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Massachusetts Institute of Technology video - image of birds flocking

Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling Video

This short video (3:13 minutes) introduces complex adaptive systems and agent-based modeling concepts to middle-school students. It shows beautiful footage of birds flocking as an example of a complex adaptive system.

Maze

Students struggle understanding proportional relationships and scaling shapes. This module allows students to scale one shape and transfer it to 3 different environments. Students will create a game online (SL Nova) and program a Sphero (robot) while learning the math standards.

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.

Vocabulary for Code.org & SLNova

This is a Quizlet link to some vocabulary useful for students to know using SLNova.

Computational Science video

A short video (1:27) on the computational science cycle, used in Project GUTS CS in Science (Modules 2-4).

Graphic from video showing people wearing jeans

Data and Data Analysis video

A very short video (0.36) introducing the concepts of data and data analysis from StarLogo Nova models.

Interview with Hal Scheintaub

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

Kinesthetic Flower Turtles Activity

This activity is an extension to the CS in Science Module 1, Lesson 2, between activity 1 and activity 2. It is a kinesthetic activity to show how the agents behave according to a certain program. It can replace the activity that is there or be used as an extension or add on to the listed activities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utb1plCyyb0

Exploring the Wiggle Walk and Collisions via a Kinesthetic Activity

This activity teaches the Wiggle Walk blocks (random right by ___ degrees, random left by___ degrees), through a kinesthetic activity and explores when a programmer would want to code agents to move this way. It avoids the statical analysis of the random probabilities found in Module One, Lesson 4 Activity 1: Probability with Dice and Data and Colliding Turtles, while still addressing the end goals of the Module One Lesson 4.

Pair Programming video

This short video (2:51 minutes) features two middle school girls describing and practicing pair programming. It is a great introduction to this method of learning programming and creating models.

Fish schooling from National Geographic video

Complex or Complicated?

Complex or Complicated uses a slide presentation to create a whole class game-show like activity that is used to engage students in argument from evidence and refine students' understanding of complex adaptive systems.

CS in Science: Module 1: Intro and Epidemiology slide presentation

A slide presentation for CS in Science Module 1. Teachers can download and modify this for classroom use. Be sure to click on the desired link below, as different versions of the slide presentations correspond to StarLogo Nova 1.0 (flash version) and StarLogo Nova 2.0 (HTML5/JavaScript version).

CS in Science Module 3: Ecosystems slide presentation

These are slide presentations for CS in Science Module 3: Ecosystems. Teachers can download and modify these slides for classroom use. Be sure to select the desired link below, for StarLogo Nova 1.0 (flash version) or StarLogo Nova 2.0 (HTML5/JavaScript version).

Dice and Data (see also CS in Science, Module 1)

Dice and data is a hands-on activity in which students learn about probability and how probability is used in modeling and simulation. Students first investigate single dice rolls and connect the results to randomness, then students investigate two die rolls and learn how the results of two-die rolls are used to mimic animal movement in a wiggle walk.

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.

Debugging Challenges for StarLogo Nova

These challenges ask students to identify and correct common coding errors within StarLogo Nova programs. The first challenge is generic, all others relate to the content area module from CS in Science. Students like to solve the problems and fix the code, and learn about debugging skills while engaging further with content area modules. It is also a good review for instructions/facilitators before building code with students.

Coding Challenges

Coding Challenge are a series of short challenges that focus on improving coding skills using StarLogo Nova. Each set of challenges focuses on a specific concept: degrees & heading, x & y coordinates and randomness, conditions including absolute value and percent chance, adding color to the terrain and repeat loops, using the z coordinate, and other computer science concepts (logic blocks, data collection),.

Walk & Turn for StarLogo Nova

This is the CS in Science, Module 1, Activity 1 activity. Students participate in an activity acting as agents, then view a computer model, to introduce concepts of computer science and complex adaptive systems.

Guía de estudiantes para la actividad "Dados y datos" (Dice & Data)

Esta es la hoja de actividad para los estudiantes para "Dados y datos", una actividad de probabilidad. La probabilidad juega un rol importante en los modelos de sistemas complejos adaptativos. En esta actividad se programan agentes para imitar el movimiento de criaturas en el mundo real. También eventos aleatorios que ocurren cuando los agentes interactúen como por ejemplo contagiar una persona a otra.

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