Lesson 3: Code Your Own Adaptation
45 minutes
Overview
In this CS and science-integrated lesson, students will learn how to edit animal behaviors in code. First, students will make a prediction about a fox’s mystery behavior. Then, in the following levels they will use the “edit” button to debug different animal behaviors, including speed, direction, and rotation style. Finally, students will choose an environmental change scenario and use their own creative code to model a new & unique animal adaptation!
At the end of class, students will share out their custom projects with their classmates. Students will have a chance to reflect on what they have learned about behaviors in code and animal behaviors in real life.
Purpose
Students will make predictions about mystery behaviors and debug animal behaviors that aren’t working right. Then, they will use their skills to code a unique animal adaptation that has never been seen before by imagining a sudden change in environment. With the "Upload My Own" sprite costume and background feature, students can create an environment that is entirely their own.
Standards
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 1B-AP-10 - Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.
- 1B-AP-12 - Modify, remix or incorporate portions of an existing program into one's own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features.
- 1B-AP-15 - Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.
- 1B-AP-17 - Describe choices made during program development using code comments, presentations, and demonstrations.
LS - Life Science
LS2 - Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- 3-LS2-1 - Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.
LS3 - Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
- 3-LS3-2 - Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
LS4 - Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-2 - Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
- 3-LS4-3 - Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Agenda
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Code a new, imaginary or hypothetical adaptations given fictional environmental changes
- Create an interactive animation using behaviors in computer science
- Develop models of behavioral adaptations with code.
- Show how animals evolve and change as a result of changes in their environment.
Preparation
- Review and complete the online tutorial yourself.
- Determine in advance which levels might be more challenging for students.
- Review slides and decide on pacing between student work time and whole group instruction.
- Consider these related extension options (link) to explore after this lesson.
Links
Heads Up! Please make a copy of any documents you plan to share with students.
For the teachers
- Helpful Hints - Slides (Download)
- Modeling Animal Adaptations - Slides (Download)
Vocabulary
- Adaptation - A change in an organism to better survive its environment
- Behavior - A set of actions you want a sprite to perform over and over.
- Code - (v) To write instructions for a computer
- Event - An action that causes something to happen
- Evolution - The change in the characteristics of a species over several generations
Teaching Guide
Warm-Up (10 minutes)
Think & Discuss (10 minutes)
Display: Show “Think, Pair, Share” slide
Do This: Read the two questions out loud. Allow students 2-4 minutes to think or write independently.
Discuss:
- Would a tree frog survive in this Mars-like environment?
- Why or why not?
- How could it change or adapt to be able to survive?
Discussion Goals: Students should create an argument for how a frog would need to change to be able to survive in a hot, dry environment. Answers might include an adaptation of their skin, a new way to store water, and a change in their color to blend in with the environment.
Main Activity (30 minutes)
Introduction (2 minutes)
Do This: Have students move to their computers and sign in. Students should do the first two levels with the class.
Level 1: Level 1 is an informational level that explains how to edit behaviors. Review as a class.
Prediction (3 minutes)
Display: Show “Level 2 - Behaviors Intro" slide
Level 2: Consider showing students Level 2 and answering the Prediction question as a class to demonstrate how to “edit” a behavior and look at the code inside.
Skill Building (10 minutes)
Display: "Skill Building" slide
Do This: Have students move to their computers and sign in. Students will work through the levels at their own speed.
Circulate the room to support students. Encourage them to read the instructions carefully and click on the lightbulb for hints on each level if they get stuck.
If students modify the code beyond repair they can use the version history button and click Start Over to reset the code for that specific level. If the version history is started over on a linked level, the code will reset to the original code from the first linked level.
Choice Level (8 minutes)
Display: Show “Level 9 - Code Your Own Adaptations" slide
Level 9: Level 9 is a choice level with three different scenarios of environmental changes. Students will choose an animal and code a new behavior that models an adaptation the animal might need to survive the new environment.
Share Out (2 minutes)
Display: Show “Level 10 - Share Your Project" slide
Level 10: Level 10 includes prompts to support students in sharing their projects with a partner or in small groups.
Now that you have coded a survival adaptation, it's time to share it out! As you view your classmates' projects consider the following questions:
- Did you choose the same environment scenario or different ones?
- Did they use any of the same coding blocks?
- Do you think the animal would survive the environment change? Why or why not?
Wrap Up (5 minutes)
Partner Reflection (5 minutes)
Display: Show “Partner Reflection" slide
Do This: Have students pair up or gather in small groups. Read one question at a time and allow both partners time to share before moving on to the next question. Gather students self evaluation through a fist of five, on a sticky note or scrap paper or other collection method used in your classroom.
- What did you learn about sprites?
- What did you learn about animals?
- Which level was the most challenging?
Remarks
Well done, coders! You have learned a lot about animal adaptations for survival!
Extension Opportunties
This module is a great introduction to computer science through the lens of science. Here are a few options to continue learning more about the CS concepts introduced in this module. We recommend pursuing these extensions after completing Lesson 3 in this module.
Science Content:
- CSC Module: Simulating a Marine Ecosystem Lessons 1-3
- Project: Modeling Life Cycles in Sprite Lab
- AI for Oceans
- Play the peppered moth game to simulate changes in moth population due to pollution and predation and observe how a species can change over time.
Computer Science Concepts:
- Sprite Lab Basics: Hello World
- Simulations: Simulating Experiments & Outbreak
- Events: Dance Party
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