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STEM activities
Binary Coding
Explained
Our computers don't read the letter A like we read the letter A. The computer has a
special code called the binary alphabet. Binary numbers, based on 1s and 0s, reflect
the practical essence of computer hardware. Learn how to write in binary numbers,
and the (not so secret) code to transform English language letters into binary
numbers and back again.
When is the letter A not the letter A? Well, computers don’t use the letter A. They use
the eight character binary number 01000001 to represent A.
A "bit" is a single binary digit. The number above has 8 bits.
Computers transport, calculate, and translate binary numbers because computer
hardware circuits only have two electrical states, on or off. These two states can be
represented as zero (off) or one (on). All letters of the alphabet, numbers, and
symbols are converted to eight character binary numbers as you work with them in
software on your computer.
How to Create Binary Numbers
Binary numbers can vary in length where every character is either a 1 or 0. When
converting the alphabet to Binary we discover that every letter starts with a 0,
therefore we can actually shorten the Binary Code to seven characters in length
without compromising the code. Please see the Binary Alphabet Conversion chart.
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
BINARY ALPHABET CONVERSION
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
BINARY ALPHABET CONVERSION BINARY ALPHABET CONVERSION
BINARY ALPHABET CONVERSION BINARY ALPHABET CONVERSION
ANSWER KEY
#1 - Luck is believing you're lucky
#2 - Wish you all the good luck
Code a picture Answer
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
SECRET CODE
Binary Coding
CODE A PICTURE
Secret Agent/ Name:
Using the Binary coding numbers below. Follow each row
and fill each square, a 0 is blank a 1 is filled. Once it is
completed a picture will be revealed
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
1. 00000111000000 7. 11111111111110
2. 00001111100000 8. 11111010111110
3. 00001111100000 9. 01110010011100
4. 00001111100000 10. 00000010000000
5. 01110111011100 11. 00000100000000
6. 11111010111110 12. 00001000000000
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
St. Patrick's Day
Binary Coding
DECODE THIS ONE #1
Secret Agent/ Name:
Using the Binary alphabet conversion, decode this Binary message.
Use one row of 7 squares for one letter. A clear box is a 0 a filled box is a 1.
1. 13.
2. 14.
3. 15.
4. 16.
5. 17.
6. 18.
7. 19.
8. 20.
9. 21.
10. 22.
11. 23.
12. 24.
Decode the message
25.
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
St. Patrick's Day
Binary Coding
DECODE THIS ONE #2
Secret Agent/ Name:
Using the Binary alphabet conversion, decode this Binary message.
Use one row of 7 squares for one letter. A clear box is a 0 a filled box is a 1.
1. 13.
2. 14.
3. 15.
4. 16.
5. 17.
6. 18.
7. 19.
8. 20.
9. 21.
10. 22.
11. 23.
12. 24.
Decode the message
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
St. Patrick's Day
Binary Coding
CODE YOUR OWN
Secret Agent/ Name:
Using the Binary alphabet conversion, decode this Binary message.
Use one row of 7 squares for one letter. A clear box is a 0 a filled box is a 1.
1. 13.
2. 14.
3. 15.
4. 16.
5. 17.
6. 18.
7. 19.
8. 20.
9. 21.
10. 22.
11. 23.
12. 24.
Decode the message
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
St. Patrick's Day in BINARY
CODE YOUR ST PATRICK'S
MESSAGE ON THE IMAGE CARDS
Using the Binary Alphabet Conversion
chart, code a St. Patrick's lucky
charm tag. Use one row of 7 squares
for one letter. Leave the 0 as a clear
My lucky charm is
box and the 1s as a filled box
Cut around each shape for
individual tags
Ideas for Binary Coding Tags:
copy on to thick paper or cardboard to make
a classroom isplay
laminate and put a hole punch in the corner to
create bag tags or bookmarks
mix all the completed tags up, have students
de-code each others and return it to it's correct owner.
My lucky charm is
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
St. Patrick's Day in BINARY
My lucky charm is
My lucky charm is
copyright 2018 Curiosity and the Hungry Mind
How to use this resource
Step 1 - As an introduction activity it is recommended that you start with the
Code a Picture Worksheet. This gets students use to the idea of 1s being
'on' and 0s being 'off
Step 2 - Introduce the Binary Alphabet Conversion Chart to the students
and explain how each letter is a series of 0s and 1s.
Invite the students to decode the secret messages.
Step 3 - Once students have grasped the decoding part of Binary, they can
attempt to code their own message and allow another student to solve it.
Step 4 - Students code their own St. Patrick's Day tags for someone in the
class. (Use the Alphabet Conversion Chart to convert letters to binary).
