Mathematics

Title: Likelihood of Events

Year 2
Duration: 3 weeks

Unit Outline
Probability is an important concept for students to have a firm understanding of throughout their primary school
education as it is a mathematical concept which is utilised on a daily basis in many real life situations (Reys,
Lindquist, Lambdin, Smith, Rogers, Falle, Frid, & Bennett, 2012). Throughout this unit, Year 2 students will
continue building upon their ability in data representation and interpretation, as well as chance, as explored in
Foundation and Year 1 (ACARA, 2016).

Key Inquiry Question/s:

If I ask someone in our class what their favourite sport is, is it likely or unlikely to be Soccer?

Year Level Description:

The proficiency strands understanding, fluency, problem-solving and reasoning are an integral part of
mathematics content across the three content strands: number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and
statistics and probability. The proficiencies reinforce the significance of working mathematically within the
content and describe how the content is explored or developed. They provide the language to build in the
developmental aspects of the learning of mathematics. The achievement standards reflect the content and
encompass the proficiencies.
At this year level:
understanding includes connecting number calculations with counting sequences, partitioning and
combining numbers flexibly and identifying and describing the relationship between addition and
subtraction and between multiplication and division
fluency includes readily counting numbers in sequences, using informal units iteratively to compare
measurements, using the language of chance to describe outcomes of familiar chance events and
describing and comparing time durations
problem-solving includes formulating problems from authentic situations, making models and using
number sentences that represent problem situations, and matching transformations with their original
shape
reasoning includes using known facts to derive strategies for unfamiliar calculations, comparing and
contrasting related models of operations and creating and interpreting simple representations of data.

Year Level Achievement Standard:

By the end of Year 2, students recognise increasing and decreasing number sequences involving 2s, 3s and 5s.
They represent multiplication and division by grouping into sets. They associate collections of Australian coins
with their value. Students identify the missing element in a number sequence. Students recognise the features of
three-dimensional objects. They interpret simple maps of familiar locations. They explain the effects of one-step
transformations. Students make sense of collected information.
Students count to and from 1000. They perform simple addition and subtraction calculations using a range of
strategies. They divide collections and shapes into halves, quarters and eighths. Students order shapes and
objects using informal units. They tell time to the quarter-hour and use a calendar to identify the date and the
months included in seasons. They draw two-dimensional shapes. They describe outcomes for everyday events.
Students collect, organise and represent data to make simple inferences.

Links to other learning areas:

English Curriculum
Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning about key events, ideas and information in
texts that they listen to, view and read by drawing on growing knowledge of context, text structures and
language features (ACELY1660).
Students demonstrate this content descriptor as they interpret and comprehend diagrams such as
graphs and what meaning they hold in regards to probability of an event occurring.
Science Curriculum
Use a range of methods to sort information, including drawings and provided tables and through discussion,
compare observations with predictions (ACSIS027).
Students demonstrate this content descriptor as they use methods of organising data such as graphs.

Student Prior Knowledge:

Entering this unit, students will need to have an understanding and knowledge in collecting data and making
simple inferences from this, as well as identifying the chance of an event, as explored in the Foundation and Year
1 curriculum.
Foundation Mathematics:

Answer yes/no questions to collect information and make simple inferences (ACMSP011)

Year 1 Mathematics:

Identify outcomes of familiar events involving chance and describe them using everyday language such
as will happen, wont happen or might happen (ACMSP024).
Choose simple questions and gather responses and make simple inferences (ACMSP262).
Represent data with objects and drawings where one object or drawing represents one data value.
Describe the displays (ACMSP263).

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this unit, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to:
Identify the probability of an event occurring as likely or unlikely
Infer based upon collected data
Construct representations of data
Interpret representations of data
Unit Learning intentions:
You will learn how to create and read graphs that we can use to decide if the chance of an event is likely or
unlikely. To do so, you will collect and understand data from questions you ask your classmates.

Content descriptors:
1.

2.

3.

Identify practical activities and

everyday events that involve
chance. Describe outcomes as
likely or unlikely and identify
some events as certain or
impossible (ACMSP047).

Collect, check and classify data

(ACMSP049).

