Why Digitize

WHY DIGITIZE?

MASTER TEACHER Pamela Parks

GRADES 5 - 8

OVERVIEW
This lesson provides students with an understanding of the process of digitizing data and why this process is so advantageous in this "information age." Through interaction, students synthesize the concept of the digitizing process, investigate the tools or devices used to store digitized data, and calculate measured digitized data. Hands-on activities and video have been incorporated to extend and reinforce the understanding of digital concepts. Numerous Kagan Cooperative Learning strategies are incorporated into the lessons to insure the integration of the material presented. As students investigate digital communication, they will relate it to their real-world experiences and meaningful connections can occur.

ETV SERIES
Interactions #104: Digital Communication

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
* clarify how data is digitized
* justify why data is digitized
* classify portable digital storage devices
* calculate digitized data storage

MATERIALS
Data Sheet A transparency
Data Sheet B transparency
Teacher vis-à-vis marker
1 textbook (any kind, large in size)
1 3.5 floppy disk (Double Density)
1 3.5 floppy disk (High Density)
1 zip disk
1 CD-ROM disc
1 DVD-ROM disc
1 QIC tape
1 DAT tape
4 Post-It Chart pages
4 Broad tipped color markers

(Per team of 4 or 5)
Data Sheet A
Data Sheet C
2 Data Sheet D

(Per team member)
1 color marker (different color for each team member)
1 vis-à-vis marker
1 Laminated tagboard slate
1 paper towel sheet
Data Sheet B

VOCABULARY
Communication - giving or exchanging of information, signals, or messages as by talk, gestures, or writing
Digital - a recording technique in which sounds or images are converted into groups of electronic bits and stored on a magnetic medium: the groups of bits are read electronically, as by a laser beam for reproduction
Digitize - to translate analog (stream of electrical current) data into digital (binary code of ones and zeros) data
Portable storage devices - transferable tools that computers can use to read and record information

PRE-VIEWING ACTIVITIES
The class of students is grouped into teams of 4 or 5 students, and then the team members are numbered. The #1s are the students on each team that are closest to the teacher and to the teacher's left. The #2s sit beside #1s. The 3s sit across from #2s. # 4s sit beside #3s and are closest to the teacher on the teacher's right. (Numbering moves in a clockwise direction.) Teams are numbered in a similar way. Team #1 is the group of students located closest to the teacher on the teacher's left. Team #2 is the next group moving in a clockwise direction. Team #3 is next and so on until all the groups or teams are numbered. Using Kagan Cooperative Learning strategy "RoundTable" with Data Sheet A, ask the students to identify and label as many of the diagrams of portable storage devices as the team members can. The #1s begin the task. With Data Sheet A and a color marker, #1s identify one of the diagrams of portable storage devices. If the team members agree, # 1 labels the diagram and passes Data Sheet A to team member #2. # 2, then, identifies one of the diagrams of portable storage devices to the team. If the team members agree with #2, #2 labels the diagram. This continues in rotation around the table until all of the diagrams are identified and labeled. For feedback assessment the teacher labels the overhead transparency of Data Sheet A as randomly asked students identify the portable storage devices. Teams check their diagrams for accuracy.

FOCUS FOR VIEWING
To give the students a specific responsibility while viewing, say, "You will be watching a video that brings into focus ways different data are entered into a computer and stored as computer software. How is this done? Let's begin with a look into the future. What question did the grandson ask his grandpa?"

VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Begin Interactions - Digital Communication where the video is of a roaring fire in a fireplace and of the backs of two chairs with a man and a boy in them. Pause the tape. Video is the title layout screen: Interactions. Audio is music soundtrack. Ask the students to write on their slates and hold them for you to see the answer to this question: "What was the grandson's question?" (Grandpa, have you ever seen a textbook?) Say, "As you view the next video segment watch for what the digital communication revolution means to you." Resume the tape. Pause the tape. Video is the title screen: the BIG picture. Audio is music sound track. On their slates ask the students to answer this question, and then hold the slates for you to view their answers. Question: What will the digital communication revolution bring into your home? (libraries - data from all over the world) Say, "Do you know how a computer records text or pictures? Watch the next video segment for the process." Resume the tape. Pause the tape. Video is the blue words, one and zero. Audio is "Öwe are breaking things down into ones and zeroes." Say, "So, what is a digital code?" (The language of computer. Ones and zeroes in unique order represent an alphabetic letter or other character.) Ask the student teams to RoundTable (KCL strategy) a definition of a digital code. Assign team member #2 to begin the task of defining digital code on his/her slate. Pass that slate around the table. When the team has come to an agreement or consensus of the team's definition, #2s hold up the slate. Ask random students to read their team's definition to the class. Be sure to allow any volunteers to share additional
information. Say, "Now watch the visualization of how the word CAT is digitized." Resume the tape. Pause the tape. Video is a CPU with LCD display of numbers. Audio is "Twenty-four unique bits of zeroes and ones." Ask the students to draw on their slates a visual representing the word " video" digitized. Ask them to also record the number of bits the word "video" would use. Request that the students hold up their slates when the task is completed. (V - 10010011; I - 00101010; D - 00010001; E - 10001010; O - 11001100; Bits = 40) Ask, "Why digitize information or data? Watch the next segment for an explanation and be ready to relate the explanation to me." Resume the tape. Pause the tape. Video is a textbook and a floppy disk. Audio is "What would you rather carry around in your knapsack, a 500 page textbook or a floppy disk?" Say, "Write on your slate what you would rather carry around. Hold up your slate when you have completed your choice." (Choices: textbook or floppy disk) Using Kagan Cooperative Learning strategy RoundTable, complete the graphic on Data Sheet B. The #1s begin the task, be sure to have team agreement or consensus before you record the data. You will have 5 minutes to complete the data recording. Go!" After the 5 minutes, display the graphic transparency on the overhead and randomly call on team members to guide you in recording the correct graphic data. Team member #4 is to check/correct the team Data Sheet. All team members help, coach, or support #4. Say, "In this last segment you will see all the kinds of information that can be digitized. Look for this." Resume the tape. Stop the tape. Video is a leopard running. Audio is, "millions and billions of bits, ones and zeroes every second." Say, "Using the KCL strategy RoundTable, your team has one minute to list all the kinds of digitized data mentioned in the last video segment. Team member #3, you begin the task and record first on your slate and then pass your slate to #4. Please, continue to rotate the slate until I call time. You have one minute to list as many as you can. GO!" (Words, documents, sound, pictures, video) Feedback will be ShowDown (KCL strategy). All stand. Starting with a random team ask team member #4 to share one kind of data. Proceed to the next team asking team member #4 for another kind of data...continuing until all correct answers have been shared. Answers may not be repeated and teams sit down when they can no longer show/share an answer.

POST-VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Say, "The amount of data one of these portable data storage devices can hold is measured in KB, MB, GB, and TB. (Hold up the different storage devices, identify them, for student viewing, then pass them around to the teams.) Using Data Sheet C each student is to complete the concept map. You and your team members may share information and help each other. Be sure every member of the team can justify his/her answers. Any team member answers represent the team." This is a Kagan Cooperative Learning strategy called "Numbered Heads Together." Randomly call on team member to justify the graphic data steps. (A BIT times 8 is a byte. A byte times 1000 is a kilobyte. A kilobyte times 1000 is a megabyte. A megabyte times 1000 is a gigabyte. A gigabyte times 1000 is a terabyte.) Say, "Now, you are to apply the digital knowledge and complete the calculations on Data Sheet D. Using Kagan Cooperative Learning strategy, Pairs Check, work with a partner to complete the first two problems. Then, check your work with the other pair on your team. Repeat this procedure for the next two problems. You have 5 minutes to complete the task of calculation of the four problems using Pairs Check." After the allotted time, randomly ask students to show the calculation of each problem on the four pieces of chart paper located around the room. Ask the students to draw a square around the answer.

