Last year was the first time I have taught science as I have been on a departmentalized team. I can see how ecosystems and food webs/chains is a complex adaptive system. This was displayed in the video with the fish and algae as well as the birds. I also think that the water cycle, and tracking a drop of water through it might be a complex adaptive system.
An example of a complex adaptive system is the flow of energy of organisms (i.e. food chains and food webs). The system is complex because there are patterns that emerge such as the plant using energy from the sun to perform photosynthesis. That energy is then transferred to a herbivore (known as a primary consumer) and omnivore or carnivore (known as a secondary consumer). Although food chains are linear, there are complex patterns and outcomes that arise as food chains overlap and organisms eat more varieties of food.
Chemical reactions are examples of complex adaptive systems.
Definitely ecosystems, but NGSS has the standard of human impact that I think it applies to. Looking at the natural resource of water as a system.
Well in 8th grade in the California integrated NGSS model, evolution and genetics will be taught. I can see complex adaptive systems being applied to those concepts, but I would like to apply it to the physics that I will be teaching.
Climate change is a complex adaptive system. As the climate is modified, the organisms on our planet are finding and forming news ways to survive. These patterns move within and throughout the ecosystems on earth.
I agree that the ecology units we teach are complex systems.
I teach ecosystems in both 7th and8th grade. The predator / prey relationship is a complex adaptive system each organism has simple rules and together it creates graphic patterns when looking at the data.
I do not teach Science, but several things still come to mind. The weather, ants by my house, and my students on the internet.
Ecosystems of course would easily fall into a complex adaptive system. Chemical reactions play out this way too. Molecules of atoms will rearrange themselves according to rules governing electron configurations.
One of the units in six grade is Erosion, and the elements that are involve would be considered a CAS.
The movement of molecules is an example of complex adaptive systems.
In Earth Science, we study Biomes. This includes populations where animals interact and how the biome balances based on the behaviors and interactions of populations.
Weather and weather patterns come to mind as an example of CAS (Complex Adaptive System). Their impact on the planet and its biomes as a result of a natural hazard create another Complex Adaptive System. My students are fascinated year after year with these natural phenomena.
Thank you for sharing this link to Daisyworld. I hadn’t seen this page. Very helpful to my ecology unit!
In 8th Physics, the transfer of energy through objects and\or media is definitly a complex Adaptive System. The energy forms patterns that can be predictable.
Yes, the water cycle is alot like the one I was using… Energy Flow through Matter.
Matter transferring thermal energy and going through phase changes is a complex adaptive system. Individual molecules follow simple rules without a leader, and emergent patterns are generated. In the case of a boiling pot water, if an element of the system was altered, (position of heat source), the system would adapt or react (overflow?).
In our Ecology unit we study about population growth and the factors that effect it. We also look at the emerging patterns and try to make predications based on those outcomes.