Introduction to Modeling and Water Resources

Earth ScienceModule 2: Lesson 1-5

Water as a Shared Resource

• What is a natural resource?• What does it mean to be a ‘shared resource?’• What are some examples of how a natural

resource can be threatened or have limitations?

Review of Hydrological Cycle

Review of Hydrological Cycle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8NQUQDZ3N0

Vocabulary to know:PrecipitationEvaporationCondensationSurface WaterSurface RunoffGround WaterWater tableAquifer

Review of Hydrological Cycle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al-do-HGuIk

Vocabulary to know:PrecipitationEvaporationCondensationFresh WaterSurface WaterSurface RunoffGround WaterGround Water DischargeWater tableAquiferPercolationTranspiration

Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)

In what ways might a shared resource like water be a Complex Adaptive System?

Shared Resource as Complex Systems

• Many agents are interacting and following simple rules

• There is no leader• There are emergent patterns and the system may be

unpredictable

http://www.mtv.com/artists/jay-z/playlist/1688080/

Water for Life

Student Activity-“Some for All or All for One”

Participatory Simulation of community use of a shared resource

An exploration of how a group of individuals has to make decisions using a shared resource.

Some are ‘Stakeholders’ in a communitySome are observers

Student Activity-“Some for All or All for One”

Stakeholder Rules for Round 1• Arranged in a circle facing out (can’t see everyone)• Each will receive an empty cup• You will have an opportunity to take the water that

you need by silently indicating on the cup how much water you want.

• Whatever water is left in the bucket at the end of the round, the teacher will double it and redistribute it equally to everyone.

Some for All or All for One

Round 1- Observer RolesWatch the Stakeholders as they decide how

much water to takeWere their amounts equal? Was it fair?Any surprises?What do you think influenced the decisions of

the individual Stakeholders?

Some for All or All for One

Round 2- As a group, stakeholders are to discuss how

much water each should take.Stakeholders will then individually take the

water that they need.Whatever water is left in the bucket at the end

of the round, the teacher will double it and redistribute it equally to everyone.

Some for All or All for One

Round 2- ObserverWas there are difference in amounts that

individuals took? Why do you think this was so? Was it fair? Any surprises?

What do you think influenced the decisions of the individual Stakeholders?

Some for All or All for One

Round 3- The ‘Punishment’ RoundStakeholders keep the amount in their cups from

Round 2.Each Stakeholder can ‘pay’ the teacher 1/3 of a

cup of water to take away 1 cup of water from someone else in the group.

Some for All or All for One

How does this activity relate to water as a shared resource?

Math Basics in StarLogo Nova

X & Y coordinates on SLNova

To get your turtles to go in a specific direction- heading

(0,0)

Y axis

X axis

(0,50)

(-50,0)

(0,-50)

(50,0)

Student Activity #2: Preview the Water Pumping Model

• Open the Ecosystem Starter model in StarLogo Nova– http://www.slnova.org/GUTS/projects/_______

• Model Observation Form• Run the Model and track Outcomes• What would an experiment look like?• What’s missing?

Earth Science

Lesson 2: Water as a Shared Resource Model

Understanding a computer model of a simple water pump, designing and running experiments.

Student Activity #1‘Looking under the Hood’ at the code

Use Model Observation FormRefer to your StarLogo Nova Command Blocks

reference sheets from Module 1New command blocksDecode your piece of the code with your

partnerShare out!

Student Activity-Looking under the Hood

Trace the Execution of the Code- (decoding)Setup- follow the commands in the Setup block

What happens 1st and then what comes next?Forever- look at the procedures

What happens 1st and then what comes next?

Computational Science Cycle

Student Activity- Modify the Water Pump Model

Use the existing code to learn how to add another water pump to the model.

Think about what data you can collect while running the computer model.

Student Activity- Experimental DesignUse the Student Activity Sheet & the Experimental Design Form

• Challenge 1:Choose a variable to experiment with, describe your experiments and record data.

• Challenge 2:Identify patterns in your collected data and possible correlations.

Design & Run ExperimentsNow that there is a change in the water resources model, use the Experimental Design Form to plan your experiment.

Designing and Developing Your ModelWork with a partner to design changes to the ecosystem model. Use the Project Design Form.What would make the computer model more ‘realistic’?

Ideas to consider: adding more pumps, impermeable layer on surface (i.e. like asphalt or concrete) different substrates (gravel, sand or clay), water use & transpiration of plants

Final Steps- Designing and Running Experiments

Identify the variables in your model (independent & dependent variables)

Use the Experimental Design Form to plan and describe your experiment that you will run using your modified ecosystem model.Questions to consider:What will be the range of settings for your variable? How many trials will you run? What data will you collect?

Prepare to share outPresent your project and findings to a larger audience.