Frog pond: a codefirst learning environment on evolution and natural selection

Abstract

Understanding processes of evolution and natural selection is both important and challenging for learners. We describe a "codefirst" learning environment called Frog Pond designed to introduce natural selection to elementary and middle school aged learners. Learners use NetTango, a blocksbased programming interface to NetLogo, to control frogs inhabiting a lily pond. Simple programs result in changes to the frog population over successive generations. Our approach foregrounds computational thinking as a bridge to understanding evolution as an emergent phenomenon.