JoinMiddle School | Daily Do
How Can Computational Modeling Help Explain and Design Solutions to the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups?
By Scott E. Grapin, Daniel Wendel, Alison Haas, and Okhee Lee
Is Lesson Plan Middle School Grades 6-8
Lesson Overview
Middle school students, as scientists, use computational modeling to investigate the spread of COVID-19. Students use a computational model, in combination with other data sources, to argue about the conditions that contributed to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority groups. Then students use a computational model to design solutions to the problem of disproportionate impact. This lesson requires students to use data collected in the lesson How Can Computational Modeling Help Explain How Different Groups of People Are Affected When COVID-19 Spreads Through a Community? to construct their arguments and make informed design choices.
Access the Lesson: How Can Computational Modeling Help Explain and Design Solutions to the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups?
To make a copy of the lesson, follow the link to the Google doc and select File > Make a Copy.
This lesson is written for student use (e.g., “You will program the model…”). To provide support for students, the lesson includes response spaces and embedded scaffolds. Teachers and families are encouraged to adapt the lesson for their contexts (e.g., using provided guiding questions to facilitate discussions in the classroom or at home).
Daily Do Playlist: Understanding COVID-19 Disparities Using Computational Modeling
How Can Computational Modeling Help Explain and Design Solutions to the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups? is the third of three lessons in the Understanding COVID-19 Disparities Using Computational Modeling playlist. In this instructional sequence (playlist), students build toward using a computational model to design solutions to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority groups. While the first two lessons in the playlist can be taught as stand-alone tasks, this third lesson requires students to use data collected in the second playlist lesson, How Can Computational Modeling Help Explain How Different Groups of People Are Affected When COVID-19 Spreads Through a Community?
Materials
- Computer or tablet to access StarLogo Nova*
- Daily Do 3** Disproportionate Impact (with mask) Computational Model https://www.slnova.org/sgrapin/projects/819378/edit/
*If students are new to the StarLogo Nova programming environment, they are encouraged to complete the StarLogo Nova Orientation Task (from the Computational Thinking and Modeling NSTA Playlist) prior to engaging in the lessons.
**How Can Computational Modeling Help Explain and Design Solutions to the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups? is the third of three lessons on the Understanding COVID-19 Disparities Using Computational Modeling playlist.