Define probability in your own words.
  2. List three real-life events where you can apply probability.
  3. What is the probability of drawing a red card from a deck of 52 cards?
  4. Toss a coin 10 times and record the results. What is the probability of getting heads?
  5. What is the probability of picking a number greater than 5 from a deck of cards numbered 1 to 10?

 

PERIOD 3 & 4: Using Ludo and Coin Tossing to Understand Probability

PRESENTATION:

Step

Teacher’s Activity

Pupil’s Activity

Step 1 - Introduction

Explains how games like Ludo and coin tossing provide natural examples of probability.

Pupils engage in a discussion on how games work in terms of chances.

Step 2 - Explanation

Uses Ludo to show how players have a probability of landing on certain numbers.

Pupils watch and participate by predicting possible outcomes.

Step 3 - Demonstration

Tosses a coin and rolls a Ludo dice to simulate real-life probability events.

Pupils practice tossing coins and rolling dice themselves.

Step 4 - Note Taking

Teacher writes probability events from the activities.

Pupils take notes.

NOTE ON BOARD:

  • In Ludo, the chance of landing on a particular number depends on the die roll (1/6 for each number).
  • Tossing a coin has a 50% chance of landing heads or tails (1/2 probability).

EVALUATION (5 exercises):

  1. What is the probability of rolling a 3 on a 6-sided Ludo die?
  2. What is the probability of rolling an even number on a die?
  3. If you toss a coin, what is the probability of getting tails?
  4. What is the probability of rolling a number greater than 4 on a Ludo die?
  5. In Ludo, if you roll a die 4 times, what is the probability of getting a 6 at least once?

CLASSWORK (5 questions):

  1. Roll a Ludo die 10 times and record the outcomes. What is the probability of rolling a 4?
  2. Toss a coin 5 times. What is the probability of getting heads at least once?
  3. What is the probability of rolling a number greater than 3 on a die?
  4. In a game of Ludo, what are the possible outcomes of a die roll?
  5. What is the probability of rolling a 2 or a 5 on a 6-sided die?

ASSIGNMENT (5 tasks):

  1. Play a game of Ludo and calculate the probability of landing on a specific number after 10 rolls.
  2. Toss a coin 20 times. Calculate the probability of getting heads.
  3. Roll a die 15 times and record the frequency of each number. What is the probability of rolling a number less than 4?
  4. Discuss how probability is used in games to determine fairness.
  5. Write a short paragraph on how you would apply probability in everyday life situations.

 

PERIOD 5: Solving Problems with Probability and Real-Life Applications

PRESENTATION:

Step

Teacher’s Activity

Pupil’s Activity

Step 1 - Introduction

Introduces the concept of solving problems using probability.

Pupils listen and participate.

Step 2 - Explanation

Solves simple problems based on probability, such as the probability of getting a certain number in dice games.

Pupils follow along and try examples.

Step 3 - Problem Solving

Gives pupils several word problems to solve using probability concepts.

Pupils solve the problems individually or in groups.

Step 4 - Conclusion

Teacher reviews the solutions and explains any common errors.

Pupils ask questions and clarify any misunderstandings.

EVALUATION (5 questions):

  1. What is the probability of drawing a red ball from a bag of 4 red and 6 blue balls?
  2. If you roll a die twice, what is the probability of getting two 4s?
  3. Calculate the probability of landing on number 6 in a game of Ludo.
  4. If you pick a card from a deck of cards numbered 1 to 10, what is the probability of picking a number greater than 5?
  5. What is the probability of tossing a coin and getting heads twice in a row?

CLASSWORK (5 tasks):

  1. Calculate the probability of drawing a card numbered 8 from a deck of 10 cards.
  2. Solve the problem: What is the probability of getting a number less than 4 when rolling a die?
  3. In a coin toss, what is the probability of getting heads exactly once in three tosses?
  4. If you roll a Ludo die and need to roll a 6 to move, what is the probability of rolling a 6?
  5. Discuss the probability of having rain tomorrow, given the weather forecast.

ASSIGNMENT (5 tasks):

  1. Toss a coin 30 times and calculate the probability of getting tails.
  2. Roll a die 20 times and calculate the probability of rolling a number greater than 4.
  3. Solve the problem: If you have a bag of 3 red, 2 green, and 5 yellow balls, what is the probability of picking a yellow ball?
  4. Write a word problem involving probability that could happen in your daily life.
  5. Explain how you would calculate the probability of winning a prize in a raffle.