See more activities in: Fourth Grade, Probability & Statistics
Discuss probability as you play this game of chance! All you need to get started is a deck of cards, a paper and a pencil. Most card games involve some degree of probability and provide a great avenue for discussing this concept with a child. This activity puts it simply and makes math fun. Your child will gain a better grasp of a tough math concept and be ready to head back into the classroom with confidence!
Term to Know:
Probability: the measure of the likelihood of an event
What You Need:
- One deck of cards (Print a deck.)
- Paper and pencil (to record results)
What You Do:
- In this game, all four suits are used, but only the ace through six cards of each. Put the rest of the cards aside, then shuffle the aces through sixes.
- Introduce the activity by discussing probability. Count the cards that will be used in the game (six cards times four suits = 24 cards). What are the chances of drawing an ace? (1/6 of the cards are aces, so the chance of drawing an ace is 1 out of 6.)
- Spread the cards face down on the table.
- Players take turns drawing six cards and recording how many aces they picked up. After each player, the cards should be mixed up before the next player selects their cards.
- Discuss the results. Did anyone beat the odds? (Get more than 1 ace?)
- Play for 10 rounds. The player with the highest score after 10 rounds wins.
Variations:
- Change the rules so that the card that "counts" is different. For example, call the game Eights Count.
- Add more cards into the game. Discuss how this will change the probability.
See more activities in: Fourth Grade, Probability & Statistics
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