Hutchins - Physics & CT Project

Physics - Computational Thinking Project

Nicole Hutchins

Computational Thinking Definition: (Grover and Pea’s overview)

“Computational thinking is the process of recognising aspects of computation in the world that surrounds us, and applying tools and techniques from computer science to understand and reason about both natural and artificial systems and processes” (p.39)

Elements involved (green):

- abstractions and pattern generalisations (including models and simulations)

- systematic processing of information

- symbol systems and representations

- algorithmic notions of flow of control

- structured problem decomposition (modularizing)

- iterative, recursive, and parallel thinking

- conditional logic

- efficiency and performance constraints

- debugging and systematic error detection

Project: Collision in Upper School Physics

The collisions project will involve two or more sprites. Students will set the initial velocities, locations and directions and, based on whether the goal is to show elastic or inelastic collision - the program would model how the collision would happen. (See next page for assignment)

Students have previously done: Projectiles, 1D Motion, Forces

Collision Scratch Activity

Please complete the following survey: Programming in Physics - Part 1

For Inspiration - Take a Look at This Example

In this google document, go to File>>Make a copy

Name your copy “LAST NAME - Collision Scratch Activity”

On your computer, go to the Scratch website.

Part One: Elastic Collision

Your goal is to simulate elastic collision via three billiard balls.

Right click on sprite in the bottom left hand corner.  Click delete.

Add a new sprite by clicking on the tiny sprite character next to the words New sprite in the bottom left (your sprites should be circles/pool table balls).  

Go to the Events script in the top middle of the screen.  Insert the button When <Flag> clicked in the space to the right, your programming window.

Set the initial location, direction and velocity of each ball. Each sprite should have a different initial location, direction and velocity. You will need to use “variable” from the data category. Finally, you will need to make sure the balls to not leave the screen. Be sure to use the “if on edge, bounce” option that you have used in previous Scratch assignments.  Use the snipping tool to paste an image of your code for each sprite below:

Now you will need to take into account what happens when the balls collide! For each sprite, add additional “when [flag] clicked” as necessary to create the code needed to program what happens when the ball touches the other balls on the “table.” This may take a few tries for each sprite!  Paste your code for each sprite below:

Part Two: Inelastic Collision

On your computer, go to the Scratch website.

Your goal is to simulate inelastic collision via a crash! It can be - spaceships colliding, a car crash - you decide! The objects should be of two different “sizes.”

Right click on sprite in the bottom left hand corner.  Click delete.

Add a new sprite by clicking on the tiny sprite character next to the words New sprite in the bottom left (your sprites should be circles/pool table balls).  

Go to the Events script in the top middle of the screen.  Insert the button When <Flag> clicked in the space to the right, your programming window.

As before, set the initial location, direction (towards each other) and velocity of each ball. For each sprite, program what will happen when the two objects collide. It is OK if the sprites leave the screen after the collision. Use the snipping tool to paste an image of your code for each sprite below:

Please complete the second part of the survey: Programming and Physics - Part Two

Two-Fold Assessment:

CT Portfolio (a la Brennan and Resnick) -- Mr. Slovenski gave me the work of four students with varying performance levels on the past three Scratch assignments. With this fourth assignment I will be able to see if there were any improvements on the four elements described above over the course of the semester. How well does a “portfolio” structure work? How can it be improved to support development in CT understanding?

Class Performance on One Assignment -- Will give a quick survey on student confidence in CT prior to completing assignment (Part One). Students will then be asked to describe ways they utilize the CT elements noted in green (above) in order to assess their application of the computational thinking tools (Part Two). Links to the surveys are in the assignment, above. Content knowledge will be assessed based on their ability to accurately depict elastic and inelastic collisions.