Unit 7.1
Ecosystems
In this unit, students are introduced to simulations as models created to reflect natural phenomena. They will design their own simulated ecosystems by identifying the constraints of their programs, planning interactions between simulated organisms, and devising ways to represent the impacts of external forces on an existing ecosystem.
Overview documents
Simulations
Students define simulations as models used to observe phenomena without them actually taking place. They are then introduced to the Code Editor and the Scratch programming language, which they will use to create a simulated ecosystem.
Make a move
Students investigate the coordinate system native to the Scratch stage. They then explore Scratch’s motion blocks and generate random numbers to control their sprites’ movement.
Populating producers
Students distinguish between duplicated and cloned sprites. They then use loops to populate their simulation with a set number of organisms.
Variables
Students evaluate the use of variables as a way to track values in a program. They distinguish between local and global variables. They then create local variables to track the amount of energy an organism has.
Programming interactions
Students define conditionals as statements that only run a command if a specific condition is met. They examine sensing blocks in Scratch to detect interactions among organisms. Finally, they modify their simulation to account for the interactions of their organisms.
Share your simulation
Students revisit variables to add variety to their projects. Students then add constraints to their simulations, which users can set. In pairs, students then record their chosen constraints, make a prediction, and run an experiment. To conclude the unit, students reflect on their learning and share with a peer.