ACTION PLAN
Have the students collect pictures, drawings, diagrams, etc. of digital communication devices they use in order to create collages that show the impact of digital communication in their own lives.
Have the class visit the computer lab in your school and inventory all the means available to store digital data.
Have experts in digital technology come to the classroom and demonstrate the capabilities of digital storage devices such as cameras, scanners, camcorders, etc.
Have the student capture digital data from designated websites and place the data on a
word processed document.
Visit these websites to view digital data:
Bill Nye: the Science Guy http://www.disney.com/DisneyTelevision/
BillNye/frames/fbillnye3.html

Kathy Schrock's guide for Educators
http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/kidstuff.html

Teacher's Net Lesson Exchange
http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/168.html

Aims: Activities Integrating Math, Science and Technology
http://www.aimsedu.org/
Dan's Wild, Wild Weather Page
http://www.whnt19.com/kidwx

EXTENSIONS
Language Arts
Have the students research a topic and incorporate at least two digital image captures in the project.

Math
Have the students record the memory stored on several portable storage devices and convert the data to several other levels.
(Ex. High Density Floppy stores 1.44 MB. Convert 1.44 MB to KB. Convert 1.44 MB to bytes.)

Science
Have the students visit a local pharmacy and discover, as well as inventory, the usage of portable storage devices for digital data.

Computer Science
Have the students read the files and record the memory stored on at least one computer.

DATA SHEET A

Double Density Disk High Density Disk CD-ROM Disc

DVD-ROM Disk ZIP Disk QIC-Tape DAT-Tape

Directions: Using the words (above) label the diagrams appropriately.

DATA SHEET A: ANSWER SHEET

Double Density Disk High Density Disk CD-ROM Disc

DVD-ROM Disk ZIP Disk QIC-Tape DAT-Tape

Directions: Using the words (above) label the diagrams appropriately.

DATA SHEET B

BIT (1 or 0) BYTE (B) KILOBYTE (KB)

MEGABYTE (MB) GIGABYTE (GB) TERABYTE (TB)

Directions: Write one of the words and abbreviations (above) in the appropriate box of the graphic.

DATA SHEET B
ANSWER SHEET

BIT (1 or 0) BYTE (B) KILOBYTE (KB)

MEGABYTE (MB) GIGABYTE (GB) TERABYTE (TB)

Directions: Write one of the words and abbreviations (above) in the appropriate box of the graphic.

DATA SHEET C

1 or 0 Letter Page Book Shelf of Books

Library BIT BYTE KILOBYTE

MEGABYTE GIGABYTE TERABYTE

Directions: Write one of the terms or words (above) in the appropriate box of the diagram.

DATA SHEET C: ANSWER SHEET
1 or 0 Letter Page Book Shelf of Books

Library BIT BYTE KILOBYTE

MEGABYTE GIGABYTE TERABYTE

Directions: Write one of the terms or words (above) in the appropriate box of the diagram.

DATA SHEET D: PAIRS CHECK

Directions: Using Kagan Cooperative Learning strategy PAIRS CHECK, A's explain while calculating the problem in the A box. B's coach, then initial in small lower- right box. B's explain while calculating the problem in the B box. A's coach, then initial in small lower-right box. Pairs compare data with other team pair, then place a check mark in the box at the right of the task boxes.

___________________________________________________________

A: Calculate the problem. B: Calculate the problem.
___________________________________________________________

How many megabytes are in 3 gigabytes? How many bytes are in 5 kilobytes?

____________________________________________________________

A: Calculate the problem. B: Calculate the problem.
_____________________________________________________________

2.5 Terabytes = ___________ Gigabytes 5.8 Kilobytes = ________ Bytes

______________________________________________________________

Updated: April 01, 2008