| The Systems Thinking Playbook Exercise 6: Warped Juggle |
|
|
Author(s):
Linda Booth Sweeney, & Dennis Meadows |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
Participants in this group activity attempt to improve performance as they toss an object among individuals in a particular order.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System, Incorrect High-Leverage Policies. Participants attempt to improve performance by changing the structure of the system, but the action is only effective up to a point. Participants must change a mental model about the rules in order to create significant change in the system.
Available from Chelsea Green Publishers. |
| |
 PDF
More about the book at: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/the_systems_thinking_playbook:hardcover%20with%20dvd
|
| The Systems Thinking Playbook Exercise 7: Toothpick Teaser |
|
|
Author(s):
Linda Booth Sweeney, & Dennis Meadows |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
Using toothpicks to form a set of triangles illustrates how the problem definition affects the ability to solve it. Participants must shift a mental model to see beyond obvious strategies.
Available from Chelsea Green Publishers. |
| |
More about the book at: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/the_systems_thinking_playbook:hardcover%20with%20dvd
|
| The Systems Thinking Playbook Exercise 8: Five Easy Pieces |
|
|
Author(s):
Linda Booth Sweeney, & Dennis Meadows |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
Without talking, teams work toward a group goal which requires the success of all individuals.
Complex Systems Connection: Short and Long Term Conflicts. Participants work to have each member of a team complete a task. Individuals on the team may complete the task (short term), but that completion can actually get in the way of the team completing the task (long term). The experience can also illustrate interdependencies within team structures.
Available from Chelsea Green Publishers. |
| |
PDF
More about the book at: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/the_systems_thinking_playbook:hardcover%20with%20dvd
|
| The Systems Thinking Playbook Exercise 9: Community Maze |
|
|
Author(s):
linda Booth Sweeney, & Dennis Meadows |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
Teams must navigate through an invisible maze without talking. Through the experience, they can consider how system structure and mental models affect results.
Complex Systems Connection: Short and Long Term Conflicts. Conflicts can arise between the short term (seeing the individual events) and long term (seeing the patterns) while solving the maze. Available from Chelsea Green Publishers |
| |
More about the book at: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/the_systems_thinking_playbook:hardcover%20with%20dvd
|
| The Tree Game for Primary Students (Grades K-3) |
|
|
Author(s):
Anne LaVigne, & Lindsey Weaver |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
Students explore what happens to the number of trees in a forest over time as a forester plants and a lumberjack harvests a certain number of trees each year. While playing the game, the class tracks the number of trees over time. Students can see trends and discuss what’s happening to the forest and why, connecting it to real-world needs and desires for lumber and paper products. They can then run and discuss a second scenario that shows how that trend can be reversed.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System, Short and Long Term Conflicts. People sometimes decide to use natural resources to meet present goals (satisfy customers, increase profits) and ignore long-term consequences. In systems where renewable resources are used up, people often blame others. Decisions to use the resource faster than it can be replenished is the real cause, however. |
| |
 Zipped (Models & PDF)
Link to the simulation: http://www.clexchange.org/curriculum/shapeofchange/soc_6_treegame.asp
|
| Thinking about Drinking: What are the Effects of Drinking Alcohol |
|
|
Author(s):
Jeff Potash |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
The purpose of this simulation is to increase awareness of potential effects of alcohol on the body over a 12-hour period. The simulation provides students and adults an opportunity to see what happens over time after the consumption of alcohol. |
| |
PDF
Link to the simulation: http://www.clexchange.org/curriculum/simulations/alcohol_simulation.asp
|
| Thinking about Energy Drinks: A Lesson from Model Mysteries |
|
|
Author(s):
Anne LaVigne |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
This one page lesson is based on Chapter 2 of Model Mysteries. It is a quick path into this insightful model, allowing students to experiment with one parameter. |
| |
|
| Thinking about Energy Drinks: A Micro-Lesson from Model Mysteries |
|
|
Author(s):
Anne LaVigne |
Subject:
Micro Lesson |
| |
This one page lesson is based on Chapter 2 of Model Mysteries. It is a quick path into this insightful model, allowing students to experiment with one parameter. |
| |
PDF
|
| Three Things to Remember About Behavior-over-Time Graphs |
|
|
Author(s):
Alan Ticotsky |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
BOTGs are designed to represent our thinking. All BOTG graphs allow our 'mental models' to take a visual form so we can share them, or analyze them ourselves. Alan Ticotsky presents three insights which will help utilize BOTGs effectively. |
| |
PDF
|
| Tooling Game |
|
|
Author(s):
John Sterman, & Will Glass Husain |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
| |
From Catalina Foothills School District. STELLA II v. 3.0 model of John Sterman's "Tooling Game of Deadline Pressure." This model helps students analyze study habits; "tooling" is an MIT word for studying.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System, Short and Long Term Conflicts. Many people are familiar with the story of the grasshopper and the ant. This simulation allows students to experience the long-term pain of not keeping up with homework assignments! Students may think that teachers are out to "get them" with ever-increasing piles of assignments, but this simulation shows that their own study habits can be to blame for the end-of-the-semester crunch they run into. |
| |
Zipped (Models & PDF)
|
