Lesson Plan

• Describe the purpose of assembly language and its use of mnemonic codes.
• Explain how an assembler translates assembly mnemonics into machine code.
• Compare assembly language with machine language and high‑level languages in terms of readability and portability.
• Identify the basic components of an assembly instruction (mnemonic, operands, labels).
• Apply the translation process by converting a simple assembly fragment into binary representation.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Slides illustrating language levels and translation flowchart
• Sample assembly code handout
• Assembler software demo (e.g., NASM or online assembler)
• Worksheets for mnemonic‑to‑binary conversion
• Whiteboard and markers

Start with a quick poll asking students how a line of Python code becomes executable on a computer. Link their responses to the need for lower‑level representations and introduce assembly as a readable bridge between high‑level code and machine instructions. Explain that today they will explore how mnemonics work and why an assembler is essential. Success criteria: students will be able to name the role of an assembler and translate a simple mnemonic into binary.

1. Do‑now (5'): Students write the binary pattern 10110000 and hypothesise its function.
2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Overview of language levels; focus on assembly mnemonics with examples (MOV, ADD).
3. Live demonstration (10'): Assemble a short x86 fragment using NASM and display the generated object code.
4. Guided practice (12'): In pairs, convert provided assembly lines to binary using the worksheet; teacher circulates for support.
5. Check for understanding (8'): Quick Kahoot quiz – “What does an assembler do?”
6. Consolidation (5'): Summarise key points on the board and complete a comparison table of language levels.
7. Exit ticket (5'): Write one sentence explaining why learning assembly is valuable.

Review the main ideas: assembly provides mnemonic representations of machine instructions, and an assembler converts these into executable code. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, then assign homework to complete additional mnemonic‑to‑binary exercises and read a short article on the role of assembly in embedded systems.