C6#BioFarm:#A#Sustainability#Game# for#Learning#the#Role#...

C6 BioFarm: A Sustainability Game for Learning the Role of a Bio-‐based

Economy CenUSA Grant K-‐12 Extension Outreach

Jay Staker April 9, 2015

The C6 Team

•  Sponsored by: – CenUSA Bioenergy Grant supported by Agriculture and Food Research IniMaMve CompeMMve Grant No. 011-‐68005-‐30411 from the USDA NaMonal InsMtute of Food and Agriculture, Iowa

– NSF EPCoR (NaMonal Science FoundaMon grant) –  Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

•  Ag and Natural Resources •  4-‐H

Background •  Start Point: learning about biochar and the

implicaMons of large volume biochar producMon from switchgrass. (Purdue-‐developed curriculum delay led to C6 as interim)

•  EducaMonal objecMves broadened to the carbon economy, transiMon from petroleum-‐C economy to bio-‐C economy. Old to new C

•  STEM learning goals and links to learn about the importance of the iniMaMve –  sustainability from economical, environmental, and social

standpoint –  need to build resiliency into agricultural systems based on

natural variaMons (weather, markets, poliMcal, etc.) •  Created C6 BioFarm to implement into classrooms

Goal of C6 BioFarm

•  Educate youth about the role of carbon in the bioeconomy through an interacMve game on biomass producMon using agricultural pracMces, consequences, and technology that: •  requires real life farming decisions (crop insurance,

cropping decisions, ferMlizer & pesMcides); •  ranks players on economic, social, and environmental

impacts of their decisions that focus on long term viability and efficiency aber 3 years of play;

•  is supported by an iBook and Science, Technology, Engineering, and MathemaMcs (STEM) lessons that provides content on biomass producMon, processing, products, and STEM careers;

•  has career videos that feature youth, interns, and professionals linked to the bioeconomy.

Objec3ves:

Teach 5,000 students about ag producMon, bioenergy, and show them possible careers in these fields. •  4-‐H, FFA, and K-‐12 science students will gain

knowledge of biomass producMon, biofuels producMon, and carbon and nutrient cycling by parMcipaMng in youth acMviMes (measured by pre/post surveys and open-‐ended quesMonnaires)

•  Youth will gain knowledge about STEM careers by parMcipaMng in 4-‐H, FFA, and K-‐12 as classroom experiences (indicators measured by pre/post surveys and open-‐ended quesMonnaires).

Programs:

C6 BioFarm Game Development at the core: •  Web app and more informaMon found at: C6BioFarm.Weebly.com

•  iBook on the Apple iTunes store. •  Tell us what you learned on our website. •  CollaboraMon: – Master Gardeners – Purdue University – University of Nebraska

Mapping the learning

Process Builds on C6 simple App and EducaMonal materials hgp://iowaepscor.org/educaMon/c6 Gather informaMon to develop gaming algorithms and supporMng iBook content.

•  Meet with experts in ag producMon, economics, environment, insurance, biomass processing, and educaMon.

•  Test algorithms and iBook content with youth in camp and workshop sehngs

•  Revise and supplement algorithms and content based on feedback collected via surveys and focus groups

•  IdenMfy gaming engine and distribuMon process: iPad •  Program game and edit videos •  Revise iBook based on input from youth and experts

Superhero C6 EvoluMon

•  2013 – Posters – Html-‐based game for classrooms – Basic presentaMons for classrooms

•  2014-‐15 –  iPad game development began – Teaching curriculum – Career videos –  iBook

C6 BioFarm Poriolio •  Learning for middle school and high school students about: –  Bioenergy –  Agricultural ProducMon –  Carbon –  The Environment –  Agricultural and Bioenergy Careers

•  Download the iBook: Apple iTunes store •  Web app at: C6Biofarm.Weebly.com •  YouTube Channel: CenUSA C6 Game

Early Childhood

!

!

!!!!Hi,!I’m!C6.!I’m!carbon.!!I!am!a!very!important!part!of!your!life!!Did!you!know!that?!!I!make!up!18%!of!the!human!body!!I!also!am!a!part!of!almost!everything!you!use!every!day!!!Take!a!

look!around!and!see!what!else!is!made!of!carbon!!

!

I’m!new!carbon!!I!come!from!

biomass,!or!plants!!Did!you!know!I!

make!up!40%!of!all!plants?!

