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What this lesson includes
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Real-World Example
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Coding Tutorial
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Assessment
Overview Accordion
Learning Goals
- Explain the role that fishways play in fish migration.
- Explain the impact of native and non-native fish migration on ecosystems.
- Explore various engineering designs of fishways.
- Build a fish migration fishway that uses the servo motors and water pump from the climate action kit.
- Use conditional statements to move a motor based on the location of a fish in a fishway.
Preparation Accordion
Materials
- Climate Action Kit
- micro:bit V2
- Computer with access to Microsoft MakeCode
- Water tight container
- Water (optional extension)
Get to Know the Content
- Make sure you've completed our 'Getting Started with the Climate Action Kit' series
- If it has been a while, review the kit components featured in this lesson:
- Breakout Board
- Dial
- Positional Servo Motor
- Sonar Sensor (optional extension for Modify activity)
- Water Pump (optional extension for Create activity)
- Review the lesson, particularly the following thinking routines from Project Zero (Harvard Graduate School of Education):
Activity Accordion
Big Idea (15 minutes)
Learn more about fishways' role in reducing the impact of dams and locks on fish migration.
Students will:
- Analyze real-world, historical fish population data from conservation areas
- Discuss how human-made structures impacts fish populations
- Explore the ways technology can support healthy ecosystems
Take Action (45 minutes)
Students will learn how technology can help scientists track ecosystem health, and the influence of dams and locks on fish populations. Then, they will build their fishway with the Climate Action Kit.
We've provided 3 ways students may build the project to support scaffolding and differentiation in your classroom: 'Use', 'Modify', and 'Create'.*
| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Use |
Students will follow a step-by-step tutorial to build their fishway, and track how many fish have traveled through their fishway. Success CriteriaI can…
ResourcesTutorialFinal Code |
| Modify |
Students will follow a step-by-step tutorial to build their fishway. After creating their fishway, students will modify the code and complete a challenge to demonstrate their understanding. Success CriteriaI can…
ResourcesTutorialFinal Code |
| Create |
Students will work in small groups to design, build, and code their fishway to incorporate design criteria based on an ecosystem. Success CriteriaI can build a fishway with the Climate Action Kit that can:
And uses at least:
ResourcesBlank Project |
*Irene Lee, Fred Martin, Jill Denner, Bob Coulter, Walter Allan, Jeri Erickson, Joyce Malyn-Smith, and Linda Werner. 2011. Computational thinking for youth in practice. Acm Inroads 2, 1 (2011), 32–37.
Assessment Accordion
Use the following criteria to assess student learning. Students can:
Conversations
- Describe the relationship between invasive species and habitat loss.
- Describe the impact of human-made structures on fish populations.
- Explain ecologists’ role in habitat restoration.
- Describe the main functions of a fishway (Use, Modify, Create)
- Explain the purpose of each smart component and building block in the main build (Use, Modify, Create)
- Explain how the variables in the starter code allows the fishway to track fish populations (Use, Modify, Create)
Observations
- Make predictions about what certain segments of the code are responsible for and test those predictions (Use, Modify)
- Methodically test and debug their code to ensure it functions as intended (Modify, Create)
Products
- Add comments to the code to demonstrate their understanding of each block (Use, Modify, Create)
- Add features to their code to visualize the collection of data (Use, Modify, Create)
- Add features that improve data collection, such as adjusting the measurement frequency (Create)
- Design their own fishway that satisfies the provided criteria (Create)
Standards Accordion
Next Generation Science Standards
Grade 9-12
HS2-LS2-6 Evaluate claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
HS-ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
HS-ETS1-3 Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints including cost, safety, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
Computer Science Teachers Association Standards
Grade 11-12
3A-AP-15 Justify the selection of specific control structures when tradeoffs involve implementation, readability, and program performance, and explain the benefits and drawbacks of choices made.
3A-AP-16 Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions.
3A-AP-22 Design and develop computational artifacts working in team roles using collaborative tools.
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
Grade 9-12
HSN.Q.A.2 Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling.
HSN.Q.A.3 Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Common Core Technical Career Standards
STEM Cluster: Engineering & Technology Career Pathway
ST-ET 3.1 Use knowledge, techniques, skills and modern tools necessary for engineering practice.
ST-ET 3.2 Describe the elements of good engineering practice (e.g., understanding customer needs, planning requirements analysis, using appropriate engineering tools, prototyping, testing, evaluating and verifying).
ST-ET 3.4 Illustrate the ability to characterize a plan and identify the necessary engineering tools that will produce a technical solution when given a problem statement.
ST-ET 4.1 Explain why and how the contributions of great innovators are important to society.
ST-ET 4.2 Explain the elements and steps of the design process and tools or techniques that can be used for each step.
ST-ET 4.3 Describe design constraints, criteria, and trade-offs in regard to variety of conditions (e.g., technology, cost, safety, society, environment, time, human resources, manufacturability).
ST-ET 5.1 Apply the design process using appropriate modeling and prototyping, testing, verification and implementation techniques.
ST-ET 5.2 Demonstrate the ability to evaluate a design or product and improve the design using testing, modeling and research.
ST-ET 5.3 Demonstrate the ability to record and organize information and test data during design evaluation.
STEM Cluster: Science and Math Career Pathway
ST-SM 1.1 Apply science and mathematics concepts and principles to resolve plans, projects, processes, issues or problems through methods of inquiry.
ST-SM 1.2 Use the skills and abilities in science and mathematics to access, share, and use data to develop plans, processes, projects and solutions.
ST-SM 1.3 Use the skills and abilities in science and mathematics to integrate solutions related to technical or engineering activities using the content and concepts related to the situations.
ST-SM 1.4 Explain the role of modeling in science and engineering.
ST-SM 1.5 Explain the use of models and simulation in hypothesis testing (i.e., the scientific method).
ST-SM 1.6 Communicate with others on inquiry or resolution of issues/problems in the global community.
ST-SM 2.1 Demonstrate the ability to recognize cause and effect when faced with assigned projects or issues.
ST-SM 2.4 Predict the outcomes based on data collected in a project or experiment.
ST-SM 2.9 Analyze change as a result of data differences and changing environmental values.
ST-SM 3.1 Evaluate the impact of science on society based on products and processes used in the real world.
ST-SM 3.2 Evaluate the impact of mathematics on society based on products and processes used in the real world.
ST-SM 3.3 Research how science and mathematics influence the professions and occupations supported by the STEM Career Cluster.
Information Technology Cluster: Programming & Software Development Career Pathway
IT-PRG 4.1 Employ tools in developing software applications.
IT-PRG 6.1 Explain programming language concepts.
IT-PRG 6.3 Demonstrate proficiency in developing an application using an appropriate programming language.
IT-PRG 6.4 Explain basic software systems implementation.
IT-PRG 7.1 Develop a software test plan.
IT-PRG 7.2 Perform testing and validation.