Learning Activity

The Spread of a Virus: Which Virus Is More Virulent?

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This activity allows teachers to formatively assess students' understanding of multiplicative rates of change from different representations. The activity presents four different viruses of different spread rates, and students are to determine which virus is the most virulent and justify their responses.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 09-12 - Algebra I with Probability

MA19.A1.24

Distinguish between situations that can be modeled with linear functions and those that can be modeled with exponential functions.

Unpacked Content

UP:MA19.A1.24

Vocabulary

  • Linear functions
  • Exponential functions
  • Constant rate of change
  • Constant percent rate of change
  • Intervals
  • Percentage of growth
  • Percentage of decay

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Key components of linear and exponential functions.
  • Properties of operations and equality

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Accurately determine relationships of data from a contextual situation to determine if the situation is one in which one quantity changes at a constant rate per unit interval relative to another (linear).
  • Accurately determine relationships of data from a contextual situation to determine if the situation is one in which one quantity grows or decays by a constant percent rate per unit interval relative to another (exponential).

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Linear functions have a constant value added per unit interval, and exponential functions have a constant value multiplied per unit interval.
  • Distinguishing key features of and categorizing functions facilitates mathematical modeling and aids in problem resolution.
Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 09-12 - Algebra I with Probability

MA19.A1.27

Interpret the parameters of functions in terms of a context. Extend from linear functions, written in the form $mx + b$, to exponential functions, written in the form $ab^x$.

Unpacked Content

UP:MA19.A1.27

Vocabulary

  • Parameters

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Key components of linear and exponential functions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Communicate the meaning of defining values (parameters and variables) in functions used to model contextual situations in terms of the original context.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Sense making in mathematics requires that meaning is attached to every value in a mathematical expression.

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will interpret the rate of change for different viruses and compare them to see which virus is more virulent.

Activity Details

The activity linked above and provided here should be given to students to complete individually. As students are completing this after activity, the teacher should move around the classroom monitoring student responses. After students complete the activity, the teacher should collect student responses and assess the student responses to prepare for the next class period.

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Teachers need to attend to how students made sense of the different virus spread representations to determine the rate of change in each representation. Teachers should offer comments on student strategies that provided the rate of change for each representation or suggestion for how students can move toward thinking about determining the rates of change for each representation. The correct response is the virus represented as a graph, but students should be able to justify their response by demonstrating that this virus has the greatest rate of change. Student answers and strategies may vary, and teachers should analyze responses according to students' demonstration of their understanding of comparing multiplicative rates of change.

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

16 to 30 Minutes

Related Learning Activities

Learning Activity (Before)

The Spread of a Virus: Are All Viruses Virulent?

Learning Activity (During)

The Spread of a Virus: Does Social Distancing Matter?

Learning Activity (After)

The Spread of a Virus: Which Virus Is More Virulent?

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Teachers should answer the after activity before class in as many strategies as possible to effectively assess student responses to the activity. The after activity is again linked here.

Digital Tools / Resources

Which Virus is More Virulent? (Exit Slip)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13K1VNSxEPjAz26n_Dt0Qo9BVYWzCPsj4/view?usp=shar…

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

dcdai
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