stickorswitch

(photo credit: [|letsmakeadeal.com])

Stick or Switch

 * What?** Students will be conducting a probability experiment based on the popular game show //Let's Make a Deal//. The point is to use experimental probability to figure out if players should stick or switch once they have chosen one of the doors. Teachers are free to teach the lesson as they want, but ultimately the goal of the project is to have students collaborate to create a web page that lists their results.


 * How?** The [|National Library of Virtual Manipulatives] has a game called [|Stick or Switch]. It is a perfect simulation of the real game in that it allows students to pick a door, see what is behind it, and then choose to stick or switch. In years past, I have had students play the game a set number of times on their own computers and keep track of wins and losses as they go. At the end of the lesson, we then pool the data so that they can find out what the experimental probability of each outcome is. They then enter the data into a [|Google spreadsheet] and [|create graphs].

To make sure that students are collaborating on this project (and not teachers), students will be grouped with students from another classroom. Groups will be given a sheet on the Google spreadsheet in which to enter their data. A sheet at the end of the spreadsheet will be for aggregating the data of both classes.


 * When?** There is no set time period for this project. If you are interested, please email me and we will negotiate a time that works for all participants.


 * To participate:** Email Jamie Tubbs at tubbsj[at]wyomingcityschools.org. Let me know when you can participate, where you're from, the grade you teach, and anything else you think is important.