Mathematics 5 curriculum guide 2015 I table of contents acknowledgements

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MATHEMATICS 5 CURRICULUM GUIDE 2015
Specific Outcomes
PROBABILITY
Suggestions for Teaching and Learning
Students will be expected to:
Statistics and Probability (Chance and Uncertainty)
5SP3 Describe the likelihood of a 
single outcome occurring, using 
words such as:
• impossible
• possible
• certain
[C, CN, PS, R]
This will be students’ first exposure to probability. In order for students 
to understand the concept of probability, they will require many
hands-on experiences with manipulatives such as coins, spinners, cubes 
and marbles.
Teachers could use children’s literature, such as 
It’s Probably Penny
by 
Loreen Leedy, to introduce probability. The examples used by the 
teacher in the story to introduce the concepts of possible, impossible, 
certain, equal and unequal chances are very accessible for students.
Students can use the guidelines provided to the fictional class to find 
examples of things in their experience which fit into these categories.
Discuss other words that suggest probability such as: chance, perhaps, 
likely, unlikely, probably, possible, maybe, could be, cannot
Achievement Indicator:
5SP3.1 Provide examples of 
events from personal contexts that
are impossible, possible or certain.
Position the three reference points 
impossible
, 
possible
and 
certain 
on a 
clothesline.
Provide examples of events that would be impossible, possible or certain, 
such as:
• 
The sun will rise and set tomorrow.
• 
If Elliott flips a coin, he will get heads or tails.
• 
You will roll 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 if you roll a standard die.
• 
Evan will eat cereal for breakfast tomorrow.
• 
Laura will go to bed at 9 pm tonight.
• 
It will rain tomorrow.
• 
A flower will say hello to me.
• 
Beth will have two birthdays this year.
• 
I will pick a red cube out of a bag containing only green cubes.
Ask students to place these events on the clothesline (probability line) in 
the appropriate places. Students could also create their own probability 
events and have other classmates place them on the probability line. 
Impossible 
Certain 
Possible 

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