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Walk & Turn for StarLogo Nova

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

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.

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

Posted July 27, 2018 by sgibbs

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 2: Water Resources slide presentation

Posted July 27, 2018 by sgibbs

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.

CS in Science Module 5: Greenhouse Gases slide presentation

Posted July 27, 2018 by sgibbs

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.

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

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

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.

The Greenhouse Effect

Posted July 27, 2018 by sgibbs

A short video on the basics of the greenhouse effect, used in CS in Science, Module 2 (Greenhouse gas model).

Debugging Challenges for StarLogo Nova

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

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

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

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),.

Pair Programming video

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

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.

Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling Video

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

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.

Alternate activities to introduce Project GUTS

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

Sometimes, teachers have a students who have already participated in Project GUTS introductory activities, and want to use something different, or want another activity to expand a lesson. Below are links to some alternate activities, both hands-on and on-line, for you to explore.

What's Represented?

Posted June 12, 2019 by ilee

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

Skill Building Deck

Posted June 12, 2019 by ilee

A slide deck of exercises to build CS and decoding skills

Neural Network Game

Posted December 10, 2019 by ilee

This is a presentation / activity presented at AAAI/AI4k12 2019 on teaching about neural networks through a participatory simulation.

Complex or Complicated?

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

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.

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