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This lesson is an introduction to binary counting. Students will intially approach the concept through multiple entry points so they can learn how to count in binary themselves. They will then learn why binary is important in computer science. Students at the end of the lesson will creatively teach their classmate’s about one concept they researched about binary. Binary Lesson .docx (194.3 KB)
Students will learn how to write their first and last names and class period in binary. Students will learn how to write in binary numbers to create and answer multiplication problems and complete a multiplication table using binary numbers (Challenge Activity).
Challenge-1PageLessonOverviewTemplate.docx (26.2 KB)
Binary Coding Handout.pdf (268.7 KB)
Multiplication Table.docx (21.6 KB)
U2ChallengeReflectionQuestions.docx (25.6 KB)
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This lesson introduces the Binary (Base 2) Number System in comparison with our Base 10 number system. Students will be able to determine the pattern sequencing and convert decimal numbers to decimal and vice versa.
Binary Number System Notes & Practice.docx (23.6 KB)
ChallengeRubric–CindyWilkins.docx (25.0 KB)
U2ChallengeReflectionQuestions–CindyWilkins.docx (24.5 KB)
Unit2ChallengeBinaryNumberSystem.docx (26.2 KB)
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So many good resources within your lesson plan! Great job!
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This lesson introduces the Binary (Base 2) Number System in comparison with our Base 10 number system. Students will be able to determine the pattern sequencing and convert decimal numbers to decimal and vice versa.
ChallengeRubric–Joel Morgan.pdf (94.7 KB) Unit2ChallengeBinaryNumberSystem.docx (27.4 KB) U2ChallengeReflectionQuestionsMorgan.docx (23.8 KB) Binary Number System Notes & Practice.docx (29.5 KB)
Nicely done. I think that has been my favorite lesson thus far.
Lesson Days 10-12: Binary Numbers
Overview
The lesson will introduce the binary system and how to count using it.
Lesson Summary
- Journal Entry: Explain why binary numbers are important in computer science.
- Counting in binary with cards (20 min)
- Binary Worksheet Part 2 (40 min)
- Revisit Journal entry (5 min)
- In journal list all you know about binary.
- Binary practice sheet- write your name in binary
CS Content
Binary code, bit and byte, computer storage and memory, problem solving strategies.
Students will use critical thinking skills to convert a slogan or their name from letters in the alphabet to binary numbers. Objectives
Students will be able to:
● Use binary numbers to create letters
● Explain why binary numbers are important in CS
●
Materials and Prep
● Journals
● Cards with dots
● Binary worksheets
Resources
Student Documents
● Binary worksheets
●
●
Code Studio
●
Video
●
Assessments
● Names properly written out in binary.
● Complete worksheets
●
Notes
I did not reinvent the wheel. I have taught computer programming for many years and the binary number system always seems to be a big stumbling block. I used the lesson from code.org and then added conversion worksheets to be completed upon completion of the lesson.
The students will be able to:
- count in binary numbers
explain why binary numbers are important in computer science
Use binary digits to encode and decode messages
-Outline of lesson:
Journal entry
Count the dots activity
Discuss why binary numbers are important
Complete conversion worksheets
The conversion worksheets is the best way for students to understand the concept of binary numbers.
Students will be introduced to the concept of binary numbers. They will understand what the numbers are, how they are used, how to convert binary to decimal and back, as well as as ASCII conversion, and practice those conversions
RuthPageChallenge-1PageLessonOverview.docx (695.8 KB)
Ruth Page Challenge-1 Page Lesson Overview
Resources:
http://csunplugged.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unplugged-01-binary_numbers.pdf
http://forums.cisco.com/CertCom/game/binary_game_page.htm
Here are some great resources I’ve found from other teachers and some I’ve made myself for U2 Day 10-12:
Binary Practice handout - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V1BqwykvLvf1dnLaQBJJ6drnCSurMUwWKPM-rjciNuI/edit?usp=sharing
Binary video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hacBFrgtQjQ&index=26&list=PLHbgghOimk-hFtTpAprJrZ69fEvaucqtJ
What are Binary Numbers? video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcTwu6TFZ08&index=40&list=PLHbgghOimk-hFtTpAprJrZ69fEvaucqtJ
Binary - Data Representation website link - http://homepage.cs.uri.edu/book/binary_data/binary_data.htm
Counts the Dots - Binary Numbers handout - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DqoTmhO9Xm7dYcKOEns3wIg1eH3qGtwqmu9SLqSj_yw/edit?usp=sharing
Binary game extension activity for Unit 2 Day 10-12.
