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Decode NYC Models

Posted January 13, 2021 by wellina

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.

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

Posted July 27, 2018 by sgibbs

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).

El Juego de la pesca (La Tragedia de los Comunes)

Posted March 29, 2017 by Rizzi

El Juego de la Pesca utiliza el concepto de Tragedia de los Comunes (Hardin, 1968) para trabajar sobre sustentabilidad. El jugador (pescador) tiene 10 días para atrapar tantos peces como pueda para alimentar a su familia. Cada día, el pescador puede elegir pescar uno, dos o tres peces, o no pescar ninguno. Hay otros dos pescadores que también tratan de capturar tantos peces como puedan. El lago en el que se pesca sólo puede soportar 20 peces (que es la capacidad de carga del lago).

Dengue outbreak simulation

Posted March 29, 2017 by Rizzi

This model simulates the transmission of the dengue virus in a neighborhood of four blocks during 180 (one hundred and eighty) days. The vector of the virus is the mosquito Aedes egyptii. The simulation shows a chart of the evolution of the outbreak (the change in the number of healthy people and infected people), another graph with the evolution of the mosquito population and some monitors that indicate the state of the mosquito population and how many people were infected.

Simulación de un brote de Dengue

Posted March 29, 2017 by Rizzi

Este modelo simula la transmisión del virus del dengue en un barrio de cuatro manzanas durante 180 días. El vector del virus es el mosquito Aedes egyptii. La simulación muestra un gráfico con la evolución del brote (el cambio en la cantidad de personas sanas y de personas infectadas), otro gráfico con la evolución de la población de mosquitos y unos monitores que indican el estado de la población de mosquitos y cuántas personas fueron infectadas.

Daisy world

Posted April 3, 2017 by turtle

A model demonstrating the albedo effect of black or white surfaces. Use as a part of the Climate Change and Agriculture Project GUTS Curricular Unit, or as a stand-alone model, activity, and video.

Exploring the Wiggle Walk and Collisions via a Kinesthetic Activity

Posted August 4, 2017 by jhenderson

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.

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

Posted July 27, 2018 by sgibbs

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).

Code Blocks for CS in Science Module 1: Intro to Computer Science & Simulation

Posted July 27, 2018 by sgibbs

Here are links to the Code Blocks for CS in Science Module 1, for StarLogo Nova 1.0 (Flash version), and the Code Blocks for CS in Science Module 1 for StarLogo Nova 2.0 (HTML5/JavaScript version). This is not the one-page Blocks and Drawers Guide for StarLogo Nova (those documents are linked below).

CS in Science: Module 1 Additional Resources

Posted July 27, 2018 by turtle

Ready to implement? Here are some additional resources and links to other Teachers with GUTS pages to help you with CS in Science, Module 1 (Introduction to Computer Modeling and Simulation). Some of the resources refer specifically to StarLogo Nova 1.0 (teacher videos) and others to StarLogo Nova 2.0 (link to models gallery). Check the relevant page for CS in Science Module 1 for the version of StarLogo Nova you are using.

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),.

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.

Code Blocks for CS in Science Module 4 (Chemical Reactions)

Posted October 27, 2018 by sgibbs

Use this document while decoding the base model in CS in Science, Module 4: Chemical Reactions.
Select the relevant link below, depending on whether you are using StarLogo Nova 1.0 (flash version) or StarLogo Nova 2.0(HTML5/JavaScript version).

Skill Building Deck

Posted June 12, 2019 by ilee

A slide deck of exercises to build CS and decoding skills

Rock Paper Scissors

Posted August 30, 2016 by turtle

The classic game of Rock Paper Scissors is known to all students. This common experience can then be used to encourage students to think about Complex Adaptive Systems in terms of unpredictability, which comes from the simple rules of agents. The off-line activity gives students a set of rules that will then be programmed into their computer model using Boolean logic and collisions.

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