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Complex Adaptive Systems Background Resources

The attached files can provide teachers and students with some simple background explanations of complex adaptive systems and feedback loops.

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.

Vocabulary for Code.org & SLNova

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

Line graphs in StarLogo Nova

A brief summary of how to decode a line graph in StarLogo Nova.

Computational Science video

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

Teaching Computer Science and Creating Independent Learners

A video (7:54) for teachers and facilitators with helpful techniques on facilitating design-and-build activities in ways then encourage students to become self-sufficient problem solvers.

Getting Unstuck: Karen Brennan's "8 for 8"

This 8:13 minute video gives techniques for facilitating classrooms of students who are working on projects.

The Giraffe and the Platypus

This is an activity that allows teachers in a workshop to experience and explore the equity issue involved in differences in background knowledge of students.

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.

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.

What is a Complex Adaptive System?

A brief explanation of the characteristics of Complex Adaptive Systems, with a few examples of activities that demonstrate these characteristics.

Cellular screen capture showing ant simulation on a honey trap

Block-based agent-based modeling tool based on Scratch

Cellular is an agent-based modeling tool that uses a Scratch-like interface and allows teachers and students to create models and simulations in a very easy way. This makes this tool suitable to introduce ABM into the Primary level but also in Middle & High School taking advantage of previous students experience with Scratch. Cellular is based on Snap wich it's also based on Scratch. And you can also work off-line!!

Debugging Guide

A short guide for identifying and fixing common bugs in StarLogo Nova 2.0.

Troubleshooting Guide

A brief guide to Troubleshooting for teachers and facilitators -- how to get StarLogo Nova to work correctly.

Debugging Strategies - a guide for teachers and facilitators

Some tricks or strategies to help students identify problems in their code.

Defensive Programming Practices

A brief guide for teachers and facilitators to help students develop programming practices to keep them out of trouble.

Decoding Guide

Strategies for teaching students to read code to understand how a program or model works.

Teaching Equity Resources

Here are links to the resources used in CS in Science workshops to discuss equity in computer science.

Project GUTS teacher & facilitator guides

These guides are aimed at helping teachers or workshop facilitators help their students or participants be independent learners while working with computer models. They are a work in progress - final versions will be uploaded soon. Please feel free to point out any corrections or additions in a discussion thread -- Thanks!

Tips for teaching decoding

Some techniques to introduce students to the process of decoding a model.

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