Computer Science for Kids

5. Goblin's Gold

Standard: 2‐NI‐04: Understand how to model rules around transmitting data

“Well done,” says the Guide, as fireflies swirl around her happily. “You have solved the first challenge and are on your way to becoming a Forest Defender.” Beckoning, she leads you deeper into the forest. A pale green glow wavers in the distance. “Come this way and see if you can help solve the mystery of the moss.”

You make your way over a trickling brook and into a grove filled with protruding tree roots. Trying not to trip, you see an outcropping of boulders and underneath them, what seem to be patches of feebly glowing green light reflecting on a shallow pool. “This is Schistostega pennata, a very rare type of moss that can glow in the dark. Some people call it goblin's gold,” says the Guide, bending down to observe it more closely. “It is able to glow because it is shaped like a lens and it can reflect light. But it seems so weak these days! Other types of mosses are choking it out because they grow better where there is sun.”

“It's as if the forest network of trees, vines, grasses, and bushes are disrupting the transit of sunlight, causing the moss to weaken,” you note. “Correct!” says the Guide. “Can you create a model of an optimal environment for this moss so that it can start to flourish here? In the process, you'll gain an understanding of how ecosystems are connected and how they share resources.”

You turn to MakeCode's arcade to make a model to show the optimum placement ...