Casting a Wide Net:Applied Computational Thinking

Office of STEM Education Partnerships

innovate, educate, collaborate

http://ct-stem.northwestern.edu

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under NSF grant CNS-1138461. However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, and/or recommendations are those of the investigators and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

Building interest and proficiency in computational thinking in STEM

About Us

Modeling projectile motion with Angry Birds!

Teachers interacting during our 2-day workshop

PIs: Michael Horn, Kemi Jona, Vicky Kalogera, Laura Trouille, Uri WilenskyResearch Faculty: Kai OrtonGraduate Students: Elham Beheshti, David WeintropHigh School Lead Teachers: Ami Lefevre, Tim Miller, Mark Vondracek

See Reverse for more info on our Activities

Our Program

• Define Computational Thinking for STEM disciplines

• Develop Computational Thinking in STEM assessments

• Create Computational Thinking activities that can be embedded in existing high school STEM courses

• Document Computational Thinking learning and attitudinal gains

• Create a pipeline to the new AP CS Principles course

• Impact a broad cross-section of students, including under-represented groups

• Engage 45 teachers and over 1000 high-school students and teachers in Computational Thinking activities

• Conduct professional development workshops on how to bring Computational Thinking into STEM classrooms

For access to curricular materials, please visit http://ct-stem.northwestern.edu/lesson-plans

Northwestern University Computational Thinking in STEM High-School 2 - 4 Hour Lesson Plans

Physics: CT-STEM Skills NGSS Practices Students…

Angry Birds 2,4,5,8 model physical systems and investigate 2-D equations of motion for projectiles

Ohm’s Law 2,3,5,6 generate and analyze data on current/resistance using tabletop experiments and simulations

Resonance 2,5,8 apply an inquiry approach to understanding resonance using PhET models

Modifying Code 2,3,4,5 learn programming basics by investigating gravitational forces and orbits in NetLogo

DA MS PS

Math:

NetLogo Rugby 2,3,4,5 use modeling software to generate data and develop Rugby strategies

Census Data 2,3,4,5,8 model U.S. census housing data with computational tools and mathematic equations

Drake Equation 1,3,5,8 use probability to estimate the likelihood of life on other planets

Flowcharts 5,6,8 design algorithms and solve problems by creating flowcharts

Chemistry:

iLab Radioactivity # 3,4,5,8 study radioactive diffusion by remotely running experiments with a real Geiger counter

NetLogo Rusting * 2,3,4,5,8 investigate how different factors affect the chemical process of rusting at a molecular level

Gas Laws 2,4,5,6 use computer simulations and data analysis tools to uncover the gas laws

Atomic Motion 2,4,5,8 use the Molecular Workbench toolkit to study emergent phenomena in matter

Biology:

DNA Sequencing 2,5,6 study and apply the “Shotgun Algorithm” that was used to sequence the human genome

Competition * 2,4,5,6,8 explore producer/consumer interactions in an ecosystem using NetLogo

Hardy-Weinberg 2,4,5 investigate how different variables affect the genetics of a population with NetLogo

Evolution Trees 2,3,4,5,8 study the similarities/differences between gene sequences of different animals

DAData Analysis

MSModeling &

Simulation

CSComputer

Science

PSProblemSolving

STSystemsThinking

1. Asking questions and defining problems2. Developing and using models3. Planning and carrying out investigations4. Analyzing and interpreting data

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions7. Engaging in argument from evidence8. Obtaining, evaluating, communicating information

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Practices:Computational Thinking in STEM Skills:

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* Activities developed by the Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling # Activities developed by Office of STEM Education Partnerships