The Epidemic unit with game design differs from the original Epidemic unit in the greater focus on students learning to program.
This unit begins with a sequence of participatory simulations and introductory programming activities to orient students to StarLogo TNG. Then students build an epidemic model from scratch following a step-by-step tutorial. Students then add doctors. Throughout the model construction, the teacher guides the students' use of the two models, encouraging students to make observations and informally inquire about the model. Students then conduct a more structured virtual lab using a model that contains both doctors and hospitals. Students compare the effectiveness of these interventions. Finally, students design and program a game based on the epidemic model.
This curriculum of 11 activities, ranging from one class period (~1 hour) to four class periods. and was designed for middle school science teachers. However, these activities also provide a general introduction StarLogo TNG modeling and programming and highlight the value of making and using simulations in modern science. Teachers are free to adapt the materials and pick-and-choose activities to fit different length schedules.
Download all the curriculum materials as a single zip file.
Epidemic Curriculum At-A-Glance
For a more detailed overview of the curriculum, check out the teacher overview.
| Lesson Description | Materials |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Epidemics: Through participatory simulation and exploration of a StarLogo TNG simulation, students will determine what qualities define an epidemic | |
| Send in the Doctors 1: Students will programmatically modify the TNG epidemic simulation and see how modifications to the simulation affect the spread of the epidemic. |
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| Send in the Doctors 2: To evaluate the doctors in the epidemic simulation, students will perform experiments on the simulation to determine the effect doctors have the on the spread of the epidemic. |
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| Epidemics are Expensive 1: In the real world, resources are limited and any response will have a cost. Students will explore simulations with different kinds of preventions/interventions and investigate the costs and benefits of each prevention/intervention. |
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| Epidemics are Expensive 2: After learning about each prevention/intervention, students will design strategies that combine all actions while keeping costs down. | |
| (Optional) Game Project work: Develop a game together or allow kids to build the game to apply students’ knowledge of epidemics | Sample Games: |
Sample Lesson
In the first epidemic lesson, students examine a StarLogo TNG simulation where turtle agents are infected by a disease through contact with other infected turtle agents to determine what it means for a disease spread to become epidemic.
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