Engineering Medicine Coolers
Heatwave Visualizations computational thinking module
Students visualize heatwave data to identify which regions and people may be most impacted by hot temperatures to help them engineer a medicine cooler. After creating their own data visualization, students consider how personal preferences and experiences may influence the instructions a human gives to a computer.
When students launch each activity, it will open and run in their browser with MATLAB Online.
![](https://la.mathworks.com/campaigns/products/computational-thinking-examples/engineering-medicine-coolers/_jcr_content/mainParsys/band/mainParsys/columns_630520260/e3540cb1-660e-4624-b674-a2711e722ada/columns_88779716/dad8fd57-082d-43d1-8466-528b268dfd65/pictogram.adapt.full.medium.png/1729608684936.png)
Heatwave Days in the U.S. in 2021, Version 1
Visualize the frequency and location of heatwaves in the U.S. in 2021.
![](https://la.mathworks.com/campaigns/products/computational-thinking-examples/engineering-medicine-coolers/_jcr_content/mainParsys/band/mainParsys/columns_630520260/eb562a48-f161-4d11-bb81-2c2af3917eef/columns_88779716_cop/dad8fd57-082d-43d1-8466-528b268dfd65/pictogram.adapt.full.medium.png/1729608685020.png)
Heatwave Days in the U.S. in 2021, Version 2
Consider why this visualization is different from Heatwave Days in the U.S. in 2021, Version 1.
![](https://la.mathworks.com/campaigns/products/computational-thinking-examples/engineering-medicine-coolers/_jcr_content/mainParsys/band/mainParsys/columns_630520260_co_1159585368/e3540cb1-660e-4624-b674-a2711e722ada/columns_88779716/dad8fd57-082d-43d1-8466-528b268dfd65/pictogram.adapt.full.medium.png/1729608685139.png)
Create Your Own Heatwave Definition
Change variables in the algorithm and observe how it impacts the data visualization.
![](https://la.mathworks.com/campaigns/products/computational-thinking-examples/engineering-medicine-coolers/_jcr_content/mainParsys/band/mainParsys/columns_630520260_co_1159585368/eb562a48-f161-4d11-bb81-2c2af3917eef/columns_88779716_cop/dad8fd57-082d-43d1-8466-528b268dfd65/pictogram.adapt.full.medium.png/1729608685225.png)
Create Your Own Heatwave Definition for a Climate Region in the Continental U.S.
Zoom in on a region of the country to test and modify your heatwave definition.
![](https://la.mathworks.com/campaigns/products/computational-thinking-examples/engineering-medicine-coolers/_jcr_content/mainParsys/band/mainParsys/columns_630520260_co/e3540cb1-660e-4624-b674-a2711e722ada/columns_88779716/dad8fd57-082d-43d1-8466-528b268dfd65/pictogram.adapt.full.medium.png/1729608685359.png)
Normal Temperature Patterns
View an animation of typical temperature patterns across the U.S. over the course of a year.
![](https://la.mathworks.com/campaigns/products/computational-thinking-examples/engineering-medicine-coolers/_jcr_content/mainParsys/band/mainParsys/columns_630520260_co/eb562a48-f161-4d11-bb81-2c2af3917eef/columns_88779716_cop/dad8fd57-082d-43d1-8466-528b268dfd65/pictogram.adapt.full.medium.png/1729608685453.png)
Extension Activity (beyond the curriculum): The Logical AND Operator
The Heatwave Days in the U.S. in 2021, Version 2 live script above uses a heatwave definition that includes the AND operator. This live script helps students understand how the use of the AND operator can result in one-day heatwaves even though the individual conditions in the definition must be met for a minimum of two consecutive days.