ALEX Learning Activity

  

The Spread of a Virus: Are All Viruses Virulent?

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: David Dai
System:Mobile County
School:Alma Bryant High School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2619
Title:
The Spread of a Virus: Are All Viruses Virulent?
Digital Tool/Resource:
Snopes Coronoavirus Fact Check
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

In this activity, students will watch a short video clip that displays how quickly past viruses have spread and how deadly they are. This will activate students' prior knowledge about rates of growth and provide the context for the simulation activity they will engage in during the next activity.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Mathematics
MA2019 (2019)
Grade: 9-12
Algebra I with Probability
24. Distinguish between situations that can be modeled with linear functions and those that can be modeled with exponential functions.

a. Show that linear functions grow by equal differences over equal intervals, while exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals.

b. Define linear functions to represent situations in which one quantity changes at a constant rate per unit interval relative to another.

c. Define exponential functions to represent situations in which a quantity grows or decays by a constant percent rate per unit interval relative to another.
Unpacked Content
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
Given a linear or exponential function,
  • Create a sequence from the functions and examine the results to demonstrate that linear functions grow by equal differences, and exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals.
  • Use slope-intercept form of a linear function and the general definition of exponential functions to justify through algebraic rearrangements that linear functions grow by equal differences, and exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals.

  • Given a contextual situation modeled by functions, determine if the change in the output per unit interval is a constant being added or multiplied to a previous output, and appropriately label the function as linear, exponential, or neither.
Teacher 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.
Diverse Learning Needs:
Essential Skills:
Learning Objectives:
ALGI.24.1: Define linear function and exponential function.
ALGI.24.2: Distinguish between graphs of a line and an exponential function.
ALGI.24.3: Identify the graph of an exponential function.
ALGI.24.4: Identify the graph of a line.
ALGI.24.5: Plot points on a coordinate plane from a given table of values. a.
ALGI.24.6: Divide each y-value in a table of values by its successive y-value to determine if the quotients are the same, to prove an exponential function.
ALGI.24.7: Subtract each y-value in a table of values by its successive y-value to determine if the differences are the same, to prove a linear function.
ALGI.24.8: Apply rules for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers. b.
ALGI.24.9: Define constant rate of change as slope.
ALGI.24.10: Subtract each y-value in a table of values by its successive y-value to determine if the differences are the same, to prove a linear function.
ALGI.24.11: Recognize the calculated difference is the constant rate of change.
ALGI.24.12: Apply rules for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers. c.
ALGI.24.13: Define exponential growth and decay.
ALGI.24.14: Divide each y-value in a table of values by its successive y-value to determine if the quotients are the same, to prove an exponential function.
ALGI.24.15: Apply the rules of multiplication and division of integers.

Prior Knowledge Skills:
  • Recognize ordered pairs.
  • Identify ordered pairs.
  • Recognize linear equations.
  • Recall how to solve problems using the distributive property.
  • Define linear and nonlinear functions, slope, and y-intercept.
  • Analyze the graph to determine the rate of change.
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
M.A.AAS.12.24 Given a simple linear function on a graph, select the model that represents an increase by equal amounts over equal intervals.
Learning Objectives:

Students will develop an understanding of how the spread of a virus grows by a constant multiplicative rate and not a constant additive rate.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
Before/Engage
Activity:

Students will watch the short video clip from the link, during the times of 1:20-2:15. As students are watching the graph illustration for different viruses, students will record all observations and questions they may have about the video. They should pay specific attention to how different viruses affect people at different rates. Once the students have completed their writing, a whole class discussion focused on their observations and questions should take place with the lens of orienting students to how the different rates of spread compare.
Assessment Strategies:

As this is a before activity to activate students' prior knowledge, a quick poll of the classroom asking students to identify the virus that has the fastest and or slowest spread is sufficient to gauge their understanding of comparative rates of change. The poll can be conducted by having students raise their hands or a premade poll that uses technology can be used to collect data if it is available.
Advanced Preparation:

The teacher should watch the video clip beforehand and make notes of possible student observations and questions. The teacher should also make a ranked list of the rates of spread for the viruses to easily assess where the students are in their understanding. 
Variation Tips (optional):
 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

ALCOS 2019

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

a. Show that linear functions grow by equal differences over equal intervals, while exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals.

b. Define linear functions to represent situations in which one quantity changes at a constant rate per unit interval relative to another.

c. Define exponential functions to represent situations in which a quantity grows or decays by a constant percent rate per unit interval relative to another.
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: Disease, Exponential Functions, Social Distancing, Virus