What do “on” and “off” have to do with computers? Students will learn about binary code and make their very own binary bracelet. Students will write codes and share them with peers as secret messages. This can be related back to how computers read a program, translate it to binary, use the information in some way, and then reply back in a way that humans can understand.
Learning Objectives
- Encode letters into binary.
- Decode binary back to letters.
- Relate the idea of storing letters on paper to the idea of storing information in a computer.
What You’ll Need
Hands-on
- Markers
- Binary Bracelets Worksheet
- Beads and pipe cleaners (optional)
Minds On
- Computational thinking
- Creativity
- Perseverance
The concept of binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority of computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. This lesson helps demonstrate how it is possible to take something from real life and translate it into a series of ons and offs.
- What was this lesson really about?
- Imagine a world where we spoke in binary, saying “on” or “off,” but nothing else. What would that world be like?
For Students
- How might you use binary to create your entire name?
- How might you use binary to send secret messages to your friends?
- How might you use binary to create pictures?
For Teachers
- How might you use binary to teach mathematics?
- If your students are interested in how images, or even music, can be represented as binary, you can find more details in Thinkersmith’s Binary Baubles.