1. Boyan Kostadinov
Title: Star Encounters in the Milky Way
Links: Activity Info and html
Description: This project is about Barnard’s Star motion in space relative to our Sun. In a Cartesian coordinate system centered at the Sun, the current position of Barnard’s Star is given, as well as its trajectory across space, which can be represented (approximately) by a line given by two parametric equations for the x and y coordinates of Barnard’s Star as a function of time. Website.
Timing Suggestion: Session 22
2. Henry Africk
Title: An Application of Calculus: Calculating the minimum cost of producing a rectangular storage container.
Link: Activity Info
Description: Students will carry out an application of calculus that is typical of optimization problems. Students will calculate the minimum cost of producing a rectangular storage container given the volume of the container and the cost of materials required for the sides and base of the container. Worksheet doc.
Timing Suggestion: Session 22
3. Lin Zhou
Title: Exploring the Motion of the Planets with Desmos
Link: Activity Info
Description: A Desmos project on the motion of planets. This physical system is used to improve students’ understanding of implicit derivatives by relating to parametric representations of trajectory and velocity. Desmos is used to visualize the graphs and guide the students throughout the exploration. Pdf of worksheet.
Timing Suggestion: Sessions 7 and 1
4. Lucie Mingla
Title: Skydiver jumps from a plane without a parachute
Links: Activity Info & Desmos Activity
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ztur4tykq03fyxm94m5qt/OGFellows2019-2020_STEMApplication_LMingla.docx?dl=0&rlkey=ngpgdzrjjatt1mvz6e9sunhguDescription: A Skydiver Jumps from a plane without a parachute. Worksheet doc with solutions.
Timing Suggestion: Session 16
5. Mariya Bessenov
Title: Hooke’s Law: how to use a spring to calculate mass in outer space
Links: Activity Info & Website
Description: We outline a method in which a spring can be used to simultaneously determine the mass of an object in outer space and the spring constant. In outer space, it is important for astronauts to know their mass, an indicator of health. Website.
Timing Suggestion: It could take place at any time after derivatives and max/min are covered (after Session 13). The activity takes one class period and up to an hour or so to finish after class.
Title: True/False: how reliable are your antibody test results?
Links: Activity Info & Website
Description: Tests for COVID-19 antibodies have become available. An individual who takes such a test will receive a positive or negative result. A positive result indicates that COVID-19 antibodies have been detected and so the individual has been exposed to the virus. A negative test indicates that antibodies have not been detected indicating that the individual has not been exposed to the virus. But it’s not that simple. Diagnostic tests, including COVID-19 antibodies tests vary in their reliability. Two important numbers are specificity and sensitivity. Students explore the reliability of their test result based on specificity, sensitivity, and the proportion of true positives in the population. They use calculus to minimize and maximize the relevant equations and understand under what values of these numbers the test results are most and least reliable. Website.
Timing Suggestion: It could take place at any time after derivatives and max/min are covered (after Session 13). The activity takes one class period and up to an hour or so to finish after class.
6. Satyanand Singh
Title: An Application of Limits and Derivatives in Modeling a rocket’s path.
Link: Activity Info
Description: Students will carry out an application that models rocket motion and use course work in derivatives, infinite limits and graphical skills to gain an in-depth analysis of space travel. The end goal is to calculate the escape velocity needed for an object to escape Earth’s atmosphere. Students will also get the satisfaction that this approximation model gives excellent results that are comparable to the actual numbers. Pdf of worksheet.
Timing Suggestion: After Session 10
7. Victor Sirelson
Title: Stem Explorations in Calculus: Tangent Line and Moving Ladders
Links: Activity Info, Desmos Activity & Desmos Link
Description: The study of calculus should be fun and fascinating. Online tools help us to open this world for students. This application has two Desmos applications: Direction and Slope – a Desmos Activity; Moving Ladders (a related-rates study) – a Desmos dynamic application.
Timing Suggestion: Sessions 4 and 16
8. Vijay Yeeda
Title: STEM Real Life Examples: Roller Coasters and Instantaneous Rate of Change
Links: Activity Info, Desmos Link
Description: Students will explore the relationship between their feelings while riding a roller coaster and the measure of rate of change. Modelling well known tracks we will also try to approximate the coaster’s movement. Students will observe the relationship slope at any given point and excitement while riding. Worksheet doc and Desmos activity.
Timing Suggestion: Session 7
9. Willian Colucci
Title: The Calculus of Rockets
Link: Activity Info
Description: Have students use calculus to find the velocity and acceleration of a rocket that they help design the shape of. Pdf of worksheet with links.
Timing Suggestion: After Session 13
10. Wladina Antoine
Title: Limits and Continuity: Writing, Graphing And Analyzing Piecewise Functions From A Real Situation of yearly Income Tax
Link: Activity Info
Description: In this application students will be given two real situations. Students will be provided with an internet link which will provide them single tax filing and married filing jointly brackets with their state income tax owed. For example, using this tax information for New York State, students will write a piecewise function in terms of x for New York State tax for 2019. The written piece wise function will be graphed using Desmos. Key concepts included in this application are: the domain and range of the function in interval notation, the constant interval, any points of discontinuity and their location, maximum and/or minimum value, and the interval of decrease or increase. Worksheet and rubric docs.
Timing Suggestion: This application will be used after the One-Sided Limits or the Interpretation of the derivative section are taught (Sessions 3 and 4). The in class part would take 20-25 minutes, while the out of class time would take between 40-45 minutes.
