Soda Constructor:Exploring the laws of Physics with Computational Thinking

Paul CurzonQueen Mary University of London

www.teachinglondoncomputing.orgTwitter: @TeachingLDNComp @cs4fnTwitter: @TeachingLDNComp @cs4fn

With support from,

Department for Education,

Google and the Mayor of London

Aims• Give you deeper understanding of core topics

– Computational Thinking– Computational Modeling– Computational thinking and physics

• Newton’s laws, gravity, friction, Hooke’s Law (springs)

• Give you practical ways to teach computing and physics in a fun, thought provoking way

• Linked activity sheets and booklets can be downloaded from our website:

www.teachinglondoncomputing.org

Algorithmic Thinkingand Physics

• Why does algorithmic thinking matter to a physicist?

• We can build computational models (algorithms) to explore their theories– Help them better understand

• Computational models also give a powerful way to learn through exploration

• For example, we can explore Newton’s Laws by creating a model of them

Soda Constructorsodaplay.com

• Draw pictures that come to life– Dots are masses– Lines are springs– Turn springs into muscles

• give energy boosts

• Soda constructor is – a line and dot drawing programme – and a 2D virtual world

• A computational model of the basic laws of physics– Newton’s Laws– Gravity, Friction– Hooke’s Law (springs)

• Explore the effects of the laws

A Lurching Triangle• A simple creature to start

with is a triangle that lurches along

• Make each edge a muscle– Make them work together

• Play eg with the effects of changing gravity and friction– Using the sliders– Lifting it and dropping it

• Try adapting it• Notice how creatures are

made of triangles to give them structural strength

Explore …

• Different kinds of locomotion …– Slug-like– Wheel-like– Walking-like– How many legs?

• Interactive art …

Computational Thinking

• Algorithmic thinking– Turn theories into algorithms that simulate the real

world things we are trying to understand• Abstraction

– Didn’t model every detail of the real world just the laws of interest

• Evaluation– We use the algorithms to evaluate our understanding

of the real world

More support

On our website to support this session:• Activity sheets • Story sheets• SlidesDetails of more worskshops/courses• free unplugged sessions• subsidised courses (e.g. GCSE programming)

www.teachinglondoncomputing.orgTwitter: @TeachingLDNCompTwitter: @TeachingLDNComp

Thank you!

Together we areTeaching London Computing

www.teachinglondoncomputing.orgTwitter: @TeachingLDNCompTwitter: @TeachingLDNComp