At Hawkesdale College the Numeracy Professional Learning Teams have been looking at the progression points for each of the five strands of mathematics and starting with Number, assigning assessment tasks for each level. During the next five weeks, while Tara is taking the year 8 Maths class, we are studying a unit on Probability, so it is a good opportunity to unpack the progression points for this sub-strand.

Progression Point 3.25 – “use of fractions to assign probability values between 0 and 1 based on symmetry”. All our students have demonstrated the ability to place the chances of specific events occurring on a number line, so they have achieved this level of understanding. Some examples were: randomly choosing a day of the week and getting a weekend day, rolling a dice and getting an even number, using a spinner with five equal sections and getting a specific colour.
Progression Point 3.75 – “simulation of random events” and “calculation and analysis of the stability of a sequence of long run frequencies where the number of trials increases”.
We have used dice, coins and computer and iPod (using the app “iChoose”) simulations of other random events.
Virtual Dice: Simulation of throwing one, two or three dive.

Probability Tree: A bag contains 4 red counters and 7 blue counters. A counter will be taken from the bag, its colour noted and then returned to the bag. Students complete the corresponding probability tree, with uneven chances.
Snakes and Spinners is an assessment activity from the Learning Federation.
The “Dice Duels” series of activities (L2634 to L2640) is also from the Learning Federation.
Podcast about “slot machines” – we call them poker machines in Australia. What do you think is the likelihood of winning the maximum pay out at the pokies?