CS 1025 01 - Week #1 (Aug 25, 27, 29)


Monday, August 25th


  1. Playing with NetLogo turtle graphics - handout from Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 class. Try out the links too!

  2. VIDEO review: One of the links is this Netlogo basics video tutorial created in fall of 2010. Watch it. Take some notes on it. Its only 12 minutes long.

  3. Netlogo practiced and shown this week in class:
          Netlogo shown today:
    
                   Create 16 turtles       Move forward 6 turtle steps
                   -----------------       ---------------------------
                      cro 16                          fd 6
    
                   Put your pen down       Lift your pen (or turtle tail) up
                   -----------------       ---------------------------------
                         pd                           pu
    
    
    
                   Turn right 90 degrees        Clear all (erase everything)
                   ---------------------        ----------------------------
                          rt 90                            ca
    
    
                   Draw a square (if your Pen is Down - PD you will see square)
                   ------------------------------------------------------------
                        repeat 4 [ fd 3 rt 90 ]
    
                                        The above square has a side length of 3
    
    
                   Draw a cool pattern of 36 spiralling squares (if PD pen down)
                   -------------------------------------------------------------
                      repeat 36 [  rt 10  repeat 4 [ fd 3 rt 90 ]  ]
    
                      What is 36 times 10?  360 degrees.
                                            So you will have a complete
                                               round the world circle of
                                                  squares.
    
                   Observer mode commands:   ca, cro,
                    Turtles mode commands:   fd, rt, pd, pu
    
                    Note:  repeat is used in either mode, depending on what
                           you need to do.
    
                      repeat howManyTimes [ what you want to do ]
    
                      What would the following repeat create, if we assume the
                      pens of the turtles were down (PD or pd) so we could see
                      the trail left by the turtle tails (or pens, aka pens)?
    
                             repeat 8 [ fd 3 rt 45 ]  <----  draws what????
    
                             repeat 4 [ fd 3 rt 90 ]   <---- draws a square
    

  4. Link to download and install NetLogo on your computer (PC or MAC). It is FREE!

    Netlogo is also available at most of the computer labs on the UNI campus, including all CNS labs and all of the SCC (Student Computer Center) labs like the Library, Union, Redeker, Towers, Lawther, etc.


Wednesday, August 27th


  1. Scratch handout for Friday class. Could NOT hand it out today due to printer problems!

  2. Introduction to Scratch: Creative Stories, Games and Animation with SCRATCH. This program is free to download and install or to use online through your web browser. Let's dance!

  3. Bees and problem solving: Ghostbusters and the 4 phases of the problem solving process.
    Ignore the 3 D's of the waggle dancing bees portion of the waggle.txt for now. Focus on the description and outline of the four steps.
    1.  Understand it.  Focus on WHAT the problem is.
        Dr. Peter Venkman represents this phase of programming, 
                          problem solving, troubleshooting, 
                          and model development.
    
        Listening attitude.
    
        WHAT to do.  Draw a square with the program.
                     Have the turtle draw a square for NetLOGO.
                     Or have the CAT draw a square for SCRATCH.
    
    2.  Develop a PLAN for HOW to solve it.
        How to get from the GIVEN INPUT to the GOAL, RESULT, OUTPUT.
        The PLAN is also known as an algorithm.  It is like
        a recipe, a step by step outline and series of simple
        steps to arrive at the GOAL starting from the GIVEN input.
    
        Dr. Raymond Stantz represents this phase of problem solving.
    
        The PLAN is written in informal language and is often called
        pseudocode.
    
                   Put the pen down for drawing
                   Repeat the following 4 times
                       draw a line 5 units long   (or 100 units long for SCRATCH)
                       turn right 90 degrees
                
    3.  Code it.  Dr. Egon Spengler is the character that represents
                               this phase or step of problem solving.
    
        Translate the PLAN into the language of the computer software.
        Write the Scratch or the NetLOGO code.
        Write the C++ or the Ada or the Python or the Java program.
        Or translate the series of steps and do them on Photoshop
        or Adobe After Effects or Microsoft Excel or Adobe Flash.
    
                   PD                    Actual NetLOGO code.
                   REPEAT 4
                   [ 
                       fd 5         (Had to be 100 for SCRATCH big cat)
                       rt 90
                   ]
    
        These steps apply to mathematics, computer science and much more.
    

  4. Thoughts on Ghostbusters and problem solving with notes on the movie and the characters.

    VET SAT AUC TVV SO YMDC


Friday, August 29th


  1. Assignment due one week from today: Monty Hall game - this assignment can be done with paper and pen or pencil, but you can send me the results as an email note. It is due anytime on Friday September 5th. Subject line of email note: Monty Hall.

  2. Continue with the NetLOGO from Monday. Commands fd, repeat, rt, ht, pd, pu and teaching the turtles a new word, such as spiral (to draw a spiral of 36 squares for each of the 16 turtles) will be reviewed again.

  3. Look at the Forest Fire model in the Earth Science portion of the NetLogo Models Library. Read about it first, then click RUN FIRE IN YOUR BROWSER to try it out.

  4. Check out this NetLogo example of airplanes flying and fish swimming.

  5. Drawing a circle with Scratch. Create a dancing Scratch application. We will start from scratch to review what we did today and finish the entire application.