Be a disease detective

2020-06-08T09:44:00+01:00

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Challenge your students to work out the reproduction number, R0

Graphic with purple coronavirus symbols, red people symbols and a red arrow rising from left to right to show transmission rate

Source: © Shutterstock

Governments across the world are closely monitoring R0 to guide their response to the coronavirus pandemic. In this activity for 14–16 students, they will find out more about R0 and how simple models can be used to predict how our actions affect it. Calculations allow the students to see how even apparently small changes in its value can have a big impact on the number of infected individuals within a population.

Model answers are provided in the answer sheet.

Use this worksheet alongside the article, Calling the disease detectives from Education in Chemistry.

Downloads

R0 What is it and how do our actions affect it_resource
Word, Size 73.13 kb
R0 What is it and how do our actions affect it_resource
PDF, Size 90.34 kb
R0 What is it and how do our actions affect it_answers
Word, Size 0.11 mb
R0 What is it and how do our actions affect it_answers
PDF, Size 63.28 kb
Calling the disease detectives_download
PDF, Size 37.47 kb

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Level

14-16 years

Use

Specification

Republic of Ireland
- Leaving Certificate
  - Chemistry
    - Option 1A: Additional industrial chemistry
      - 1A.1 GENERAL PRINCIPLES
        Social and Applied Aspects
        Awareness of the contributions of chemistry to society, e.g. provision of pure water, fuels, metals, medicines, detergents, enzymes, dyes, paints, semiconductors, liquid crystals and alternative materials, such as plastics, and synthetic fibres; increasi…
- Junior Cycle
  - Science
    - The nature of science
      - Communicating on science
        6. Conduct research relevent to a scientific issue, evaluate different sources of information including secondary data, understanding that a source may lack detail or show bias.
        7. Organise and communicate their research and investigative findings in a variety of ways fit for purpose and audience, using relevent scientific terminology and representations.
      - Science in society
        10. Appreciate the role of science in society; and its personal, social and global importance; and how society influences scientific research.

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