Procedure to play:
1.a students is instructed to pick a number between 1 and 63 (have that student write said number down and show it to the other students without teacher ever seeing it or being told the number.
2. teacher displays a series of cards containing specific numbers (32 numbers on each card. There are six cards) The first card is all of the numbers containing a 1 bit in the 2^0 column of the binary conversion for the number from 1 to 63–there will be exactly 32. If the students indicate that the number that was picked is on said 2^0 card then the teacher sets that card in a separate stack and proceeds to the remaining cards setting only those cards in a separate stack that are said to contain the secret number. Once all cards have been vetted by the group, the teacher add the powers of 2 for each card in the separate stack that was indicated to contain the number.
For example, if the chosen number is 56, then the student should have indicated that the number is found on cards: 2^5, 2^4, 2^3, which adds up to 32 + 16 + 8 = 56. This can be can using an LCD projector to project the attached pdf images or they can be printed and displayed by hand.
3, once the teacher demonstrated his or her ability to know the correct number with only the information of which cards the number appears (teacher may want to demonstrate this at least twice). The teacher can give the students a writing assignment to investigate how and why the presenter/teacher knows the correct number. (200 word essay explaining how it works). This can be a homework or project assignment.The students are also given the binaryCardsAnalysis handout (which be electronic and or on paper). side note: when playing the game, the different colored number serve only as a distraction because they are arbitrary–some students may in fact claim that the colors have something to do with finding the correct number. binaryActivity160808.pdf (147.3 KB)
binaryCardsAnalysis.pdf (223.8 KB)
This activity looks really fun - I think students will enjoy challenging the teacher. It also makes learning Binary more interactive.
After we have learned binary and are feeling confident about their skills we have a superhero binary race. I would really turn this into the Binary Olympics and add other games that solidify binary in their minds in a fun way.
The class will pace in two ways, those who catch on quick and those who will struggle. Make sure tho have a plan for those who breeze through this. binary_im.pdf (1.5 MB)
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In planning out this lesson I used most of the elements from the curriculum, including the activities in CS Unplugged. The biggest challenge for me was the overabundance of resources available, both through the curriculum and online generally. So after gathering them together in a big list, I decided to split them among the three days based as follows: day one was exploratory, day two was regrouping/sharing/explanation, and day three was practice/extension/connecting.
For the exploratory lesson (Day 1), I chose the following activities:
-journal question (“How high can you count on your fingers?”)
-mini-lesson (me talking, limit to five minutes) - base-10 system review
-large dot cards - make numbers, count, then represent binary numbers
-individual dot cards (students in pairs) - show 5, 3, 12, 19, count from 0-10, what base-10 number is 10101, 111111, show the day of your birth in binary, coded numbers from CS Unplugged
Students were pretty excited and involved in this lesson as they faced the challenge of working with the dots.
For the regroup/share/explain lesson (Day 2) I chose the following activities:
-journal question - After we learned binary last week, what connections did you make to things you already knew (“Aha” moments)?
-mini-lesson (me talking, limit to four minutes) - analog vs. digital
-two videos on binary - one-minute quickie, five minute explanation
-----60 second mind meld - https://youtu.be/_Supto87ZD4
-----Math Bites: Binary Numbers - https://youtu.be/TD6lcIIOeic]
-make binary flip charts on index cards - found at http://supercomputerscience.blogspot.com/2013/09/binary-flippy-do-how-to.html
-ask a student who immediately ‘gets it’ to explain how to use the flip chart to the rest of the class
-practice using the flip cards, with the same exercises that we used with the dot cards yesterday
-”Sending a Message” activity from CS Unplugged
-homework - write a message using the same alphanumeric key used in the problem
-message must be at least 20 characters long
For the practice/connections lesson I chose the following activities:
-journal prompt - “Describe how you count in binary, in your own words.”
-decoding - students trade homework from last night and decode each other’s messages (this served as my assessment of their understanding of binary)
-lesson - Why binary? / the evolution of transistors
-the difference between detecting on/off, yes/no (digital) versus trying to measure multiple levels (analog); I gave them large hardware switches to show how easy it is to see on/off
-I brought tube transistors, transistors, and a mother board and some loose chips so that students could really physically see the evolution of switches/transistors storing those ones and zeros
-supporting presentation with pictures of transistors
-two short videos on chips
-----What’s Inside? - https://youtu.be/GdqbLmdKgw4
-----quick Intel video on manufacturing https://youtu.be/aCOyq4YzBtY]
I really like the Binary Olympics idea and way fun binary images 