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YOUR CART

Binary Lessons

Binary Representation of Characters

In this lesson, students will learn how characters are represented in a computer system. 

Learning Objectives:
  • Explain the use of binary codes to represent characters
  • Explain the term character set
  • Describe with examples (for example ASCII and Unicode) the relationship between the number of bits per character in a character set and the number of characters which can be represented

Curriculum Mapping

KS3:​​

  • Understand how data of various types (including text, sounds and pictures) can be represented and manipulated digitally, in the form of binary digits

 

COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATORS:

​​1a: Demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency in data representation and abstraction

  1. Effectively use primitive data types
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of static and dynamic data structures
  3. Effectively use, manipulate and explain various external data stores: various types (text, images, sound, etc.), various locations (local, server, cloud), etc.
  4. Effectively use modeling and simulation to solve real-world problems

 

CSTA K–12 CS Standards:

  • 2-DA-07: Represent data using multiple encoding schemes.
  • 3A-DA-09: Translate between different bit representations of real-world phenomena, such as characters, numbers, and images.

Lesson 1: Theory (Characters)

Suggested time: 50 mins

Starter:

Give students the attached worksheet (Starter.pdf) and ask them to complete the tasks.
binary_code_breaker.pdf
File Size: 234 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Starter answer sheet
binary_code_breaker_answers.pdf
File Size: 235 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Main:

Explain that, in the previous lesson, the students have looked at how numbers are represented in a computer using binary. Also explain that characters are converted in the same way using something called a character set.

Inform students that one of the most commonly used character sets is ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) and show them the full 7-bit ascii table (See below).
Picture
7-bit_ascii_table.pdf
File Size: 84 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Explain that the ascii character set uses 7 bits which allows the computer to encode up to 128 characters.

Give students each a worksheet containing part of the ascii table (containing the letters A to Z in uppercase and lowercase) and ask the students to fill in the gaps in the table. Once complete, ask the students to attempt the challenges on the worksheet (see below). 
ascii_secret_agent_challenge.pdf
File Size: 119 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​Answer sheet:
ascii_secret_agent_challenge_answers.pdf
File Size: 121 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Plenary:

Option 1: Exit ticket

Ask students to complete the following statement:

“Today I learned ______________. One challenge I faced was ______________. Next time, I want to try ______________.”


Option 2: Binary games

Direct students to one of the following binary games:

  • Binary braniac
  • Binary blitz!
  • Binary blaster

Support:

Share the following example if students are struggling with the task.
Picture
Binary to ASCII help sheet

​Resources:

  • Ascii text to Binary converter

You may be also interested in:

  • Binary lessons
  • Binary posters
  • Binary games
  • Binary to ASCII converter
  • Binary countdown timer

Tags: GCSE, KS4, Theory, Computing Theory, CS Theory, Binary, Binary Representation, binary 2, binary conversion, how to do binary conversion, counting binary, binary number to decimal, binary 101, 8 binary, binary digits, binary digit, meaning of binary
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