Catawba County Schools

A creative, hands-on tradition turns probability and statistics into an unforgettable learning experience.

The excitement was unmistakable in the math wing at Fred T. Foard High School this week as seniors stepped into Mrs. Melia Stover’s Math IV classroom for the much-anticipated annual Casino Day—a hands-on probability and statistics experience that has quickly become a favorite senior-year tradition.

While the room was filled with energy, laughter, and friendly competition, the activity was far more than a celebration. Casino Day is a carefully designed applied mathematics lesson in which students first calculate the theoretical expected value of several casino-style games. Once the calculations are complete, students rotate through stations where they play each game, using their understanding of probability to inform their choices. Afterward, they record their remaining "money," producing a real data set that reflects class variation, risk, and chance.

Students then analyze their collective results, evaluating whether the class data approximates a normal distribution and determining if the Empirical Rule (68–95–99.7%) applies. The experience reinforces key NC Math 4 standards related to probability, expected value, variability, simulations, and interpreting real-world data with statistical measures and normal distribution models.

For Mrs. Stover, Casino Day is as meaningful for her as it is for her seniors.
 

“Casino Day is quickly becoming a favorite tradition for seniors because it is truly exciting, but honestly, it is one of my favorite days too,” she shared. “I love seeing their personalities come out as they play the games, completely caught up in the fun. They don’t even realize how much they are using the numbers they have already calculated with probabilities and expected value. So while it feels like a big celebration, they are actually showing mastery of several key standards while making priceless senior year memories.” 

Students agreed that the lesson was both memorable and eye-opening, and it helped them understand probability in a more concrete and engaging way. One senior explained that the activity made them recognize “the pros and cons of gambling” as they worked through each decision. Another summed up the fun and energy of the day with a cheerful, “Welcome to Vegas, Baby!”—a lighthearted reminder that learning can be both rigorous and memorable.

What appears at first glance to be a day of playful competition is actually a powerful example of experiential learning—one that blends mathematical reasoning, real-world application, and authentic engagement. At Fred T. Foard High School, Casino Day continues to shine as a #DiamondStandard learning experience that students will remember long after the final bell rings.