Probability
My Lucky Number
Students collect data as they investigate why some numbers come up more frequently than others in games.
DIRECTIONS
50+ Super-Fun Math Activities: Grade 5 © Scholastic Teaching Resources
52
1. Divide the class into small groups and distribute reproducible
page 52 and number cubes. Ask students to predict which sums
will come up most often when two number cubes are rolled.
After sharing some ideas, set students rolling! Ask them to roll
the two cubes twenty My
times.
EachNumber
time they roll, they record their
Lucky
results, paying attention to which number comes up on each
cube. Ask them to record both numbers on the tally sheet. For
example, if they roll a 4 and a 3, they record the roll above the
number 7 on their tally sheet as a sum like this: 4 + 3.
Their goal is to see how
many different ways they can
make numbers between 2 and
12. So if they roll a 5 and a 2,
they write this sum on the
5+2
their tally sheet in the same
4+3
column for 7 above the earlier
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
sum of 4 + 3.
Names
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2. If students roll a combination they’ve already recorded on the
tally sheet, they do not record it again. However, students should
count opposite rolls of the dice, such as 5 + 2 and 2 + 5, as two
separate combinations.
Grouping
Probability Small
groups
You’ll
Need
For each group:
◆ My Lucky Number
(reproducible page
52)
◆ Two 1–6 number
cubes of different
colors
11 12
◆ Paper
◆ Pencils
3. If students have completed their twentieth roll and there are still
some open spaces on the chart, have them roll another twenty
times.
4. Discuss students’ findings. Ask them to evaluate their predictions:
Did the sums they predicted would come up most often actually
do this? Ask questions to help students evaluate their data. For
example: Which columns took longest to fill? Which numbers
have the most combinations? Which have the least? Why do you
think this is so?
ASSESSMENT
From the activity they’ve just done, ask students if they
think any number can be considered “lucky.” Why do they think so?
(There are 6 possible combinations for the number 7, more than
any other; and 5 ways to make 6 and 8.)
51
52
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3
4
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7
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50+ Super-Fun Math Activities: Grade 5 © Scholastic Teaching Resources
5
My Lucky Number
Names
9 10 11 12
Probability