About

This unit is an interdisciplinary integration of computing into RLHS’s bioinformatics course, piloting spring 2026. This is also a model of how we can bring coherence to students’ experiences across courses by focusing on projects in partnership with UB faculty. In this unit, we will use several computational simulations of disease from NetLogo, comparing what we can learn from each.

Outcomes

NY NYSSLS Science & Engineering Practices

• 1. Asking Questions and Defining Problems
• 2. Developing and Using Models
• 4. Analyzing and Interpreting Data
• 5. Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
• 7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence

NY NGMLS Standards for Mathematical Practice

• 2. Reason Abstractly and Quantitatively (“move flexibly between symbolic, verbal, and contextual representations”)
• 4. Model with Mathematics (“Represent real-world situations using diagrams, tables, graphs, equations; Evaluate and refine models”)

NY CS & DF Computational Thinking

• Modeling and simulation (“Design, refine, and evaluate computational models and simulations of complex systems; Analyze limitations of models and compare outcomes to real data”)
• Data & Analysis (“Use data to test, validate, or refine models; Interpret outputs from simulations”)

Assessment

There is no formal summative assessment. We will know this unit is succeeding if we see students:

• Reasoning about and drawing on ideas from the bioinformatics course,
• Using the practices listed above,
• Connecting to learning from other disciplines,
• And connecting to their lives outside of school.

Curriculum

We will interleave this unit into the Bioinformatics course, about one lesson per week. Each of these topics could be addressed in one lesson, but there’s room to explore if students are particularly engaged.

See the menu on the left for individual lessons.