Lesson Description:
Likely Letters is a statistics and probability project that requires students to use experimental probability to determine
the letters with the highest frequency of use in written English. The students differentiate between theoretical
and experimental probability, make predictions, collect and organize data, and analyze their results to discover which letters
of the alphabet are used the most.
Math Content:
Statistics; Experimental Probability; Predicting; Collecting, Organizing, and Analyzing Data; Drawing Conclusions based on
data
Suggested Grade Level:
5th-8th
Time Required:
1-2 class periods
Materials Needed:
Reading materials (books, magazines, etc.) for data collection
The Likely Letters Statistics and Probability Project
includes:
- 2 Likely Letters assignment sheets
- 2 Likely Letters Data Entry Sheets
- 3 Likely Letters Teacher Tips pages
- 1 Likely Letters Cover Page
Teacher Testimonial:
Likely Letters is a lesson that makes statistics and data collection relevant to the students. Most students have watched
Wheel of Fortune or played the game Hangman. Both games require a knowledge of letters that are likely to be used in
the unknown words. This gives purpose to the data collection. You can also add suspense to the assignment by posting
a covered list of the most frequently used letters that will only be revealed after the students complete their investigation.
Enjoy your lesson!!
