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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
- Understand the urban heat island effect and its impact on city temperature.
- Learn how different materials and colours affect heat absorption and retention.
- Use the micro:bit to monitor temperature in different environments.
- Experiment with different city and park designs to see which reduces the urban heat island effect most (by tracking temperature data with the micro:bit device).
Preparation Accordion
Materials
- Climate Action Kit
- micro:bit V2
- Computer with access to Microsoft MakeCode
- Found materials to further customize city and park designs (e.g., cardboard, paper, fabric, greenery, etc.)
Get to Know the Content
- Make sure you've completed our 'Getting Started with the Climate Action Kit' professional development series
- If it has been a while, review the kit components featured in this lesson:
- Review the lesson, particularly the following thinking routine from Project Zero (Harvard Graduate School of Education):
Activity Accordion
Big Idea (15 minutes)
Students will:
- Explore the urban heat island effect and its causes.
- Discuss the impact of urban heat islands on communities and the environment.
Take Action (60 minutes)
Students will use the Climate Action Kit to design, build, and code model cities and parks that mitigate the urban heat island effect. The micro:bit will be used to measure and compare temperatures in different designs.
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 follow a tutorial to build their model and use the micro:bit to collect temperature data. Success CriteriaI can:
ResourcesTutorialFinal Code |
| Modify |
Students modify the starter code to enhance temperature tracking. Success CriteriaI can:
ResourcesTutorialFinal Code |
| Create |
Students work in small groups to design, build, and code their own unique solutions to the urban heat island effect. Success CriteriaI can build a model city with the Climate Action Kit that:
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
- Can students explain the urban heat island effect and its causes?
- Can students explain how different design choices impact temperature? (Use, Modify, Create)
- Can students explain how the micro:bit and temperature sensor work in their model? (Use, Modify, Create)
- Can students explain how their modifications enhanced their temperature tracking? (Modify)
- Can students justify their design choices and explain how they mitigate the urban heat island effect? (Create)
Observations
- Do students methodically test and refine their models? (Modify, Create)
- Do students collaborate effectively in their groups? (Create)
- Do students make connections between their model designs and real-world urban planning strategies? (Use, Modify, Create)
Products
- Students annotate their code to explain how it works (Use, Modify, Create)
- Student-created models effectively demonstrate an understanding of urban heat island mitigation strategies (Use, Modify, Create)
- Student data analysis and conclusions are supported by evidence (Use, Modify, Create)
Standards Accordion
Next Generation Science Standards
Grade 6-8
MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
MS-ESS3-5 Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
MS-PS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
MS-ETS1-3 Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
Computer Science Teachers Association Standards
Grade 6-8
2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
2-CS-03 Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
2-DA-08 Collect data using computational tools and transform the data to make it more useful and reliable.
2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
Grade 6
6.EE.A.2 Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers.
6.SP.B.4 Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.
6.SP.A.2 Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape.
6.SP.A.3 Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number.
6.SP.B.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by: a) reporting the number of observations, b) bescribing the nature of the attribute under investigation, including how it was measured and its units of measurement, c) giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the data were gathered, d) relating the choice of measures of center and variability to the shape of the data distribution and the context in which the data were gathered.
7.EE.B.4 Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the quantities.
7.SP.B.3 Informally assess the degree of visual overlap of two numerical data distributions with similar variabilities, measuring the difference between the centers by expressing it as a multiple of a measure of variability. For example, the mean height of players on the basketball team is 10 cm greater than the mean height of players on the soccer team, about twice the variability (mean absolute deviation) on either team; on a dot plot, the separation between the two distributions of heights is noticeable.
7.SP.B.4 Use measures of center and measures of variability for numerical data from random samples to draw informal comparative inferences about two populations. For example, decide whether the words in a chapter of a seventh-grade science book are generally longer than the words in a chapter of a fourth-grade science book.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Common Career Technical Core Standards
STEM Cluster: Engineering & Technology Career Pathway
ST-ET 1.3 Use computer applications to solve problems by creating and using algorithms, and through simulation and modeling techniques.
ST-ET 2.1 Select and use information technology tools to collect, analyze, synthesize and display data to solve problems.
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 1.6 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 2.9 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.