"Parallel Universe" Workshop Instructor Guide

Author: Aaron Weeden, The Shodor Education Foundation, Inc.

Last updated June 2019

Designed for 14–15 hours of class time

Each of the lessons in this workshop follows the "Launch, Do, Discuss" model, where you begin the lesson with an explanation of what will be learned and done, followed by an activity the students do, followed by a discussion that you lead at the end.

Have students download ParallelComputingWorkbook.docx. They will fill out this document as you progress through the lessons.

Individual lesson plans are below. Most lessons take about 30 minutes apiece but can be stretched or compressed as needed. The ones with * next to them can be omitted for more time with the BCCD.

1. Flipping_Coins_in_Parallel.pdf
2. Human_Parallel_Computer.pdf
3. * Domain_Decomposition.pdf
4. * Jigsaw_Puzzle.pdf
5. Parallel_Recipes.pdf
6. * Going_Shopping.pdf
7. * Ropes.pdf
8. * Parallelism_in_Nature.pdf
9. Penguins_of_HPC.pdf
10. The_Worlds_Fastest_Supercomputers.pdf
11. LittleFe_Demo.pdf
12. Blue_Waters_Demo.pdf
13. Terminology_and_Examples.pdf
14. * Shopping_for_Your_Own_Supercomputer.pdf
15. BCCD.pdf,
    BCCD_Cheat_Sheet.pdf,
    References:
    • How to set up a BCCD virtual machine using VirtualBox
    • How to boot a BCCD cluster and run example curriculum modules