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MSM Unit 2: Clean Water

This unit spans across 6th grade math and science content.

MSM Unit 3: It’s Getting Hot in Here

summary

Making Sense of Models (home page)

This is a landing page for all 6th grade Making Sense of Models (MSM) units.

Looking at particles with StarLogo Nova

This lesson uses StarLogo Nova to explore how particles move from gas to liquid to solid depending on the setting of the heat slider.

Modeling molecules is solids, liquids, and gases

This model simulates intermolecular forces and lets people change the temperature using a slider. At high temperatures, you can see the molecules fly around as a gas, with occasional collisions. With lower temperatures they condense to a liquid, and even lower they freeze to a solid.

Geometry

A 7th grade math project testing students' ability to create geometric figures.Stude

Progress Monitors for CS in Science Modules (coding activities)

Progress Monitors are meant to be guides for students, giving goals for the model but not providing specific coding instructions.

Silver Nitrate Production video

A short video showing "Silver Production from Silver Nitrate using a Copper Pipe" - used if wet lab activity not available for CS in Science Module 4 (Chemical Reactions)

StarLogo Nova 2.0 galleries for CS in Science modules

These links create a shortcut to find the StarLogo Nova 2.0 gallery for each module in CS in Science. For StarLogo Nova 1.0 galleries, go to flash.starlogonova.org.

Papercatchers

Papercatchers is a participatory simulation in which students learn about population growth and limits to growth. Students play the role of members of a growing population, follow simple rules governing survival and reproduction, and collect and graph data.

Math Basics for StarLogo Nova

This handout explains left and right degrees, x and y coordinates, and headings in StarLogo Nova.

Coding Challenges

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),.

Skill Building Deck

A slide deck of exercises to build CS and decoding skills

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

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).

What's Represented?

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

Preparing STEM Teachers to offer Computer Science for All (2017)

ACM SIGCSE 2017

Making Sense of Models one page description

This is a document that describes the Making Sense of Models project.

NGSS Standards

Document highlighting the conceptual shifts in the Next Generation Science Standards

Developing and Using Models - NGSS Science and Engineering Practices

A K-12 progression of the NGSS Science and Engineering Practice of Developing and Using Models.

Performance Expectations that make use of this Science and Engineering Practice - https://ngss.nsta.org/Practices.aspx?id=2

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

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.