Virginia SOL 4.PS.2.a
The Standard
Describe probability as the degree of likelihood of an outcome occurring using terms such as impossible, unlikely, equally likely, likely, and certain.
Virginia Standards of Learning for Mathematics · The student will model and determine the probability of an outcome of a simple event.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students place possible events on a chance scale from impossible to certain. They support each placement by considering all possible outcomes.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students correctly label the chance of events from impossible through certain. They explain labels by comparing possible outcomes rather than guessing.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat likely as certain and unlikely as impossible. They may base answers on what they want to happen or on one recent result.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: For a fair number cube, label rolling a 7, a 1, an even number, a number below 6, and a number from 1 through 6.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs bags with eight red and two blue counters; students predict, draw with replacement 20 times, then label each color's chance.
Show a six-section spinner with three blue sections and ask students to defend whether landing on blue is likely, unlikely, or equally likely.
Play a card sort: teams place event cards under chance labels, then challenge one placement by naming the possible outcomes.
Use a local weather forecast; students translate 0%, 20%, 50%, 80%, and 100% rain chances into words and explain their matches.
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Printable 4.PS.2.a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 4.PS.2.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- 7.PS.1.d
Investigate and describe the difference between the probability of an event found through experiment or simulation versus the theoretical probability of that sa...
- 4.PS.2.d
Determine the likelihood of an event occurring and relate it to its whole number or fractional representation (e.g., impossible or zero; equally likely; certain...
- 7.PS.1.a
Determine the theoretical probability of an event.
- 4.PS.2
The student will model and determine the probability of an outcome of a simple event.
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