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BCSC 5e Instructional Model

BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) paper explaining the 5e instructional model. The model describes a teaching sequence that can be used for entire programs, specific units, and individual lessons. The BSCS 5E Instructional Model plays a significant role in the curriculum development process as well as the enactment of curricular materials in science classrooms.

Archived Material: CS in Science Module 1 (for StarLogo Nova 1.0)

Archived Material: Module 1 introduces basic concepts in modeling complex systems through hands-on activities and participatory simulations. A scaffolded series of highly-engaging design and build activities guide students through developing their first computer model in StarLogo Nova 1.0, a modeling and simulation environment developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Water as a Shared Resource for StarLogo TNG

As the human population grows, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how humans affect the environment and to consider how we are using and managing our limited resources. This unit examines water as an important resource to be shared and managed to ensure its future availability.

This unit explores water as a shared resource using StarLogo TNG. For the related unit using StarLogo NOVA, see CS in Science Curriculum Module 2.

Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in StarLogo TNG

What do we know about climate change? This unit discusses climate change: what it means, what the difference is between climate and weather, and evidence of climate change. It also discusses the global climate system as a complex system with feedback loops, and the current state of the art in the computational modeling of climate change. Our goal is to clarify what is known, what scientists guess is happening, and how climate change impacts our environment and species.

Science of Friendship

Why do humans help some people and not others?  This Project GUTS unit explores this question and allows students to test their own assumptions. Using methods and data from anthropology, sociology and psychology and computer modeling in NetLogo, students investigate the role of cooperation in human interactions—and how cooperation plays a role in global issues such as resource management, health equity and climate change.

Opinion Dynamics with StarLogo TNG

Does Your Opinion Count? 
People form opinions on topics from current styles to political issues to product preferences, and often our opinions are based on information from others, rather than on our own experience. In this unit, we explore Opinion Dynamics as an aspect of human society that can be studied as a complex adaptive system. Here, agents representing humans can influence and be influenced by other agents both directly (one-on-one) and on a more global scale (advertising, etc).

Fall Introductory Unit for Project GUTS after-school clubs

The Project GUTS after-school clubs were structured to have 10-12 week units in the Fall and Spring Semesters, with a 4-6 weeks Introduction to StarLogo Nova and computer science concepts, followed by a 4-6 week content unit. This is the curriculum page for the Fall Semester Unit introductory weeks. It assumes students are new to Project GUTS and to StarLogo Nova. If you have repeating students, see the Resources Link to Other activities to Introduce Project GUTS for additional ideas.

Spring Introductory Unit for Project GUTS after-school clubs

The Project GUTS after-school clubs were structured to have 10-12 week units in the Fall and Spring Semesters, with a 4-5 weeks Introduction to StarLogo Nova and computer science concepts, followed by a 5-6 week content unit. This is the curriculum page for the Spring Semester Unit introductory weeks. It assumes students had participated in the Project GUTS club during the Fall Semester, so might require building some background knowledge and skills for students new to StarLogo Nova.

Traffic Patterns for StarLogo TNG

Why do traffic jams form?

Each year the number of paved miles grows by roughly 20,000 miles. When traffic gets too congested, traffic engineers must consider changes to existing roads or intersections. This unit engages students in interactive activities to explore pattern formation in complex systems, and in the use, modification, and creation of agent-based models to conduct experiments on simple virtual traffic systems, to study whether proposed road changes will the desired effect.

Archived Material: CS in Science Module 2: Water as a Shared Resource (for StarLogo Nova 1.0)

Archived material for CS in Science: Module 2 for StarLogo Nova 1.0 (flash version, updated in 2015). In this module, students will investigate the importance of ground water and the impacts of water usage on aquifer levels. They will also explore how to model important parts of the water cycle, including evaporation and infiltration of water into different types of soils to recharge the aquifers.

Segregation Model

This model shows how a small preference for looking like one's neighbors can lead to a segregated society. The unit so far includes the model as a mystery model to be discussed and decoded by students, a partial piece of code with to use for decoding practice, a finished model, some background information, and a link to an on-line resource demonstrating these concepts. We are developing an off-line activity and other curriculum for this module -- stay tuned!

Project GUTS' Learners to Leaders

This is the Project GUTS Facilitator's Guide. Both the 2016 version (for Code.org 3-day workshops) and the updated 2018 version for CS in Science are linked below.

Project GUTS' Club Leader Handbook

This handbook was developed to help teachers and others interested in starting a Project GUTS afterschool club.

Archived Material: CS in Science Module 3 - Ecosystems as complex systems (for StarLogo Nova 1.0)

Archived Material: CS in Science Module 3 (for StarLogo Nova 1.0, Flash version updated 2015). 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.

Archived Material: CS in Science Module 4 Chemical Reactions for StarLogo Nova 1.0 (Flash version)

Archived Material: CS in Science Module 4: Chemical Reactions for StarLogo Nova 1.0 (Flash version, updated 2015). This Physical Science module explores chemical reactions: the conditions under which they occur, the evidence that a chemical reaction has taken place, limiting reactants versus reactants in excess, and when chemical reactions stop. The base model for this unit simulates the chemical reaction between silver nitrate and copper.

Implementation Planning Guide

This is a guide used by teachers when planning their classroom implementation. The guide prompts teachers to work through details of the implementation that teachers have found to be important.

Computational Thinking Resources

The attached documents can provide background information for teachers on Computational Thinking.

Project GUTS MOOC

Project GUTS presented the CS in Science curriculum modules in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). The links below will allow you access to the original MOOC site, to see not only the written curriculum but also screencasts of building the related StarLogo Nova models and other background information for teachers and facilitators. The MOOC was also translated in Spanish (see link below).

For the 2017 course, please go to guts-2017.appspot.com

Información sobre Sistemas Complejos Adaptativos

Tres documentos con información general acerca de Sistemas Complejos Adaptativos. Traducidos por @rizzicristian a partir de los originales en Inglés.

Sustainability for StarLogo Nova

In this unit students will learn about issues relating to becoming a sustainable community, including recycling materials and turning waste into energy. Important concepts include: feedback loops in systems and ideas relating to cooperation in society.

Middle school students will learn about sustainability concepts using videos and activities to map their community. Their computer models can build off of either of two base models: consumerism or wastewater.