Thinking about and Investigating Risk with Marty

45 Minutes

Lesson Overview

This is the second of five lessons that focus on literacy, numeracy and social and emotional learning in the context of THRIVING in challenging circumstances.

In this lesson, students will carry out an experiment into chance using Marty. Students will code Marty to make random movements and make predictions about outcomes. They will communicate their findings about probability displaying their results as simple fractions, decimal fractions and percentages.

Key vocabulary:

Programming, Block coding, Logic (if, then), Loop, Repeat, Chance, probability, risk, Random, Fraction, decimal, percentage,

Content Sections

Learning Objectives

Extensions & Challenges

Additional Reading

Thinking about and Investigating Risk with Marty

45 Minutes

Lesson Overview

This is the second of five lessons that focus on literacy, numeracy and social and emotional learning in the context of THRIVING in challenging circumstances.

Key vocabulary:

Programming, Block coding, Logic (if, then), Loop, Repeat, Chance, probability, risk, Random, Fraction, decimal, percentage,

Prerequisite Knowledge: Awareness of basic probability and chance; experience with conditional statements
Device Compatibility: Tablet
Cross-curricular links: Math - probability and conversions
Necessary resources & equipment:

Learning Objectives

Find out what a random code block does and use operator blocks to test if statements are true or false
Use logic to code Marty in MartyBlocks to move in different ways if statements are true or false.
Carry out a simple experiment into chance.
Report probabilities using simple fractions, decimal fractions and percentages.
Know that understanding the idea of risk can help us keep ourselves safe.

Either as a teacher demonstration or as a student activity, start by tossing coins and/or throwing dice asking students to guess what the outcome will be each time. Brainstorm scenarios when students might have come across making predictions in everyday life.
Students need access to MartyBlocks to code Marty following the steps given in the Student Workbook.
Students should start by exploring random blocks, looking to see if they can predict outcomes. Ask students to share their findings.
Next students will test to see if statements are true or false before moving on to using logic to make Marty move in two different ways depending on whether the outcome is true or false. They will use this code as the basis for a simple experiment into chance and probability.
By using Marty coded to randomly make a left kick or a right kick, students will carry out an experiment to count the number of left kicks and, from their results, report back on the probability of a left kick.
Review conversion between simple fractions, decimal fractions and percentages and ask students to give their results in these equivalent forms and ask students to share the findings of their experiment.
Discuss how we can assess the risk of an event happening from the number that describes the probability of it happening and explain how knowing about probability can help us make decisions to keep ourselves safe.

Extensions & Support

Students could look up the probability of specific events happening such as winning a lottery and find out how probability is used to communicate information to help us e.g. flood warning and weather forecasts
Students can repeat the experiment, changing the chance of a random left kick and share with their class how their findings differ from the first experiment.
Students could calculate the average of their results or the class results.