EBOLA+-+7th+grade+math

What are the facts and what are just //rumors//? ||
 * ~ Welcome to Mr. Cook's 7th grade math project. ||~  ||
 * [[image:ebola.jpg caption="huffingtonpost.com"]] || The Ebola Virus
 * A little background knowledge...

A good researcher finds information from more than one point of view. || media type="custom" key="26821282" media type="custom" key="26821290" ||
 * [[image:images.jpg caption="Pixabay.com"]] || Before using a source you should always evaluate it for //**credibility.**//
 * Some things to look for:**
 * WHO - Who (person or "sponsoring organization") wrote it? Are they an EXPERT?
 * WHY - Why was the website written? Look out for websites that are trying to SELL something or that show a BIAS.
 * WHERE - Where else can you find the same information? If you can't find the same information anywhere else it may not be true.
 * WHEN - When was the site last updated? Is it important that your resources be recent? How recent?
 * WHAT - What does the site look like? Are there grammatical errors? Dead links? Inappropriate language or pictures? Suspicious advertisers? ||
 * [[image:EbolaPic.jpg width="296" height="210" caption="USAID"]] || Explore some //credible// sources:

**Fill in a citation information sheet for each article below.** Work together to identify where to find citation information and how to decide if a source is credible. Think about transmission and symptoms of Ebola as compared to influenza as you read.

New York Times Ebola Fact page

"As Ebola Spreads, So Have Several Fallacies"

|| Students will be graded on the following:
 * [[image:mathi.jpg width="304" height="251"]] || The Math!

|| After reading the articles discuss the following questions with a partner and be prepared to share with the class: || Your Diigo.com account allows you to:
 * Using research skills to collect **credible** data
 * Creating **mathematical equations** from the data
 * Using Excel to **create a graph** from the data ||
 * Discussion:
 * 1) How can the flu be transmitted?
 * 2) How can Ebola be transmitted?
 * 3) What makes a virus an "airborne" virus?
 * 4) What kinds of symptoms do flu and Ebola victims share?
 * 5) What kinds of symptoms do flu victims suffer that Ebola victims generally do not? ||
 * Bookmark!

|| Find at least one //**credible**// website to supplement your research.
 * Bookmark your websites and access them from any computer
 * Highlight and take notes right on your website - and save it to access later
 * Share websites with other classmates studying the same topic ||
 * [[image:idea-48100_150.png caption="pixabay.com"]] || Brainstorm:
 * Where else can we find information on contagious diseases?
 * What key words have we learned in the videos and articles?
 * How can we use keywords to use Google effectively?
 * Further Research:
 * Further Research:

Show you can give proper credit by filling out the worksheet supplied by Mrs. Delgado. Your worksheet will be graded (25 points formative).

The Citation Machine will help you to format your references once you have found all the necessary information. You will need to properly cite at least three sources in APA format for your paper. The rubric can be found here.

|| || Example: The website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_01.shtml
 * References:

The citation:

Ibeji, M. (2011, March 10). Black Death. Retrieved November 11, 2014, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_01.shtml || || Find some other "plagues" or "epidemics" throughout history.
 * Contagious Diseases Throughout History:


 * What helped plagues to spread, and what helped stop them?


 * How did the community react to the epidemic?


 * How did the number of deaths compare to Ebola? ||
 * Making your graph

|| Take a look at this video about putting your data into a spreadsheet:

media type="youtube" key="Qoc9piHZASM" width="420" height="315"

Mr. Cook will be looking for the following in your graph:

||
 * [[image:computer-338968_150.jpg width="338" height="215" caption="pixabay.com"]] || Put it all together: Summarize your results

Write a report about one page long which includes the following: **Describe how you used exponential functions to model the spread of a contagious diseas.** What are the strengths and limitations of this model? What factors might cause transmission rates to change?


 * Compare the transmission of Ebola to another contagious disease.** How and why were transmission rates different for these two epidemics?

Include your Excel graph in the body of your report. Use APA formatting and include at least three references in APA style. See the instructional handout and examples provided in class. ||
 * Formatting requirements:**
 * Further Reading:

Take a look at these articles about the role of mathematicians in forecasting the spread of Ebola. || Washington Post, " The Ominous Math of the Ebola Virus"

The Conversation, "How Mathematicians are Aiding Fight Against Epidemics Like Ebola" ||