Prepare for lesson:

• Review Viral Packaging activity guide
• Print out Triangle template  per small group (2-3 youth)
• Supplies for each small group:
  • Cardstock or similar
  • 2-3 feet of yarn
  • 6 extra large cotton balls
  • Scissors
  • Tape

During the lesson:

• Ask youth:
  • What do we know about viruses?
  • Why is knowing about virus behavior important?
• Share that they’ll be designing a model of a viral container. Why is that important?
• Divide youth into small groups.
• Distribute supplies for each group
• Groups will use template to cut out the strip of triangles.
• With the tape, they will experiment on ways to use 20 triangles to enclose the yarn and cotton balls.
• Give them 15 min.
• Have groups share out: How did they do? Were there similar models? Was there a process that you went through to get to the model that worked?

Introduce the career connection Mariel Vázquez and her work as a mathematical biologist by visiting her profile (linked).