Use this as a space to record your feedback and questions about this lesson.
This chunk of lessons depends on the
protocols that students develop and how they use the Internet Simulator to send
an âAâ, âBâ response and answer. The lesson gets progressively harder, if you
allow students to use the Internet Simulator, then have them use hand signals
(open palm, closed palm) and see if they can develop a message that has more
meaning, much like Morse code.
There are many resources available to help students understand binary/number systems. I like starting them with some thoughts on how our number system works/was developed. Then have them use that when they start binary. I also think protocols have to be a main focus here, although I have seen some students get caught up in the math of it all.
I liked this activity worksheet
I feel this is one of the most crucial lessons for understanding computer science. I love the âFlippy Doâ! and how it relates the powers of 2 to decimal to the number. I think it will go a long way to helping understand the concept. I see using that for a while in the class and having students get up to explain their answers. The Cisco tool is also great and fun for them to play with. I wonder why this isnât introduced earlier. I will assess by having the students get through a certain level in the cisco game (level 2 maybe?).
One major concern/question I have in all of the âworksheetsâ is this: Is there some sort of answer key for these? If so, can we as teachers have access to them? Maybe I missed it somehow and they already exist? For example in this lesson, the question âHow many bits would need to show on a binary odometer if you wanted to have the ability to count up to 500?â - granted, I can determine this answer on my own and I understand where it is best for me as an instructor to know how to do this, however, every little detail can help me spend my time better with helping the students, with troubleshooting how to use tools, room setup, etc. Can we have this kind of information somewhere?
I really like the use of the manual calculator. I learn most visually. Students are often visual learners as well. The use of this calculator helps connect the concept of binary numbers to value.
I think getting students to separate symbols from what they symbolize is going to be a special challenge, and it really drives home why Code.org wants 10th graders and older. Some students are going to feel as if weâre asking them to unlearn what theyâve spent 10 or more years learning.
It sounds like a lot of fun to me!
Someone asked about answer keys. I would also like to know if there are answer keys.
I really like the idea of the âFlippy Doâ - especially for students who have educational plans that might require additional aides/notes that they can use. I think it will also really help visual learners. I might create a large one with the decimal number system to show them how it relates. I also want to show this to my other computer science classes and show them how it could be used for any number base.
Many of my students like the Cisco Binary game, and it helped them learn binary so much faster than I have seen in the past.
Being online, I did not use the Flippy-Do this time around, but might figure out a way to explain how to do this for future classes. I like having âmanipulativesâ like this, and they definitely help students learn, so Iâll keep it in mind.
I have always used the mathematical approach to teaching the binary number system. using the manual calculator has always worked for me.
In this chunk, I really like the Flippy Do in Lesson 7. First, I have had good experiences using foldables to engage students in other classes. Second, I think this lesson is clearer on binary numbers as compared to the lesson my team taught during ECS, which I didnât think was as clear, and had some of the teachers very confused. I have a lot more confidence that my students will be able to understand better using this lesson.
For this lesson, I will spend some time with them showing them how to convert to Binary and use a Base 2 layout for them to refer to in the activity.
I love the Flippy Do Template for the students who learn better with hands-on devices. My plan is to follow the lesson plan as written but to reinforce the binary number system using the Cisco binary game and having the students send numbers across the room to each other using flip cards.
I believe students will succeed with this template. It is a uniquely different approach and I found it difficult to connect the exponent to the octets. From the warm-up with the representation of â7â to using the Internet Simulator, the lessons build consistently towards the Big Ideas. The full lessons include everything needed to implement the curriculum efficiently.
I really like this lesson. I plan on using the Cisco binary game to have them show they understand the concept. I had trouble using the binary odometer.
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Cool resource! Thanks for sharing - if anyone is looking here is a link: http://www.crazygames.com/game/binary-game
Hey Tim, could you let us know what specifically gave you trouble. Did it not load, was it functioning improperly, or did you just find it to be a confusing tool to use? Glad to hear you liked the lesson!
For my tactile learners, I will also show them how to count in binary on their fingers. I usually explain that it models how they learned to count in decimal. It also reinforces the need for symbols.