| Shape of Change (Lesson 10): Do You Want Fries With That? Learning about Connection Circles, including Stocks and Flows |
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Author(s):
Rob Quaden, Alan Ticotsky, & Debra Lyneis |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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From "The Shape of Change." In this lesson, students use connection circles to examine an article about the health risks associated with rising French fry consumption. As in previous lessons, they identify what is changing and describe how it is changing, but in this lesson they begin to think about why it is changing, as they create feedback loops.
Complex Systems Connection: Separate Cause and Effect, Short and Long Term Conflicts. Eating an unhealthy diet may not seem to hurt a person immediately, but it can have long-term negative impacts on overall health. Because we may not feel the effects right away, it can be easy to continue the bad behavior. People eat unhealthy food because it tastes good; it gives them immediate pleasure. Over the long run, however, the effects accumulate, leading to poor overall health. |
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| Shape of Change (Lesson 1): In and Out Game, including Stocks and Flows |
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Author(s):
Rob Quaden, Alan Ticotsky, & Debra Lyneis |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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From "The Shape of Change" including "The Shape of Change: Stocks and Flows." A simple activity that introduces and reinforces the understanding of change over time, including the use of stock/flow diagrams that show why the change happens. |
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| Population Planner App - Mini Lesson |
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Author(s):
Anne LaVigne |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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Population Planner is a free, engaging, easy-to-use app for students and others to explore how populations can grow or decline over time.
http://www.clexchange.org/curriculum/apps/ Students can change the initial population, death rate, and birth rate to see what happens over 100 years. |
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| Osteoporosis Feedback Loops |
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Author(s):
Ashley Young |
Subject:
Science |
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In this activity, students use feedback loops to discover how the skeletal system helps the body maintain balance in blood calcium levels. Students then make connections to the causes and treatments of the bone disease osteoporosis.
This activity was used in a high school Anatomy and Physiology course within a unit on the skeletal system. |
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| Oscillations: Characteristics of Complex Systems in K-12 Education Project |
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Author(s):
Jennifer Andersen, Anne LaVigne, & in collaboration with the CLE |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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Led by a partnership between MIT Professor Emeritus Jay W. Forrester and the Creative Learning Exchange, the goal of the Characteristics of Complex Systems Project is to create online curricula for ages five and above that will illustrate the characteristics of complex systems. In exploring the nature of complex social systems, the curricula address questions such as – why do such systems resist policy changes? Why are short-term and long-term responses to corrective action often at odds with each other? How can leverage points be applied to bring about desirable change in social systems?
The goals of the project are grounded in the belief that an abstract level of understanding of social systems will help prepare future citizens to actively shape their society.
The lessons and simulations are based upon the fourth characteristic of complex systems: the cause of the problem is within the system.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System. Five interdisciplinary areas are covered in a series of lessons, utilizing a family of models that all generate oscillation. Oscillation in real-world systems is often considered problematic rather than a consequence of system structure. This progression of lessons will help students understand that undesirable behavior can be a consequence of system structure and not a result of outside, uncontrollable influences. In other words, a system that oscillates does so because it has an inherent tendency to do so. |
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| Oscillations 7 Background Information |
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Author(s):
Jennifer Andersen, Anne LaVigne, & in collaboration with the Creative Learning Exchange |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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Commodities are a class of goods that can be produced in such a way that it is difficult or impossible to distinguish one instance of the commodity from another. The price of the commodity is determined as a function of the market as a whole, not in regard to who produced it or how it was produced. Commodities share a common problem in that prices and production exhibit repeating cycles. This simulation introduces students to the concept of commodity cycles by comparing two types of hog
farms:
• Large; over 2000 hogs produced per year and primarily serving the price-conscience consumer
• Small; fewer than 2000 hogs per year and primarily serving the quality-conscience consumer.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System. Five interdisciplinary areas are covered in a series of lessons, utilizing a family of models that all generate oscillation. Oscillation in real-world systems is often considered problematic rather than a consequence of system structure. This progression of lessons will help students understand that undesirable behavior can be a consequence of system structure and not a result of outside, uncontrollable influences. In other words, a system that oscillates does so because it has an inherent tendency to do so. |
