Estimating with Swammy

        

               Objective:  To practice estimating and probability

Directions: The students can try to be a “Swami” and see how many of their guesses or estimates come true.

 The following are questions they can use to predict  or estimate things.  Then they can follow through by actually counting the items.

1.     The number of bites in a donut.

2.     How many pieces of mail come in a day.

3.     How many light bulbs in lamps in their house.

4.     How many cars go down their street between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. or any decided half hour.

5.     How many pairs of socks are in their drawer.

6.     Pick a book.  Look at it.  Guess the number of pages.

7.     How many normal steps to the bus stop, or car, or location from their front door.

8.     How many times their phone rings during a specific time period.

9.     How many coins in a parent’s purse or pants.

10.   How many gulps in an 8 ounce glass of water or juice.

11.   How many pieces of silverware are in the dishwasher on any given night.

12.   How many glasses or plates are in the dishwasher on any given night.

13.   How many cups does it take to fill your bathroom sink/bathtub with water.

14.   Open any book, to any page.  How many times is the word the on the page.

                Do this ten times.

15.   How many pictures in any of their picture albums.

16.   How many cans/boxes are in their cupboard or pantry.

17.   How many pieces of candy are in their house during a specific time.

18.   How many ice cubes does it take to fill up an 8 ounce glass.  To fill up a pitcher.

19.   How many seeds are in a watermelon, pumpkin, tomato, etc.

20.   Watch a cartoon show.  Guess how many characters will appear.

21.   Find something small that will fit in your hand (i.e. fish crackers, pennies, paper clips, nuts, beans, etc.).  Grab a handful without looking and guess how many there are.