Grade 7 Mathematics  

Unit two: to what extent can we 

control the probability of an outcome? 
 

 
 
 
Modelling events allows us to collect and 
analyse data, and make generalisations that 
can help us predict human behaviour. 
 
 
 
 

 
 : 
Week 1:  Week 2: 
● describing chance  ● experimental probability 
● assigning numbers to chance  ● primary vs secondary data 
● probability of simple events  ● quantitative vs qualitative data 
● subjective probability  ● creating a frequency/relative 
frequency table 
● M&M formative task 

Week 3:  Week 4: 

● theoretical probability  ● representing data 
● listing possible outcomes  ● analysing data 
● tree diagrams  ● Criterion A test 

   
Week 5:  Week 6: 
● Subjective vs Theoretical vs  ● Criteria C and D summative 
Experimental task  assessment task 
  ○ day 1 - set out the task and 
  brainstorm tests 
Week 7:  ○ day 2 - conduct the test 
○ day 3 - organise the data 
● Present the findings  ○ day 4 - second test 
○ day 5 - write up the experiment  
 

 
 
Key Concept 
Logic: probability is the likelihood of an event happening. 
By analysing data and identifying trends we put 
ourselves in a better position to more accurately predict 
the likelihood of that event.  
 
Related Concepts 
Representation - students will need to choose the 
graphical representation that best supports their data 
Model - a depiction of a real-life event using probability, 
statistics and graphs 
Generalisation - general statements made on the basis of specific examples 
Justification - students will analyse data looking for patterns or trends, draw conclusions 
about the data, and justify their conclusion with valid evidence from the data  
 
 
 

 
 
Global Context 
Scientific and Technical Innovation - the way in which we try 
to understand basic human nature. By modelling real-life 
events in small scale observations, we can make 
generalisations about how humans interact and behave. 
 
 
 
 
Statement of Inquiry 
Modelling events allows us to collect and analyse data, and make generalisations that can 
help us predict human behaviour. 
 
 
Lines of Inquiry 
Factual: 
How do we calculate probability?  
What is the di erence between theoretical and experimental probability? 
What is the di erence between primary/secondary data? 
How are statistical variables di erent from algebraic variables? 
What is the di erence between quantitative and qualitative data? 
What is the di erence between uni and bi-variate data? 
What are some of the di erent ways data can be represented? 
How to we calculate mean, median and mode?  
 
Conceptual: 
What do we mean by a “probable outcome”? 
Who needs data? 
Is data just numbers? 
What does data tell us? 
How much data do you need to make a statistically relevant statement? 
 
 
 
Debatable: 
How can we influence a probable outcome? 
Can everyone understand data?  
Can data provide answers to behavioural 
questions? 
 
 
 

 
  
Self-Management: Communication Skills 
Specific ATL Skills  Learning Experiences 

Navigate, read and view learning area texts -  Vocabulary chart for subject specific vocabulary: 
navigate, read and view a variety of challenging  probability, likelihood, certain, unlikely, subjective 
subject-specific texts with a wide range of graphic  probability, experimental probability, frequency, 
representations  relative frequency, generalisation, sample group, 
  model, theoretical probability, outcome, degree of 
Interpret and analyse learning area texts - interpret  accuracy, trend, correlation, hypothesise,  
and evaluate information, identify main ideas and   
supporting evidence, and analyse di erent  Students will be required to read and interpret data 
perspectives using comprehension strategies  presented in a variety of di erent forms. 
   
Deliver presentations - plan, research, rehearse and  Students will need to select the best method to 
deliver presentations on learning area topics,  present their data in a manner that clearly 
sequencing selected content and multimodal  communicates their findings. 
elements for accuracy and their impact on the   
audience  Students will present the findings of their experiments 
  into human behaviour at an Advisory Plus Assembly. 
Understand learning area vocabulary - use a wide 
range of new specialist and topic vocabulary to 
contribute to the specificity, authority and abstraction 
of texts 
 
Understand how visual elements create meaning - 
analyse the e ects of di erent visual elements upon 
the reader/viewer, and how visual texts such as 
advertisements and informative texts draw on and 
allude to other texts to enhance meaning 
 
 
Research: Information Literacy Skills 
Specific ATL Skills  Learning Experiences 

Locate, generate and access data and information  Students will need to understand the di erence 
- locate, retrieve or generate information using search  between primary/secondary data and the di erent 
facilities and organise information in meaningful ways   methods of collecting data. 
   
Select and evaluate data and information - assess  Student will need to generate ways to collect and 
the suitability of data or information using  classify data, and then organise it into a graphical 
appropriate own criteria Show examples  representation.  
 
Students will need to devise a suitable criteria for their 
experiment 
 
Students will need to draw conclusions and make 
generalisations about the data they collect. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
  
 

   

 
 
Criterion A: Knowing and Understanding 
● select appropriate mathematics when solving problems in both familiar and unfamiliar 
situations 
● apply the selected mathematics successfully when solving problems 
● solve problems correctly in a variety of contexts 
 
 
Criterion C: Communicating 
● use appropriate mathematical language (notation, symbols and terminology) in both oral 
and written statements and/or explanations 
● use di erent forms of mathematical representation to present information 
● move between di erent forms of mathematical representation 
● communicate complete and coherent mathematical lines of reasoning 
● organise information using a logical structure 
 
Criterion D: Applying mathematics and real-life contexts 
● identify relevant elements of authentic real-life situations 
● select appropriate mathematical strategies when solving authentic real-life situations 
● apply the selected mathematical strategy successfully to reach a solution 
● explain the degree of accuracy of a solution 
● describe/explain whether a solution makes sense in the context of the authentic real-life 
situation 

 
  
Task 1: Criterion A: Unit Test 
Topic covered will be: 
● assigning numbers to chance 
● the probability of simple events 
● experimental probability 
● creating a frequency/relative frequency table 
● listing possible outcomes 
● theoretical probability 
● tree diagrams 
 
Criteria C and D: Mathematical Investigation and Presentation 
Working in groups of two/three, students will need to design and conduct an experiment 
where they hope to change the behaviour of a sample group of students. 
They will: 
1. Come up with a behaviour they want to change (eg. clearing the table after lunch, 
keeping the ping pong area free of random clothing, getting more people to eat fruits at 
lunch, leaving classrooms in a neat and tidy manner, etc).  
2. Students will come up with a way to change that behaviour (eg. a sign, asking a teacher 
to sit at the table, etc.) 
3. Students hypothesise on the probability  
4. Students design ways to record and organise the data, both before and after 
5. Students will look for trends, draw conclusions and make generalisations from the data  
6. Students will present their data in the most appropriate manner and describe their 
conclusions in terms of changing the probability of that behaviour.  
 
Final oral presentation will include: 
● explanation of their experiment 
● what they hoped to achieve 
● the process 
● the data 
● their findings 
● their generalisations about human behaviour 
 
 

 
 
1. What do we mean by being “RANDOM”, what this video to get a better idea. 
 
 
 

 
 Works Cited 

Probability, www.mathsisfun.com/data/probability.html. 

“Calculating Probability.” DeviantArt, 

zackdowney.deviantart.com/art/Calculating-Probability-402989812. 

“Probability and Statistics.” SusanLeeSensei, 

susanleesensei.weebly.com/probability-and-statistics.html. 

Vsauce. “What Is Random?” YouTube, YouTube, 16 July 2014, 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rIy0xY99a0. 

wikiHow. “How to Calculate Probability.” WikiHow, WikiHow, 27 Mar. 2017, 

www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Probability.