Hi Jenny,
I don't have any actual papers on the topic, but using M&Ms to teach
probability and
relative frequency of occurrence is easy and fun to all ages. Go to
http://www.m-ms.com/factory/history/faq1.html
<http://www.m-ms.com/factory/history/faq1.html> to find facts about the
distributions of colors in the
different types of packaged M&Ms. Give each child a small package of the
same type and have them
count the colors. They can find which colors occur with more, less or the
same frequency. Then open
a package that they have never seen and have them guess how many of each
color they expect.
Be careful that they don't eat them before they count them (:>). Also, be
prepared to discuss
situations in which you expect a certain number and you get something
totally out of the ordinary
(outliers or statistical oddities).
Good luck and have fun!
Rgds
mjg ([log in to unmask] ; 203-353-8100 x277)
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From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 2:22 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: teaching statistics to preschoolers
Do you know any published papers on methods of teaching basic statistics to
preschoolers (5-6 years old).
Thank you
Jenny Pange
University of Ioannina
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