!

I’m!old!carbon!!I’ve!been!inside!the!

Earth!for!millions!of!years!!I!am!found!in!coal,!oil!and!gas.!

Curriculum

•  Lessons that support C6 BioFarm game •  Linked to standards: Science, Ag, Tech •  AcMve learning format –  Purdue – University of Nebraska

•  iBook –  Series of chapters that uMlize the interacMve nature of iBook plaiorm

–  Chapters that examine the content for STEM relaMng to C6 BioFarm

Curriculum: STEM and Ag Classes Sample

EssenMal QuesMons: –  Why is Carbon so special and so important to everything around us? –  What makes Carbon so valuable for our fuel and chemical needs? –  Energy is so important to all of us. What are some examples of Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy Sources and what are the important differences between fossil and renewable energy? –  What is Bio Energy? Key Terms: –  Carbon –  Carbon Cycle –  Old Carbon –  New Carbon –  Fossil Fuel –  Biomass –  Biofuel –  Renewable Energy

Career Videos

•  Technical •  Insurance •  Financial •  Ag ProducMon •  STEM Educator •  Bio-‐based DuPont plant engineers

Conceptual Frame

•  Carbon’s role in the economy •  Carbon source opMons •  Source opMon ramificaMons •  Pyrolysis and the science and engineering processing –  bio-‐products –  Biochar

•  Carbon economy •  ProducMon to products •  Sustainability: social, environmental, economic •  Associated careers

iOS

C6 BioFarm •  An ag-‐based game linked to

curriculum and iBook. •  Suite of learning materials that:

•  focuses on STEM content and ag pracMces

•  allows player to make choices and understand the realiMes of replacing petroleum Carbon with bio-‐based carbon.

Android •  8 Fields, $1,000,000 •  PlanMng OpMons •  Corn •  Soybeans •  Switchgrass •  Corn with crop insurance •  Soybeans with crop

insurance

Game Flow

Game Play!•  Year 1!

1  Select the crop you will plant in each field. 2  Calculate cost for each field using the planMng costs table on Page 1. 3  Select yes or no for Insurance (Factor this decision into your planMng

costs). 4  At the end of the cycle fill in the yield, using a random number

generator to idenMfy the yield modifier factor number (for all fields). 5  Determine final yield = (yield/acre)* yield modifier factor

Crop insurance factor modifier = .75 Use number generated from random number generator and apply

to table on the bogom. 6  Fill in price/unit for each crop in each field that is supplied by game

leader. 7  Profit = final yield*price/unit-‐planGng costs+field profits total

Add or subtract from account balance

Random acts of fate

Purdue Curriculum:

Future Plans •  Other feedstocks –  Corn stover sold to DuPont-‐Pioneer

•  Biochar applicaMon •  Environmental effects score •  FerMlizer applicaMons •  Real-‐Mme update for prices •  Government subsidies •  RIN data •  Taxes •  Weather impacts •  Farm economics

2015 Rollout

•  Team of undergraduate programmers have created a basic game for classrooms – Android – Apple

•  PresenMng the programming in summer camps, teacher training, and other educaMonal sehngs

•  Professional programming team will put the finishing touches on the app

C6 BioFarm Reach

C6 BioFarm

Pre-‐College

Agricultural ProducMon

Chemistry

Economics

Industrial Science

Environmental Science

Undergraduate Agronomy

Graduate Agronomy

Producers Extension

C6 Target Audiences and Content Foci

Students: 2014-‐15

•  CenUSA Interns – Aaron Jacobson, CoD – Caitlyn Carlson, CoE – Breanna Branderhorst, CALS

•  College of Design – Stefanie Dao, graphic arMst

•  Vice President of Extension and Outreach – Nicole Barbee, Col. Of Eng. Intern

Students 2015

•  CenUSA Interns –  Juan Venegas: programmer – Mouhamad Diallo: Outreach

•  College of Engineering Programmers – Camden “Jackson” Voigt – Alex Berns

•  Graduate Student – Abby Peterson

Acknowledgements •  CenUSA •  Iowa Epscor •  Iowa State University Extension and Outreach 4-‐H •  College of Agriculture and Life Sciences •  College of Engineering •  College of Design •  Jill Euken •  Sorrel Brown •  Purdue University •  University of Nebraska

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