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Decode NYC Models

In the NSF-funded DecodeNYC program at the American Museum of Natural History, middle school students use the agent-based game and simulation programming environment StarLogo Nova to use, modify, decode, and create scientific models to test different strategies for fighting Lyme disease and answer questions about their urban ecosystem.

Ecosystems as Complex Adaptive Systems

Background information on ecosystems for teachers' use in CS in Science, Module 3 (Ecosystems)

Photo of Love Parade stampede in Germany, 2010, from www.telegraph.co.uk

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.

Painting, "Children's Games" by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

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.

Why Model?

A paper describing the author's reasons why modeling is essential to science.

Papeles en el viento ("Papercatchers")

"Papeles en el viento" (Papercatchers) es una simulación participativa en la que los estudiantes aprenden sobre el crecimiento de la población y los límites al crecimiento. Los estudiantes desempeñan el papel de miembros de una población creciente, siguen reglas sencillas que rigen la supervivencia y la reproducción, y recopilan y grafican datos.

Tiburón en medio de un cardumen de peces en el fondo del océano

¿Complejo o complicado?

¿Complejo o Complicado? utiliza una presentación de diapositivas para crear una actividad que se utiliza para involucrar a los estudiantes en argumentar basándose en evidencias y mejorar su comprensión sobre los sistemas adaptativos complejos.

Modeling MRSA in Chicago (scientist talk)

This is a talk Dr. Chick Macal gave to GUTS teachers at a Chicago PD workshop in 2015.

Screen shot from Project GUTS rabbits and grass model

Modeling Ecosystems in StarLogo Nova

This document gives background information and is a guide to CS in Science, Module 3 (Ecosystems) and building the rabbits and grass model.

Interview with Hal Scheintaub

Teachers with GUTS interviewed Hal Scheintaub and demo of StarLogo Nova models created by his students on August 2, 2017.

Experimental Design for Virtual Instruction

A Google Sheet to use for conducting the Experimental Design activity in a remote learning classroom.c

CS in Science Curriculum (binder) compatible with StarLogo Nova 2.0

This is the pdf of the complete CS in Science curriculum. Print copies can be ordered from Mimeo.

Code Blocks for CS in Science Module 3 - Rabbits and Grass Ecosystems Model

This is a worksheet to use while decoding the Rabbits and Grass Ecosystems Model - CS in Science, Module 3. Select the relevant link below, for StarLogo Nova 1.0 (flash version) or StarLogo Nova 2.0 (HTML5/JavaScript version).

Emergence video

A portion of a PBS NOVA video discussing the concept of emergence (or complex adaptive systems) where patterns emerge in nature where agents follow simple rules.

StarLogo Nova 2.0 galleries for CS in Science modules

These links create a shortcut to find the StarLogo Nova 2.0 gallery for each module in CS in Science. For StarLogo Nova 1.0 galleries, go to flash.starlogonova.org.

Papercatchers

Papercatchers is a participatory simulation in which students learn about population growth and limits to growth. Students play the role of members of a growing population, follow simple rules governing survival and reproduction, and collect and graph data.

Cover page for CS in Science Module 3 Instructor's Manual

CS in Science Module 3: Ecosystems as Complex Systems (for StarLogo Nova 2.0)

This Life Science module begins with an exploration of a simple predator-prey model to consider who eats whom—and what happens when one population grows faster than another. Students develop their own model of a local ecosystem and learn about ecosystem dynamics, producers and consumers, and interdependent relationships within an ecosystem. This module has been updated for StarLogo Nova 2.0 (HTML5/JavaScript version, updated 2017).

Progress Monitors for CS in Science Modules (coding activities)

Progress Monitors are meant to be guides for students, giving goals for the model but not providing specific coding instructions.

What's Represented?

These exercises ask the learner to identify abstractions in the computer model as compared to a diagram or image of a natural phenomenon.

Urban street covered with litter, from Project GUTS powerpoint

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.

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