Lesson Plan

• Describe why binary is the fundamental representation used by computers.
• Convert numbers between binary, decimal, octal, and hexadecimal.
• Explain how text characters are encoded using ASCII and Unicode.
• Interpret RGB binary values to represent colours.
• Calculate storage requirements using bits, bytes, and binary prefixes.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Slide deck with binary conversion examples
• Worksheets for conversion practice
• ASCII/Unicode reference chart handout
• Sample image and audio files for demonstration
• Computers with a simple IDE or spreadsheet application

Begin with a quick poll: “What everyday device stores information as 0s and 1s?” Connect students’ prior knowledge of decimal numbers to the new binary concepts. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to translate data between different number systems and understand how text, images, and sound are stored.

1. Do‑now (5'): Students convert a set of decimal numbers to binary on mini‑whiteboards; quick whole‑class check.
2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Explain why computers use binary, introduce bits, bytes, and the four number systems with visual slides.
3. Guided practice (12'): Binary‑decimal, octal, and hexadecimal conversions using worksheets; teacher circulates to support.
4. Character encoding demo (8'): Show the ASCII table, encode a short word, discuss Unicode’s extension.
5. Image & sound representation (10'): Demonstrate RGB colour binary values and audio sampling with sample files.
6. Consolidation activity (8'): Group challenge to calculate the storage size of a small 24‑bit colour image.
7. Exit ticket (5'): Write one reason computers use binary and one way colour is stored in binary.

Recap the key ideas: binary’s hardware simplicity, number‑system conversions, and how binary encodes characters, colours, and audio. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, and assign homework to create a simple “binary art” picture by converting a grid of colours to binary values.