DISCUSS:
If you made your own secret code out of ANY two things, what would you use?
In this lesson, students explore how digital devices encode complex information so that it can be transferred over long distances. In the activity, Secret Snacks, students generate their own codes in order to transfer information across the classroom. Then, they compare their codes and evaluate which worked best given the criteria and constraints.
Preview activitySnack Decoder worksheet | 30 copies |
Sound Code worksheet | 30 copies |
Visual Code worksheet | 30 copies |
Engineering Materials
Students will need materials for their visual and sound codes. At a minimum, we suggest crayons and paper. You can include other items like flashlights, musical instruments, and other materials to encourage student creativity.
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Details
60 items
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We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students will need a partner for this activity.
This activity involves pairs of students working together to create codes and then separating from one another to communicate those codes over a distance. Ideally student pairs will stand across the room from one another, but you may need to modify depending on your classroom.
You can choose to provide whatever materials you’d like for students to use for their codes. We suggest at least some paper and crayons. But you can include flashlights, musical instruments, or anything you’d like to encourage student creativity in their visual and sound code creation.
This activity involves students communicating through visual and sound cues across the classroom. If you have students who are sensitive to sensory overload, you may want to adjust the activity or create additional constraints (e.g. only whisper sounds) to create a safe space for all students.
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