Which Number Wins? (Grades 1–8) Dice Game

Which Number Wins? (Grades 1–8)
Math concepts: In this individual activity, students roll two dice and record the results. Make a recording sheet that is an 11 x 12 block grid with the numbers 2 through 12 across the top. While young children gain practice with addition facts, older children can examine the data, compare results with other classmates, and think about why some sums are more likely than others. To do the activity, students need two dice and a recording sheet.
The object: to roll the dice and record the number fact in the correct column, stopping when one number gets to the finish line.
How to play: Post a class chart that lists the numbers from 2 to 12 and have students make a tally mark to show the winning sum. Have each child do the experiment at least twice.
After you've collected the data, discuss with the class why it seems that some sums "win" more than others. Young children may not be able to explain it, but older students often figure out that there is only one way to get the sums of 2 and 12, and six ways to get a sum of 7.
After discussing the data, return to the game of Two-Dice Sums and see if students revise their strategies. You may want to ask students to write about the game and the likelihood of two-dice sums. 

Adapted from Instructor, April 1994.