Reinforcing sequencing in binary number systems
Small groups make up a short play that counts in binary using two opposite things instead of dot cards.
Steps
- Talk about opposites: hot and cold, up and down, happy and sad. A computer uses on and off in the same way.
- In groups of four, choose how to show on and off. It must not be the dot cards.
- Each child picks one bit: 8, 4, 2 or 1. Line up from the biggest to the smallest.
- Practise counting from 1 to 8 together. Each bit turns on or off at the right moment.
- Swap roles so everyone has been each bit.
- Each group shows their play and the class works out the number they are showing.
Talk about it
- What did your group use for on and off?
- Which bit changed the most often?
- Which number was hardest to show?
CC BY-SA 4.0
Adapted from CS Unplugged by the University of Canterbury Computer Science Education Research Group (CS Unplugged), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Original lesson, with pictures · License: CC BY-SA 4.0
There are no pictures here. The original lesson has the pictures and printables.
Changes made: Simplified, shortened and translated by Open Cosmos with AI
This adapted lesson is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0).