Create displays of data using lists,

table and picture graphs and
interpret them (ACMSP050).

Elaborations:
Recognising the usefulness of tally
marks

Elaborations:
Creating picture graphs to

Elaborations:
Classifying a list of everyday events
according to how likely they are to
happen, using the language of
chance, and explaining reasoning

represent data using one-to-one

correspondence

General Capabilities
Literacy
Literacy is being successfully implemented through this
unit of work as students are utilising learning area
language.

ICT Competence

Ethical Behaviour

Numeracy
Numeracy is being successfully implemented through
this unit of work as students are demonstrating their
ability to identify the chance of events and to navigate
and interpret representations of data.
Critical and Creative Thinking
Critical and Creative thinking is being successfully
implemented through this unit of work as students
organise and process information to clarify their
thinking.
Personal and Social Competence

Intercultural Competence
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
histories and culture

Asia and Australias involvement

with Asia

Sustainability

Rationale for Unit Design:

As students in Year 2, it is expected that the children would be somewhat confident with the concept of data
representation and interpretation, and have little experience with the concept of chance (ACARA, 2016). As such,
it was important that this unit of work was designed in such a way that it allows students to be gradually
introduced to more complex aspects of chance and have their ability in data representation and interpretation
extended upon. Using the Language Model of Mathematics, the unit begins in the student language stage, using
terms such as will happen and will not happen, and steadily progresses through the remaining stages until
students are confident in representing and interpreting data related to the chance of an event using a symbolic
representation in a graph of their own and using terminology such as likely and unlikely (Jamieson-Proctor &
Larkin, Week 1). In doing so, the unit of work will allow students to become confident in different aspects of the
concepts in smaller, more meaningful sections rather than being overwhelmed by ideas which are difficult for
them to understand with no background knowledge.
This unit of work allows for frequent and effectice formative assessment through students completing small
group and individual tasks throughout the lessons. In doing so, the assessments made throughout the unit can
assist the teacher in identifying the level of understanding a student has with the two concepts being explored
and can use this data to guide future lessons if adjustments become necessary (Board of Studies, Teaching and
Educational Standards, 2012).
Introduction to lessons:
Throughout the lessons in this unit of work, two approaches were considered and implemented. Using a socioconstructivist approach through implementing cooperative learning tasks to promote the sharing of knowledge
and understanding between students allows for peers to assist one another in developing their confidence with
the two concepts being explored (Sharma, 2015). As such, all lessons within the unit of work have been designed

to include opportunities for cooperative learning through group tasks or discussions following individual tasks.
Additionally, open-ended tasks play an important role throughout this unit of work as probability is a
mathematical concept which will often have varying results, depending on the event being explored (Haylock,
2010). Open-ended tasks provide students with the opportunity to explore the concepts while acknowledging
that while there may be a theoretical probability of an event occurring, there is a chance of the experimental
probability being different as explored in later years of their education (Clarke et al., 2012; ACARA, 2016).

Learning Sequence
Lesson 1
Learning experiences and teaching strategies:
- Cooperative learning and group tasks
- Open-ended questions in regards to students
providing examples of possible/impossible.

Assessment of,
for and as
aligned with the
content
descriptors

Required
adjustments

Resources

Lesson Objectives (KUDS):

- Definition of a possible and impossible event
- Classifying an event as possible or impossible
Time:
10
mins

Lesson Introduction
Write the words Possible and
Impossible on the whiteboard
and ask students what each of the
words might mean.
As a class, discuss the possible
meanings behind these two words
as provided by students. If
necessary, link the correct
meanings of these words into this
discussion while drawing on ideas
provided by students.
o Possible = Can happen
o Impossible = Cannot
happen
Under each of the words, provide
an example of an event that is
possible or impossible.
o Possible Running at
lunch
o Impossible Seeing a
dinosaur on the oval
Students transition from the floor back
to their grouped desks.

20
mins

Lesson Content
Each group is provided with a set
of possible and impossible events
(see Appendix A).
Students in each group work
cooperatively to sort these events
into possible or impossible. As
they identify the probability of
each event, students are to discuss
why it is possible or impossible.
As a class, identify which events
are possible or impossible through
voting with thumbs up (possible)
and thumbs down (impossible). If
there are differences in opinion,
discuss why an event may fit under
the different category.

