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Exploring Conservation with Python Code
Engages students in environmental conservation through programming with Python. There are no prerequisites for this course.
8 Lessons
- Course Summary
- Course Outline
- Standard Alignment
- Course Project
This course explores environmental conservation principles by following the movement of an elephant seal over the course of a few months. Using Python code, students write the code for the instrument that would work to document important data points. Together, they generate ideas about the animal's movements and what can be done to protect and preserve the species.
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CCC.1 Animal Tracking and Variables
Learning Outcomes:
Students learn how to represent information using variables as a placeholder. This level of abstraction preps the students to track data on an elephant seal.
Topics covered:
Variables
Standard alignment:
MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
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CCC.2 Animal Tracking and Variable Types
Learning Outcomes:
Students explore different variable types and how they are used in Python. This expands their ability to represent information in the Python language.
Topics covered:
Variable Types
Standard alignment:
MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-AP-12, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
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CCC.3 Animal Tracking and Inputs/Outputs
Learning Outcomes:
Students discover how inputs and outputs in Python can help make their code more dynamic. This brings their code to life as students can now interact with their code.
Topics covered:
Inputs/Outputs
Standard alignment:
MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
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CCC.4 Animal Tracking and Converting Data Types
Learning Outcomes:
As students learn about the different data types in Python, they will also learn how to convert between the different data types. This allows them to apply the data about the elephant seal in more ways for their project.
Topics covered:
Converting Data Types
Standard alignment:
MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3B-AP-11, 3B-AP-12, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
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CCC.5 Animal Tracking and If Statements
Learning Outcomes:
Students increase their code's ability as they learn to add if statements and specialize what their inputs are doing. This allows them to create hypotheses about the elephant seal's movements through the Pacific Ocean.
Topics covered:
If Statements
Standard alignment:
MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3A-AP-13, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
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CCC.6 Animal Tracking with Conditionals
Learning Outcomes:
Students further specialize their code with conditionals on if statements. This allows them to focus on what the elephant seal's movements mean and keep track of more sophisticated information.
Topics covered:
Conditionals
Standard alignment:
MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity, MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity, MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, , 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3A-AP-13, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-AP-11, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07
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CCC.7 Animal Tracking Engineering Project
Learning Outcomes:
Students combine all of what they've learned in this unit into an engineering project. They create a program for a device that would keep track of the animal's movements from day to day and generate a log of data. This data can be used for further conservation efforts.
Topics covered:
Variables
Converting Data Types
If Statements
Conditionals
Inputs/Outputs
Standard alignment:
MS-ETS1-1 Engineering Design, MS-ETS1-2 Engineering Design, MS-ETS1-3 Engineering Design, MS-ETS1-4 Engineering Design, 2-DA-07, 2-AP-11, 3A-CS-01, 3A-AP-13, 2-AP-13, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-AP-11, 3A-AP-14, 3A-IC-26, 3B-DA-05, 3B-DA-06, 3B-DA-07, 3B-AP-15
Download the 2022 Skill Struck Standards Alignment + Correlation Guide to view a general list of our standard alignments, or find your state's specific alignment below:
Exploring Conservation with Python Code
Students will explore the migratory patterns of different animals and how coding can help with conservation efforts. They will practice analyzing large data sets and will look for patterns. They will complete challenges that help solidify concepts as they use skills in a variety of ways. In order to complete tasks, students will creatively apply what they've learned by using different approaches to reach a goal.
Projects in this course include: Engineering Project, Convert Kilometers to Miles, Speed, Increasing Human Populations, and The Current Current
19 Student Activities
8 Teacher Resources
8 Checkpoints-
20 Quiz Questions 
Autograder
English and Spanish
Skill Struck Reviews
Having a mapped out, structured way to learn and experience the Computer Science curriculum really freed up time for me to give students one-on-one attention. It also gave me more opportunities to give the students additional programming assignments to help them understand the concepts better.
Scott Couch
CS Teacher, Maeser Prep Academy
The program and the people behind it are innovative, intelligent, and organized. The platform is very user-friendly and l have been able to guide my students easily through the curriculum.
Dillon Gilpin
High School CS Teacher, Duchesne County School District
All of the content is fun and engaging for our students! Regarding the support and partnership, they are always on top of everything. Small issues are resolved quickly, and that is not typical with other EdTech companies.
Donna Woods
CTE Cyber Pathway Instructor, Moreno Valley United School District