It's Probably Time for Probability!

Probability tells us how likely it is that something will happen.

Day 1.

We use words like always, sometimes and never to talk about probability.

Always means that it happens ever time.

Sometimes means that it might happen, or maybe not

Never means that it does not happen.

Lets make a chart!

This chart is about things that you do in your kitchen!

This is about your kitchen. Things that I do in my kitchen might not be the same as things that you do in your kitchen.

(parents: you might want to talk about all the different things that you do in your kitchen. Write some of them on post-it notes and have your child place them in the proper column. This might take lots of discussion! Also add some things that you are not allowed to do in the kitchen. (if you don't have post it notes, then write on small squares of paper that will fit in each column, and just place them on the chart on the table)

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Day 2

We also use words like possible and impossible when we talk about probability.

Possible means that it could happen.

Impossible means that there is no way that it could happen.

Can you jump over a crack in the sidewalk? Yes! That is possible!

Can you jump over your house? No! That is impossible!

Here are a list of statements. Your parent will read them, and you can decide if it is possible or impossible.

1. A spider will crawl on a web.

2. An alligator will ride on your scooter.

3. A rabbit will eat a carrot.

4. An owl will blow up a balloon.

5. A bee will fly into a hive.

6.  A frog will turn into a prince.

7. Some kids will play basketball.

8. A dinosaur will walk in your front door.

9. A penguin will drive to school.

10. It will rain this week.

11. A turtle will teach us about outer space.

12. You will sleep tonight.

13. My dog will write me a letter.

14. Cookies will rain from the sky.

15. A unicorn will watch tv with you.

Draw a picture! Can you draw a picture of something that is impossible? On the paper, write a sentence "It is impossible that ______" . Parents of JK students may want to help with the writing - at this point, one or two words might be appropriate. It is all developmental! Some JK students may be able to write the full sentence.

*** In Kindergarten our curriculum expectation for probability is "Use mathematical language in informal discussions to describe probability."  Feel free to talk to your child about  probability when flipping a coin, or when rolling dice, etc., when you think that they are ready to understand it!

You can also talk about if something is likely to happen or not! Likely/ unlikely.