Assessment for
Kinaesthetic
Learning
learning is
Class
implemented
discussion on
to support
definitions of a
students who
possible and
become easily
impossible
distracted, and
event.
to promote
active
participation.
Observations
of students
and their
Cooperative
ability to
learning
identify an
through group
event as
tasks to allow
possible or
for peer
impossible,
assistance and
with their own
feedback.
justification.
Class
Assessment as
discussions to
Learning
scaffold
Discussions
students
between
understandings
students
of the concepts
regarding their
being explored.
choices behind
whether an
event is
possible or
impossible.
This allows
students to
reflect on their
individual
understanding
of the two
categories.

List of Possible
and Impossible
Events
(Appendix A)
Whiteboard
Whiteboard
Markers

10
mins

Lesson Conclusion
Ask students to provide their own
examples of possible events,
asking for them to explain why the
event is possible as they share
their idea. Repeat for impossible.

Any additional information/description/explanations:

Lesson 2
Learning experiences and teaching strategies:
- Cooperative learning and group tasks
- Open-ended questions in regards to students
providing examples of will/might/will not.

Assessment of,
for and as
aligned with the
content
descriptors

Required
adjustments

Assessment for
Learning
Class
discussion on
definitions of
events that
will, might or
will not occur.

Accessing prior
knowledge
from previous
lesson to
support
understandings
developed in
this lesson.

Observations
of students
and their
ability to
identify
whether an
event will,
might or will
not occur.

Cooperative
learning
through group
tasks to allow
for peer
assistance and
feedback.

Resources

Lesson Objectives (KUDS):

- Definition of an event which will, might or will
not happen.
- Classifying whether an event will, might or will
not happen.
Time:
10
mins

Lesson Introduction
Revisit the terminology used in the
previous lesson Possible,
Impossible. What do these mean?
Give me one example of each.
Introduce the terms Will
happen, Might happen and
Wont happen while highlighting
the difference between these two
terms and the two terms from the
previous lesson.
o Will happen Certain. Not
a maybe. It will happen.
o Might happen Just like
possible, it might happen,
but it might not happen.
o Wont happen Just like
impossible, it will not
happen.
Write three events on the
whiteboard and ask students to
suggest whether each event will
happen, might happen or will not
happen and why this is so.
o Sit at our desks for Maths
today (Might happen,
currently sitting on the
floor but could sit at our
desks)
o Learn today (Will happen
Already happening)
o Wake up at lunch time
today (Will not happen
already awake)
Students transition from the floor back
to their grouped desks.

30
mins

Lesson Content
Each group is provided with three
small whiteboards and are asked
to write the titles Will happen,
Might happen and Will not
happen on each whiteboard.

Assessment as
Learning
Discussions
between
students
regarding their
choices. This
allows
students to
reflect on their
individual
understanding
of the three
different types
of chance.

Class
discussions to
scaffold
students
understandings
of the concepts
being explored.

List of Events
(see Appendix
A)
Whiteboard
Whiteboard
Markers
Individual
Whiteboards
for students

10
mins

Ask events are read out by the

teacher, groups will have 30
seconds to discuss and identify
which category they belong under.
At the end of all events being read
out, vote on where the events
belong on the teachers
whiteboard.

Lesson Conclusion
Revisit the definitions of each term
introduced and ask students to
provide their own events that fit
under each category.

Any additional information/description/explanations:

Lesson 3
Learning experiences and teaching strategies:
- Cooperative learning and group tasks
- Open-ended task in collecting and
representing data

Assessment of,
for and as
aligned with the
content
descriptors

Required
adjustments

Assessment for
Learning
Class
discussion on
definitions of
events that
will, might or
will not occur.

Accessing prior
knowledge
from previous
lesson to
support
understandings
developed in
this lesson.

Observations
of students
and their
ability to
identify
whether an
event will,
might or will
not happen.

Cooperative
learning
through group
tasks to allow
for peer
assistance and
feedback.

