OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

Students will login and play the gridlock buster game. This is a traffic light simulation that requires students to be in charge of changing the light at an intersections before the drivers become too impatient. This will be followed by a discussion of traffic signals, how engineers program them and what they take into consideration, and how they use technology and computer science when setting them up.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Mathematics, Science, Reading/Language Arts, Technology, Engineering
• Grade Level : 6-8
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Computing Systems
  • Data Analysis
  • Algorithms and Programming
  • Impacts of Computing
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture
  • Collaborating Around Computing
  • Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems
  • Communicating About Computing
• Materials:
  • Website, https://www.cts.umn.edu/education/k-12/gridlockbustergame
• Considerations:
  • No

Lesson Plan

Overview

Students will login and play the gridlock buster game. This is a traffic light simulation that requires students to be in charge of changing the light at an intersections before the drivers become too impatient. This will be followed by a discussion of traffic signals, how engineers program them and what they take into consideration, and how they use technology and computer science when setting them up.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

How difficult is it to effectively set up a traffic signal? What is involved in designing a traffic signal? How is a traffic signal a finite state machine?

OBJECTIVES

• Students will be able to:  Create an intersection that utilizes a mock traffic light  Record the timing sequence necessary for optimal traffic flow

CATCH/HOOK

• “Today you get to play a computer game…”

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

• You are in charge of overseeing traffic signals when different levels of traffic are present. It is your job to override the pre-set timing of the traffic lights to create a smoother flow of traffic that diminishes driver frustration. • Students will login and play the gridlock buster game. This is a traffic light simulation that requires students to be in charge of changing the light at an intersections before the drivers become too impatient. This will be followed by a discussion of traffic signals, how engineers program them and what they take into consideration, and how they use technology and computer science when setting them up. • There are several levels of gameplay and when students have passed them all, the game ends. • The class will discuss how traffic signals are programmed.

Supplements

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REVIEW

• Class discussion of what they noticed as they played the game • Students will explain strategies they used to move the traffic smoothly through the intersections using the traffic signals • We will talk about finite state machines, traffic lights, and where else in the real world students have seen finite state machines

STANDARDS