Lesson Plan for Exploring NetLogo
Lesson Overview:
- Watch a brief introduction video to NetLogo (found on the student lesson page)
- Watch a brief video explanation how to explore NetLogo
- Students spend 30 minutes (or as long as you feel appropriate) exploring NetLogo models
- Students fill out worksheet about the models they explored on the NetLogo site OR they post what they shared on a Jamboard (if remote) or on Posters in your classroom.
- On the next class session, discuss as a group what they explored. What they liked and didn't like. What they learned or discovered. Did anything surprise them?
Required setup for teacher: Pick how students will share what they learned with you and the class.
- Do you want to set up a Jamboard if remote?
- Do you have butcher paper or supplies to create posters in your classroom?
- Do you want students to draw about what they learned on paper and submit?
- Do you want students to do the worksheet?
Exploration Worksheet:
Google Doc Worksheet - Please make a copy on your drive and share with students. Make sure each student gets a copy!
Questions or Support:
If you need assistance with this lesson, or something doesn't work, me at clarebhakta at ninjapandas.com
Lesson Plan for Creating (coding) in NetLogo
Lesson Overview:
- Code is simply talking to the computer in a language the computer understands. Today, we learn some of that language in NetLogo!
- Coding is all about making and fixing mistakes. Watch how mistakes are made and corrected in the videos today.
- Do not be hard on yourselves when you make mistakes, that is part of the puzzle.
- Together as a class, get everyone to do at least 1 thing successful with code. Some will love it, some will hate it. That is part of exploration.
- Explore the video on How to Code in NetLogo Browser page
- Students can code directly on the lesson page.
- The buttons on the lesson page have color charts and shape charts and a code cheat sheet to help you get started.
- Day 1 - students explore and use the materials to change turtles and patches on the screen. (please note, their work doesn't save, so screenshots of what they do are a good idea, this is what the worksheet collects)
- Day 2 - students are asked to make a scene in NetLogo (I would only go this far with students who really like it, perhaps as an extra credit assignment. I was unable to get an entire remote class to do this assignment successfully, so adjust your expectations accordingly)
Important tips for teachers
- This is not a hands off lesson for most students. Some will get it, but many will need help.
- You don't have to have the answers, but you should show students how you find them.
- If students (or yourself) get frustrated, it is ok to stop and take a break. The answer may appear when you are not so frustrated.
- If your students don't like coding in NetLogo, no need to force them. There are other ways to talk to computers.
- Congratulate your students when they do get a line of code to work for the first time. From here on out, they can say they have experience with code.
Worksheets:
Day 1 Worksheet Play in Netlogo code
Day 2 Worksheet Make a Scene in NetLogo code
Please make a copy on your drive and share with students. Make sure each student gets a copy!
Questions or Support:
If you need assistance with this lesson, or something doesn't work, me at clarebhakta at ninjapandas.com