Resources

Lesson Objectives (KUDS):

- Classifying whether an event will, might or will
not happen.
- Collecting and representing data
- Inferring from collected data
Time:
15
mins

Lesson Introduction
Revisit the terminology used in the
previous lessons Will happen,
might happen and will not happen.
What do these mean? Give me
one example of each.
Write the title Number of TVs in
your house and the columns 0,
1, 2, 3 or more underneath.
Ask students to think about how
many televisions there are in their
house.
Ask students to raise their hand if
they have no televisions in their
house. Explain the process of
keeping a tally through drawing
small lines under each column as
people answer. Repeat for 1, 2 and
3 or more.
Demonstrate the process of
making a simple picture graph with
for the above data with a circle
representing one individual vote.
Explore the fact that using this
graph it is easy to see how many
TVs most people in the class have,
without counting their votes oneby-one, based on the height of the
column. Ask students if they can
identify how many TVs most
people have by looking for the
tallest column.
Students transition from the floor back
to their grouped desks.

30
mins

Lesson Content
On an individual whiteboard,
students will write the title My
groups favourite colours with the
headings Blue, Green, Pink,
Yellow, Other.
Students will ask their group
members what their favourite

Graphs
created using
collected data
Assessment as
Learning
Discussions
between
students
regarding their
choices.

Class
discussions to
scaffold
students
understandings
of the concepts
being explored.
Kinaesthetic
learning is
implemented
to support
students who
become easily
distracted, and
to promote
active
participation.
This occurs
through the use
of concrete
materials such
as Unifix cubes

Whiteboard
Whiteboard
Markers
Individual
Whiteboards
for students
Unifix Cubes
Maths Books
Lead Pencils
Rulers

colour is and collect the data from

these answers in their maths
books.
Using this data, students will then
create their own picture graph
using Unifix cubes instead of
circles as demonstrated earlier.
Students will then stand up and in
a gallery format, will walk around
looking at one anothers graphs to
see which groups had different
favourite colours.

Lesson Conclusion
Share your observations with the
5 mins
class on which groups had
different favourite colours based
on the graphs you have seen while
walking around the students,
emphasising the fact that through
collecting data and showing it in a
graph, it is easier to understand
what it means.

Any additional information/description/explanations:

Lesson 4
Learning experiences and teaching strategies:
- Cooperative learning and group tasks
- Open-ended task in collecting and
representing data

Assessment of,
for and as
aligned with the
content
descriptors

Required
adjustments

Resources

Lesson Objectives (KUDS):

- Classifying whether an event is likely or
unlikely
- Collecting and representing data
- Inferring the chance of an event from
collected data
Time:
10
mins

Lesson Introduction
What does it mean if I say
something is likely? What does it
mean if I say it is unlikely?
o Likely Will probably happen
o Unlikely Probably will not
happen
Show the provided picture graph
on the Smartboard (see Appendix
B) about favourite animals.
Ask students to identify which
animal is liked by the most people
based on the graph. How do you
know that animal is liked by the
most people?
If I chose a random person from
this graph and asked them if their
favourite animal is a dog, is it likely
or unlikely that they would say
yes? Why?
o It is likely as most people
voted that the dog was their
favourite animal.
Students transition from the floor back
to their grouped desks.

30
mins

Lesson Content
In their maths books, students will
write the title Number of
brothers and sisters with the
headings 0, 1, 2, 3 or more
underneath.
Students will ask their group
members how many brothers and
sisters they have in total and
record this data in their maths
book.
Using the data they collect,
students will create their own
picture graph in their maths books
using one circle to represent one
answer.

Assessment for
Learning
Observations
of students
and their
ability to
identify
whether an
event is likely
or unlikely.
Collection of
data in a table
format
Representatio
n of data as a
graph
Classification
of an event
being likely or
unlikely in
their group.
Assessment as
Learning
Discussions
between
students
regarding their
choices.

Accessing prior
knowledge
from previous
lesson to
support
understandings
developed in
this lesson.

Cooperative
learning
through group
tasks to allow
for peer
assistance and
feedback.

Class
discussions to
scaffold
students
understandings
of the concepts
being explored.

