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Scientific Practices and Computational Thinking in Modeling & Simulation

This document is a handout used to reflect on the scientific practices and computational thinking involved in a Project GUTS module or lesson.

Gene Regulation and Protein Synthesis

Every cell in your body has a full set of genes, or ‘recipes,’ to build many different kinds of proteins (including enzymes). What causes a gene to go from its normal ‘turned off’ state (when it IS NOT building proteins) to its ‘turned on’ state (when it IS building proteins)? To answer this question, we will zoom in and take a closer look at a gene and its environment to see how and why a specific protein is made.

Photo of presentation from larryferrlazzo.edublogs.org

Student Activity Guide: Preparing Presentations

A list of guidelines for students to follow in preparing to present a completed model (Day 5 activity in Modules 2, 2A, 3, and 4 in CS in Science Modules).

Libro de recetas de StarLogo NOVA

Este documento incluye explicaciones y capturas de pantalla para los códigos comunes en StarLogo Nova, incluyendo la creación del mundo, la creación y el cambio de nombre de razas, el uso de rasgos por defecto y la creación de rasgos personalizados, movimientos aleatorios, coordenadas y el uso de la vista 3D, cajas de datos y gráficos de línea, el color del terreno, el uso de colisiones, la creación de un código para detener la ejecución, y cómo perseguir o huir de otros agentes.

Formulario de diseño experimental

Una copia imprimible del formulario de diseño experimental, utilizada en los Módulos Científicos de Project GUTS, para que los estudiantes planifiquen un experimento, incluyendo la identificación de variables, la planificación de la recopilación y el análisis de datos y la interpretación. Traducción del original en Inglés.

Pioneros (Trailblazers)

Pioneros (Trailblazers) es una actividad divertida con lápiz y papel donde los estudiantes escriben instrucciones sencillas para que otro estudiante navegue por un laberinto. Las instrucciones se dibujan en el laberinto como comandos (si el cuadrado es rojo, gire a la derecha, etc.) y luego los estudiantes intercambian papeles para navegar por el laberinto siguiendo solamente los comandos. Esta es una actividad preliminar para la actividad de codificación de las tortugas chocadoras.

Pond Ecosystem Biograph project

Ecosystems are made up of interacting, interdependent parts, which are always interacting with and changing each other. Healthy ecosystems are long-lasting. In a long-lasting ecosystem the number of plants and animals may increase and decrease over time, but there are always enough individuals to reproduce and establish the next generation. In this Biograph Virtual Lab your challenge is to build a model of a long-lasting, healthy pond ecosystem using Toolblox programming blocks.

Image of evolution from thenounproject.com

Evolution Curriculum from BioGraph

Evolution is a change in genetic information in a population that is observed over many generations, due to the random chance survival and reproduction of particular individuals. In this BioGraph Virtual Lab, you will observe how a population of fish in a pond changes over time. By the end of this activity, you will understand how random factors (genetic drift) and non-random factors (natural selection) contribute to evolution.

Enzymes: Chew on This!

Carbohydrates in food are an important source of energy for the body. When you eat starch, it must be broken down into simple sugars before your body can use it for energy. In this Biograph Virtual Lab you will use a simulation to explore the breaking down of starch into sugar. The simulation will enable you to compare and contrast the conversion of starch to sugar both with and without enzymes. This will help you understand the role of enzymes in digestion.

Image of sugar moving into bloodstream from MIT Biograph materials

Sugar Transport Activity

Have you ever drank a can of soda and suddenly felt more energetic? In this Biograph Virtual Lab, you will use a simulation to explore how the glucose molecules from the soda move from the lumen of your small intestine, across the membranes of your epithelial cells, and into your bloodstream. (Ultimately, the glucose in your bloodstream will move into your body’s cells).

Middle School Dissolving Salt Chemistry Module options

This lesson was developed to be used with two stand alone models developed by GUTS as alternatives to the Chemistry Module 4. This is aimed at middle school students. This pairs a hands on lab activity with the CS models to explore the strengths and weaknesses of CS models of physical changes at an introduction to chemistry level. Students decode the models and make changes including adding and testing variables.

Guía de observación de un modelo basado en agentes

Se trata de una guía para poder observar un modelo basado en agentes y reconocer sus diferentes partes, como por ejemplo las abstracciones (quiénes son los agentes, cuál es el entorno, cuáles son las interacciones); la automatización; los supuestos y el análisis.

Ficha de diseño de un modelo

Es una guía con preguntas que deben contestarse cuando se diseña un modelo de simulación basado en agentes.

Screen shot from Project GUTS rabbits and grass model

Modeling Ecosystems in StarLogo Nova

This document gives background information and is a guide to CS in Science, Module 3 (Ecosystems) and building the rabbits and grass model.

Screen shot of code from completed model

Alternative Intro to StarLogo Nova - Modeling Change Lesson 1

The first part of the Modeling Change Unit can be used as a fun stand-alone programming activity for students unfamiliar with StarLogo Nova. It guides students to build a model that use keyboard controls to change the two-dimensional location of agents (in section 1a) and change other traits including the third dimension (z), shape, color, and heading (in section 1b).

Screen shot from model showing projectile motion

Modeling Change

This contributed curriculum physics unit introduces and builds models to explore concepts of independent and dependent change, constant and variable x and y change, gravity, and projectile motion. Each lesson contains detailed instructions on how to build each model, and links to base models and completed projects. Modeling Change Lesson 1 is also uploaded as an independent resource (since it can serve as an alternative introduction to StarLogo Nova).

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.

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.

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.

Screen shot of portion of blocks and drawers handout

Blocks and Drawers Guide for StarLogo Nova 1.0

This handout shows students all available blocks in StarLogo Nova 1.0 (Flash version), organized by the drawers.

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