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| Oscillations 6C: The Big Squeeze: Pressure, Achievement and Burnout |
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Author(s):
Anne LaVigne, Jennifer Andersen, & in collaboration with the Creative Learning Exchange |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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This model illustrates a workaholic situation where pressure is entirely internally generated through increasing one’s own expectations for oneself. Overachievers can understand how setting the bar ever higher can be unhealthy behavior over the long-term even though they have been successful with this strategy so far in life.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System. Five interdisciplinary areas are covered in a series of lessons, utilizing a family of models that all generate oscillation. Oscillation in real-world systems is often considered problematic rather than a consequence of system structure. This progression of lessons will help students understand that undesirable behavior can be a consequence of system structure and not a result of outside, uncontrollable influences. In other words, a system that oscillates does so because it has an inherent tendency to do so. |
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Link to the simulation: http://www.clexchange.org/curriculum/complexsystems/oscillation/Oscillation_BurnoutC.asp
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| Oscillations 6B Running in Circles: How Fast Can We Go? |
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Author(s):
Anne LaVigne, Jennifer Andersen, & in collaboration with the Creative Learning Exchange |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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This lesson explores individual choices and work styles and how some of those choices may lead to cycles of burnout. Students take on the role of "advisor" to friends who are experiencing these cycles and also reflect on their own personal life choices.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System. Five interdisciplinary areas are covered in a series of lessons, utilizing a family of models that all generate oscillation. Oscillation in real-world systems is often considered problematic rather than a consequence of system structure. This progression of lessons will help students understand that undesirable behavior can be a consequence of system structure and not a result of outside, uncontrollable influences. In other words, a system that oscillates does so because it has an inherent tendency to do so. |
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Link to the simulation: http://www.clexchange.org/curriculum/complexsystems/oscillation/Oscillation_BurnoutB.asp
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| Oscillations 6 Background Information |
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Author(s):
Jennifer Andersen, Anne LaVigne, & in collaboration with the Creative Learning Exchange |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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Burnout is a condition characterized by apathy and low energy. It is a severe reaction to stress. A typical candidate for burnout is a high-achiever, someone who is his/her own worst enemy and constantly puts pressure on himself/herself to excel in all areas of their lives. This simulation offers one hypothesis for how a typical overachiever may repeatedly drive himself/herself into periods of low activity and achievement by depleting his or her energy reserves. While the screen images, role-playing description and parameter settings presented in this document refer
to the C-level simulation, most of the information is relevant to the B-level simulation as well.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System. Five interdisciplinary areas are covered in a series of lessons, utilizing a family of models that all generate oscillation. Oscillation in real-world systems is often considered problematic rather than a consequence of system structure. This progression of lessons will help students understand that undesirable behavior can be a consequence of system structure and not a result of outside, uncontrollable influences. In other words, a system that oscillates does so because it has an inherent tendency to do so. |
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| Oscillations 5C Eat and Be Eaten: Predator as Prey, Prey as Predator |
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Author(s):
Anne LaVigne, Jennifer Andersen, & in collaboration with the Creative Learning Exchange |
Subject:
Cross-Curricular |
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The model for Lesson 5 explores a moose and wolf population. Students take on the role of wildlife manager and control hunting policies for both predator and prey populations.
Complex Systems Connection: Cause within System. Five interdisciplinary areas are covered in a series of lessons, utilizing a family of models that all generate oscillation. Oscillation in real-world systems is often considered problematic rather than a consequence of system structure. This progression of lessons will help students understand that undesirable behavior can be a consequence of system structure and not a result of outside, uncontrollable influences. In other words, a system that oscillates does so because it has an inherent tendency to do so. |
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Link to the simulation: http://www.clexchange.org/curriculum/complexsystems/oscillation/Oscillation_BiomassC.asp
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