Favourite
Animals Graph
(see Appendix
B)
Smartboard
Maths Books
Rulers
Coloured
Pencils
Lead Pencils

10
mins

Ask students to complete this

sentence in their books under
their graph.
If I ask a person in my group how
many brothers and sisters they
have, it is ________
(likely/unlikely) that the answer
will be 2. This sentence will be
completed different by every
student depending on the data
collected.

Lesson Conclusion
Ask students to share their
sentence and why they decided it
would be likely or unlikely for the
answer to be 2 in their group.

Any additional information/description/explanations:

Lesson 5
Learning experiences and teaching strategies:
- Cooperative learning and group tasks
- Open-ended task in collecting and
representing data

Assessment of,
for and as
aligned with the
content
descriptors

Required
adjustments

Resources

Lesson Objectives (KUDS):

- Classifying whether an event is likely or
unlikely
- Collecting and representing data
- Inferring the chance of an event from
collected data
Time: Lesson Introduction
5 mins Revisit terminology from
throughout the unit of work.
o Will happen, might happen,
will not happen
o Likely, Unlikely
Show the graph from the previous
lesson on the Smartboard and ask
students to identify which option
is the most likely and which is
most unlikely. Are any of these
impossible or certain?
Students transition from the floor back
to their grouped desks.

35
mins

Lesson Content
In their maths books, students will
write the title Favourite Sports
with the headings Soccer,
Football, Swimming, Tennis
and Other underneath.
Students will ask 15 random
classmates what their favourite
sport is and record this data in
their maths book.
Using the data they collect,
students will create their own
picture graph in their maths books
using one circle to represent one
answer.
Ask students to complete this
sentence in their books under
their graph.
If I ask someone in our class what
their favourite sport is, it is
_________ that the answer will be
Soccer. This sentence will be
completed different by every
student depending on the data
collected.

Assessment for
Learning
Class
discussion on
definitions of
events that
are likely or
unlikely.

Accessing prior
knowledge
from previous
lesson to
support
understandings
developed in
this lesson.

Observations
of students
and their
ability to
identify
whether an
event is likely
or unlikely.

Class
discussions to
scaffold
students
understandings
of the concepts
being explored.

Assessment of
Learning
Table of data,
graph and
sentence
identifying the
chance of an
event. This
assessment
tasks place
individually in
class by all
students.
Through this
data
collection,
representation
and
interpretation,
as well as their
understanding
of chance will
be assessed.

Favourite
Animals Graph
(see Appendix
B)
Smartboard
Maths Books
Rulers
Lead Pencils
Coloured
Pencils

10
mins

Lesson Conclusion
Collect students books with their
completed graphs and sentences
for assessment.
Ask students to share one thing
that is likely to happen today and
one thing that is unlikely to
happen today with the person
next to them.

Any additional information/description/explanations:

Feedback to Students
Throughout this unit of work there are multiple opportunities for the teacher to provide feedback to individual
students, as well as groups. Throughout the beginning of the unit this is possible mostly through conversations
that occur as the teacher moves between groups listening to their approaches and ideas as they work
cooperatively. In these moments the teacher is able to ask questions about a child or groups understanding and
can provide feedback in these opportunities. Later in the unit, these formative assessment moments may also
occur in written format in a students maths book as they begin to write their work in their books. From these
formative assessment opportunities, the teacher is able to make any adjustments necessary in future lessons, or
in the current lesson to address any areas of concern.
At the end of the unit students complete a summative assessment task that shows their overall capability with
the content explored, as well as their understandings of the two concepts. Feedback can be provided in a
written format on this piece of work in the students book.

Appendix A

POSSIBLE

IMPOSSIBLE

Having homework this week

Wearing your sports uniform today
Playing a game at lunch
Finding a blue apple
A dinosaur on the oval at lunch today
Raining this afternoon
Being in Year 3 tomorrow
Having your birthday today
Eating a sandwich at lunch
Going on a plane before lunch
Having 6 people in your desk group
Reading a chapter book in one minute
Saying the alphabet backwards
Learning a new song before you go home
Having music class this week
Learning about Maths today
Going to the library at lunch

Appendix B

CATS

DOGS

BIRDS

LIZARDS

FISH

GUINEA PIG