EcoBots: Save the Planet

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to investigate NYC public trash bin overflow patterns using firsthand observations and sanitation data to identify how foot traffic, pickup timing, and disposal patterns affect waste buildup over time.

Students will be able to collect and organize bin-fill data in tables and graphs to compare where and when overflow happens most often in NYC.

Students will be able to write and interpret linear and exponential functions from real bin-fill data to determine which model best fits waste buildup in different locations.

Students will be able to graph functions and identify key features using technology to explain how changes in inputs affect predicted overflow timing.

Students will be able to compare two function models represented in different forms to justify which one better predicts trash buildup for a specific NYC site.

Students will be able to test variables in a sensor-based bin monitor prototype and use collected data to refine the model’s prediction accuracy.

Products

individual

NYC Bin Overflow Data Analysis Brief with Personal Prototype Sketch

Each student creates a user-research brief based on firsthand observations, partner input, and bin-fill data, then designs a simple individual prototype concept for a sensor-based overflow alert. The brief must show how evidence led to a specific prediction model and design decision.

team

Sensor-Based Trash Bin Monitoring Prototype and Sanitation Route Pitch

Teams combine individual research and prototype ideas into a tested, higher-fidelity bin-monitoring solution with a shared problem statement and a presentation for sanitation staff or robotics mentors. The final product must explain how user needs, data, and function modeling shaped the design.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Emerging	Developing	Proficient	Applying
Scientific Investigation	Modeling systems	I can explain a system as composed of smaller parts and can identify some of those smaller parts (e.g., an object colliding with another object, an ecological environment, or a respiratory system). Project-specific: I can explain the bin-overflow system as parts (waste disposal pattern, pickup timing, bin-fill level, and overflow effects) and identify at least two inputs and one output that my model will track.	I can investigate or analyze a system by defining its boundaries and initial conditions, as well as its inputs and outputs. Project-specific: I can define the boundaries and initial conditions for my bin-fill model (e.g., starting fill level and what causes it to rise/fall) and describe how inputs change the output over time using data I collect or read from tables/photos.	I use models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) to simulate the flow of energy, changes in matter, and other interactions within and between systems at different scales. Project-specific: I can use a mathematical model (linear or exponential) to simulate bin-fill growth over time, graph it by hand and/or with technology, and explain what key features (growth rate, intercept/shift, asymptotic/curvature behavior) mean for the sanitation problem.	I use models and simulations to predict the behavior of a system, and describe how these predictions have limited precision and reliability due to the assumptions and approximations inherent in the models. Project-specific: I can predict when a bin will overflow using my model and simulation, compare predictions to observed data, and explain how my assumptions (e.g., constant rates, simplified sensor readings, fixed schedules) limit the precision and reliability of my results.
Computational Thinking	Using computational tools	I can choose appropriate tools (e.g., formulas, parent functions, mathematical representations, number properties, algorithms) and concepts (e.g., equivalence, proportionality, correlation, causation) to derive a solution. Project-specific: I can use graphing/calculator or spreadsheet tools to generate and interpret graphs of a linear or exponential model for bin-fill data, selecting the appropriate variables and axes from my table I can use the tool to read key features (slope/initial value, intercept, growth pattern) and explain what they mean in the context of overflow timing.	I can use and adapt mathematical and computational tools and concepts so that they are useful for solving a problem in a given context. Project-specific: I can adapt the mathematical model in my graphing tool by rewriting an equivalent function (e.g., using shifts like f(x)+k, kf(x), or f(x+k)) and observing how the graph changes for positive and negative values of k I can run “what-if” experiments with technology, then update my function and graph to better match the sensor/table data for my chosen bins.	I redefine problems to be solvable with mathematical and computational tools, concepts, and processes, and I adapt combinations of tools and processes to solve problems efficiently. Project-specific: I can redefine my overflow-prediction task into a solvable computational workflow by deciding what input-output quantities to model (e.g., time to fill, sensor value to overflow threshold) and then using technology to build an appropriate linear or exponential function I can efficiently compare models by producing both graphs and tables from my tool and using the comparison to choose (and justify) the better representation for different locations.	I use mathematical and computational tools, concepts, and processes to support and refine claims and justify solutions. Project-specific: I can use computational tools to refine my predictions by testing multiple candidate functions and parameter values, then linking changes on the graphs/tables to precise claims about overflow timing I can justify why my chosen function and algorithm best support my conclusion by showing evidence from technology (multiple trials, error/fit comparison, or sensitivity to changes in inputs/parameters).
