Students learn how to represent information using variables as a placeholder. This level of abstraction preps the students to track data on an elephant seal.
Variables
MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
Students explore different variable types and how they are used in Python. This expands their ability to represent information in the Python language.
Variable Types
MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-AP-12, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
Students discover how inputs and outputs in Python can help make their code more dynamic. This brings their code to life as students can now interact with their code.
Inputs/Outputs
MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
As students learn about the different data types in Python, they will also learn how to convert between the different data types. This allows them to apply the data about the elephant seal in more ways for their project.
Converting Data Types
MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-AP-12, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
Students increase their code's ability as they learn to add if statements and specialize what their inputs are doing. This allows them to create hypotheses about the elephant seal's movements through the Pacific Ocean.
If Statements
MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3A-AP-13, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
Students further specialize their code with conditionals on if statements. This allows them to focus on what the elephant seal's movements mean and keep track of more sophisticated information.
Conditionals
MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3A-AP-13, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
Students combine all of what they've learned in this unit into an engineering project. They create a program for a device that would keep track of the animal's movements from day to day and generate a log of data. This data can be used for further conservation efforts.
Variables
Converting Data Types
If Statements
Conditionals
Inputs/Outputs
MS-ETS1-1 Engineering Design, MS-ETS1-2 Engineering Design, MS-ETS1-3 Engineering Design, MS-ETS1-4 Engineering Design, 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3A-AP-13, 2-AP-13, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-AP-11, 3A-AP-14, 3A-IC-26, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07, 3B-AP-15
Students will explore the migratory patterns of different animals and how coding can help with conservation efforts. They will practice analyzing large data sets and will look for patterns. They will complete challenges that help solidify concepts as they use skills in a variety of ways. In order to complete tasks, students will creatively apply what they've learned by using different approaches to reach a goal.