KaitlinLoud
Deal or No Deal? Exploring Probability (4th-6th grade lesson)
NCTMStandard:
Probability: recognize the differences in representing categorical and numerical data, collect data
using observations, surveys and experiments, design investigations to address a question and
consider how data-collection methods affect the nature of the data set
CommonCoreStandards:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.C.6: Use decimal notation for fractions with denominators 10 or
100. For example, rewrite 0.62 as 62/100; describe a length as 0.62 meters; locate 0.62 on a
number line diagram.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B5
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B5A
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
Overview
From this activity, students will be able to gain information about probability in a fun way. The
show is all about chance, and will force students to calculate if they will receive a better deal by
continuing to play, or by taking the bankers offer. Some vocabulary that I would teach students
before playing would be probability, theoretical probability, experimental probability, and
compound probability. After this game, students should be able to calculate probability, and
explain what probability is.
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to calculate probability
2. Students will be able to calculate fractions to decimals
Procedures:
1. Go over what probability is with students
2. Share short YouTube clip of Deal or No Deal
3. After explaining how the game is playedask students how Deal or No Deal is a game
that includes probability.
4. As a class, have students decide which case (envelope) they think has the $1,000,000
5. Each round, students will pick envelopes to open, in hopes to eliminate smaller amounts
of moneyopen 6 cases in round one, 5 in round two, and so on.
6. After each round, the banker makes an offer, and the students must decide as a class if
they want to accept the offer (deal), or reject the offer (no deal), and keep playing
7. If the students reject all the bank offers by the end of round 9, they will be left with their
envelope, and one other that will be up on the board. The class must choose which they
want to open. Whatever one they choose will be the amount of money that they win.
Questions:
1. Do you think that there is a trick to winning this game, or is it all based on luck?
2. If you were on the Deal or No Deal game show, how would probability help you when
trying to pick your case?
3. Are you more likely to get over $100, or under $100?
Equipment/Materials:
Short YouTube clip of Deal or No Deal game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=PMAFuvdN1ws&list=PL2E9745B3DBC291E7
Envelopes (26)
Notecards with amounts of money written on them
Deal or No Deal game sheet for each student
Calculator for students (if wanted)
*Students should already know what probability is, and should know how to convert decimals to
fractions from previous lessons
Preassessment
The pre assessment that students will have, will be their homework the night before the game
takes place. This will just be a set of 2-3 problems on probability that students need to solve, as
well as state what type of probability is being used. From this I think student will be prepared for
the game the next day.
FormativeAssessment
Students will turn in their game sheet at the end of the game so that we can check to make sure
that they understand how to calculate probability, as well as how to convert a decimal to a
fraction.
InstructionalStrategies
The instruction that will be used for this will be like inquiry based instruction. This will be a
totally student driven activity, except the teacher must act as the banker, and should make sure
that student discussion is on topic, and the class comes to an agreement on one case to be chosen
every round.
Accommodations
1. For students that have trouble keeping up with writing, and paying attention, then send
home the game sheet with them and let them finish it for homework
2. Use less envelopes, to make the lesson/game shorter, and spend time working out the
probability and decimal to percent together as a class.
MathematicalContentBackground
Students should understand how to count on, addition, how to count back, subtraction,
the concept of grouping, sorting numbers by characteristics such as factors, bases, odd,
even, prime, etc., repeated subtraction, and the idea of number sense, the ability to
manipulate numbers appropriately to solve problems. (Van De Wall, 2008, pg. 128)
Vocabulary:
o Probability: The likelihood of something happening
o Theoretical probability: The number of ways an event can occur, divided by the
total number of outcomes
o Experimental probability: The ratio of the number of times an event occurs to the
total number of trials or times the activity is performed
o Compound probability: The likeliness of two independent events occurring; equal
to the probability of the first event, multiplied by the probability of the second
event
Resources/References(teacher)
We found this lesson on a website called teachforever.com. Although we found the idea for this
lesson on this website, we did adapt it so that we as teachers would not have to spend as much
money on materials. The materials that we need for this lesson would be envelops, to be used as
the briefcases, notecards with different amounts of money written on each, then put inside each
envelope, and a Deal or No Deal game sheet for each student.
Resources/References(student)
Students may use:
o Calculator
o Look back at other probability problems
o Notes on probability
o Scratch paper