Scientific Investigation	Testing variables	I can identify independent and dependent variables and experimental controls. Project-specific: I can identify the independent variable, dependent variable, and experimental controls in a bin-overflow investigation (e.g., disposal/disruption factors vs bin-fill over time, with consistent pickup timing or sensor setup as controls).	With guidance or collaborators, I can plan an appropriate investigation (experiment, field observations, or prototype testing) taking into account independent, dependent, and control variables and other factors such as social, technical, and environmental limitations/constraints. Project-specific: With guidance or collaborators, I can plan an appropriate investigation to test how one variable affects bin-fill (and overflow timing) by keeping controls constant and accounting for constraints like sensor limits, weather/foot traffic variability, and fixed pickup schedules.	I conduct investigations individually and in groups to produce data that serves as evidence for explaining phenomena or testing solutions, and evaluate the investigation’s design to ensure variables are controlled. Project-specific: I can conduct the investigation (alone or with a group) to collect evidence while maintaining controlled variables, and I can evaluate my design by checking that changes in bin-fill data align with the tested variable rather than uncontrolled factors.	I design and conduct investigations to generate data as evidence for explaining and predicting phenomena or testing and predicting the viability of design solutions, and once finished, seek feedback on my investigation, results, and/or claims. Project-specific: I can design and run an investigation to generate reliable data for predicting when bins will overflow, then interpret results to refine my model/claims and seek feedback on how well my variable-testing supported my predictions.
Scientific Investigation	Collecting data	I can identify tools for collecting data, and can identify how observations and measurements will be recorded. Project-specific: I can identify what data I need to collect for my bin-overflow investigation and choose appropriate tools (e.g., timer, sensor/readings, tally sheets, photos) to record observations and measurements I can describe how I will log each measurement into a clear table (what goes on each axis/column) so the data can later be graphed and analyzed.	I can explain how a given experiment, observation, and/or test would produce relevant data to serve as evidence for explaining phenomena or testing solutions. Project-specific: I can explain how my specific observation, measurement plan, or prototype trial would generate relevant data that serves as evidence for my question (e.g., when a bin reaches a fill threshold, how quickly fill increases) I can describe what patterns in my recorded data would count as support for a claim about buildup over time or the effect of variables (like foot traffic or pickup timing).	I apply scientific reasoning to evaluate the accuracy of various methods of collecting data (including experiments, observations, and/or prototype testing) and describe why specific evidence is adequate for explanations or conclusions. Project-specific: I can apply scientific reasoning to judge whether my data-collection method is likely to produce trustworthy evidence, and I can state why (e.g., consistency of measurements, repeated trials, alignment to the data table) I can use my collected data (and its graph/table) to evaluate whether my model’s prediction matches what the evidence shows and revise my approach when it does not.	I consider different approaches for collecting reliable experimental or observational data, and decide on how best to gather data and produce reliable measurements, taking into account limitations on the precision and relevance of the resulting data (e.g., number of trials, cost, risk, time, confounding variables, etc.). Project-specific: I can compare multiple data-collection approaches and select the best one for reliability and relevance, considering limitations such as precision of sensor readings, number of trials/days, time constraints, cost, risk, and possible confounding variables I can justify my final plan by explaining how it controls or accounts for factors that could distort results, so my measurements are accurate enough to support conclusions.
Computational Thinking	Using algorithms	I can express a set of step-by-step instructions (an algorithm) through prose, flowcharts, code, or oral language. Project-specific: I can express a step-by-step algorithm in prose that explains how to convert bin sensor readings (time, fill level) into a simple prediction for whether overflow will happen (e.g., compare to a threshold).	I can create and present an algorithm that explains how to solve a problem. Project-specific: I can create and present an algorithm (in flowchart or pseudocode) that uses the data in order to compute predicted overflow time and includes clear decision steps, such as using a chosen linear or exponential model based on which best matches the pattern in the graph/table.	I create and present an algorithm in a variety of formats and languages that explains how to solve a problem. Project-specific: I can create and present my algorithm in multiple formats (code, flowchart, or equations) and switch between equivalent representations to reveal model features (like slope/growth), then use it to generate and compare predictions for different locations or pickup schedules.	I recontextualize processes for other relevant and appropriate contexts with sufficient documentation for others to adapt the algorithm for their purpose. Project-specific: I can recontextualize my algorithm for a new bin or route by providing documentation (inputs, parameters, model-choice rules, and how to run/interpret results), so others can adapt it and test how changing variables (e.g., pickup timing or k-shifts) affects overflow predictions.