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AlgoRhythm

What are the consequences of personalization algorithms?

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AlgoRhythm

What are the consequences of personalization algorithms?

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Algorhythm - Student Handout.pdf
Algorhythm - Teacher Guide.pdf
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2023-2024 Versions

In the fall of 2024, Citizen Math released updated versions of every lesson in our library, plus a few new ones! We know you may have already prepped an earlier version or planned a repeat of last year, so we're continuing to make these earlier versions available through Thursday December 5, 2024.

You can find the new lessons through the regular search, and we hope you love them as much as we do. You can read more about these updates in Our Community.

What are the consequences of personalization algorithms? Social media apps use powerful algorithms to tailor content based on each user’s preferences.

In this brand new lesson, students use ratios to understand and explain how those algorithms can impact engagement, the spread of misinformation, and our exposure to various ideas.

REAL WORLD TAKEAWAYS

  • Social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, and others use powerful algorithms to tailor content based on each user’s preferences.
  • When a user initially starts using a particular app, they may receive a wide variety of content; over time, though, the algorithm will begin to learn the user’s preferences and tailor content to match; eventually, a user’s feed will consist primarily of content that they’re interested in or agree with.
  • Personalization algorithms have upsides and downsides. When it comes to entertainment, they’re effective and engaging. But when it comes to science and current events, algorithms can perpetuate misinformation and create dangerous informational silos.

MATH OBJECTIVES

  • Write a ratio in the form a:b to compare two real-world quantities
  • Analyze how a certain ratio of quantities changes over time and discuss its meaning and significance
  • Observe a ratio presented in the form of a bar chart; discuss its meaning in a real-world context
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.
Grade 6
Ratios & Unit Rates
Grade 6
Ratios & Unit Rates
Content Standards 6.RP.1 Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities. For example, "The ratio of wings to beaks in the bird house at the zoo was 2:1, because for every 2 wings there was 1 beak." "For every vote candidate A received, candidate C received nearly three votes." 6.RP.2 Understand the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b with b ≠ 0, and use rate language in the context of a ratio relationship. For example, "This recipe has a ratio of 3 cups of flour to 4 cups of sugar, so there is 3/4 cup of flour for each cup of sugar." "We paid $75 for 15 hamburgers, which is a rate of $5 per hamburger." 6.RP.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations. (a) Make tables of equivalent ratios relating quantities with whole- number measurements, find missing values in the tables, and plot the pairs of values on the coordinate plane. Use tables to compare ratios. (b) Solve unit rate problems including those involving unit pricing and constant speed. For example, if it took 7 hours to mow 4 lawns, then at that rate, how many lawns could be mowed in 35 hours? At what rate were lawns being mowed? (c) Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole, given a part and the percent. (d) Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.
Mathematical Practices MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. MP.6 Attend to precision.

Other Grade 6 Lessons

Jenius! (Updated)

How does what we see affect what we feel?

Grade 6
Ratios & Unit Rates
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

New-Tritional Info (Updated!)

Should restaurants rewrite menus in terms of exercise?

Grade 6
Equations & Expressions
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Tip Jar (Updated!)

What’s the fairest way to tip at a restaurant?

Grade 6
Percents
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Downside Up (Updated!)

Is there an upside to having a bad day?

Grade 6
Positive & Negative Integers
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

1600 Pennsylvania (Updated!)

How big is the White House?

Grade 6
Area/SA/Volume
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.

Jenius! (Updated)

How does what we see affect what we feel?

Grade 6
Ratios & Unit Rates
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

New-Tritional Info (Updated!)

Should restaurants rewrite menus in terms of exercise?

Grade 6
Equations & Expressions
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Tip Jar (Updated!)

What’s the fairest way to tip at a restaurant?

Grade 6
Percents
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Downside Up (Updated!)

Is there an upside to having a bad day?

Grade 6
Positive & Negative Integers
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

1600 Pennsylvania (Updated!)

How big is the White House?

Grade 6
Area/SA/Volume
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.