Starter Kit

Materials for teaching modeling with differential equations

SIMIODE offers class materials and support for faculty who want to use modeling to motivate and teach differential equations. Every Modeling Scenario and Technique Narrative in SIMIODE is FREE in the true spirit of OER resources and all materials are offered according to a most generous Creative Commons license for download and customization.

Here we are offering you just some of our many resources which have proven successful in starting your course. For a full, richly searchable listing of all of our OER please Browse SIMIODE OER materials. You can also use our downloadable Course Guide Table of Contents.

An example of a first day project M&M Simulation of Death and Immigration will give you a good idea what to expect from a modeling scenario. This scenario has been used by thousands of students over many years as a first day activity introducing differential equations. After you have looked it over you might take a look at these other choices.

First Day Activities

• Ant Tunnel Building, a simple approach to create differential equation model
• Modeling Spread of Oil Slick, poor data for a differential equation model

Modeling Scenarios for Early Topics

• Falling Column of Water illustrates Torricelli's Law
• Chemical Kinetics based on students' chemistry texts
• Spread of the word JUMBO in literature exploring exponential growth
• Dissipation of retinal gas bubbles following surgery using clinical data
• Others scenario samples include Potato cooling; Finance of savings and loans; student simulation of spread of common cold.

Modeling Scenarios for Systems of Differential Equations

• LSD absorption compartment models and performance on arithmetic tasks
• Kidney dialysis for designing alternate machine designs
• Modeling ibuprofen in the body for pain relief
• Algae self-replenishment in a Mexican lake
• Optimal insect colony design in nature and a look into optimal control
• Struggle for Existence and Soviet vodka production
• Disease spread in a boarding school and parameter estimation using data

Modeling Scenarios for Second Order Differential Equations

• Analysis of data and modeling for falling coffee filters and whiffle balls
• Following shuttlecock flight using data from the literature
• Construction of Tuned Mass Dampers to stop catastrophes in structures
• Several pendulum studies
• Many spring mass modeling opportunities
• How do we tune a radio?
• Exciting a mystery circuit to discover its purpose

Modeling Scenarios Involving Projectile Motion

• Design of a fair stadium - homeruns in all directions equally likely
• How deep is a well - drop a pebble and listen
• Optimal baseball cut-off relay position
• Ferris wheel catch and the meaning of hang time