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CS in Science Module 5: Greenhouse Gases slide presentation

This slide presentation can be used for CS in Science Module 5: Greenhouse Gases. Teachers can download and modify this presentation for classroom use. Also note that this presentation was specifically developed for use in a module exploring climate change and water, but the first several slides include good general information.

CS in Science Module 2: Water Resources slide presentation

These slide presentations are for CS in Science Module 2: Water Resources. Please be sure to use the relevant link below, for either StarLogo Nova 1.0 (flash version) or StarLogo Nova 2.0. Also, note there is a different presentation for CS in Science Module 2: Climate Change. Teachers can download and modify these slides for classroom use.

Code Blocks for CS in Science Module 5 (Greenhouse Gases)

A guide for students when decoding the Greenhouse Gases model for CS in Science (Module 5). The links below correspond to this model as created in StarLogo Nova 1.0 (Flash version) or StarLogo Nova 2.0 (HTML5/JavaScript version).

Code Blocks for CS in Science Module 2 (Water Resources)

This blocks guide can help students decode the base model used in Module 2 -- Water Resources. The links below correspond to either StarLogo Nova 1.0 (Flash version) or StarLogo Nova 2.0 (HTML5/JavaScript version).

Bloques de código para modelo de cambio climático

Es una hoja de referencia con los bloques de código necesarios para el modelo de cambio climático. Se explica bloque por bloque qué función cumple cada estructura en cada pestaña de la programación con StarLogo NOVA.

Shared Resources - Economics

As the human population grows, it has become increasingly important to understand how humans are impacting the environment and how resources are managed and used. Often, this type of understanding falls under the topic of Sustainability in which the needs of the present population are met without compromising the needs of future generations. In this unit, we look at a variety of resources, through the lens of complex adaptive systems, especially studying feedback and interdependence.

Emergency Egress

Emergency Egress is the study of people exiting a building or other social gathering space in an emergency situation. This unit explores models and other ways to analyze the safety of a building and to evaluate which elements may affect how quickly and safely a space may be evacuated. It also discusses the issues of modeling humans in emergency situations.

Littering Unit

Littering is a type of non-point source pollution caused
 by humans acting independently from each other, however causing a global environmental problem. Controlling this source of pollution is hard to manage despite numerous interventions. Pollution of groundwater, rivers, oceans result from these everyday littering behavior whether intentional or accidental. In this unit we will model a simple form of littering and then ways to reduce it in our community.

Traffic Unit for StarLogo Nova

This unit engages students in the use of agent-based modeling to look into why we have traffic jams and test ideas to try to improve traffic flow, and demonstrates the use of simulation to solve difficult engineering problems. Specifically we focus on the problem of traffic bottleneck congestion. A secondary goal is to further students’ understanding of the network concept as a way to model real world flows of data and matter.

Segregation Model

This model shows how a small preference for looking like one's neighbors can lead to a segregated society. The unit so far includes the model as a mystery model to be discussed and decoded by students, a partial piece of code with to use for decoding practice, a finished model, some background information, and a link to an on-line resource demonstrating these concepts. We are developing an off-line activity and other curriculum for this module -- stay tuned!

Archived Material: CS in Science Module 2: Water as a Shared Resource (for StarLogo Nova 1.0)

Archived material for CS in Science: Module 2 for StarLogo Nova 1.0 (flash version, updated in 2015). In this module, students will investigate the importance of ground water and the impacts of water usage on aquifer levels. They will also explore how to model important parts of the water cycle, including evaporation and infiltration of water into different types of soils to recharge the aquifers.

Sustainability for StarLogo Nova

In this unit students will learn about issues relating to becoming a sustainable community, including recycling materials and turning waste into energy. Important concepts include: feedback loops in systems and ideas relating to cooperation in society.

Middle school students will learn about sustainability concepts using videos and activities to map their community. Their computer models can build off of either of two base models: consumerism or wastewater.

Shared Resources for StarLogo Nova

As the human population grows, it has become increasingly important to understand how humans are impacting the environment and to consider what resources we are using and how we are managing or not managing them for the future. In this unit we will be looking at a variety of different types of resources that are important to our area. Although the resources are different, they are interdependent, and way the humans manage these assets can be looked at in a similar fashion. 

Geothermal Energy for StarLogo Nova

This unit was developed as a Project GUTS after-school club unit. Students learn about geology topics relating to hot springs with mineral deposits, as well as geothermal energy with hot water being heated underground and rising to the surface. Students decode a base model and add their own enhancements.

Climate change and agriculture for StarLogo Nova

Climate change is a significant topic today, and this unit examines some causes of climate change, discusses feedback loops that are important to climate change, analyzes related graphs and considers climate change in New Mexico as it relates to food security.