Search Results

This activity explores the main algorithms that are used as the basis for searching on computers, using different variations on the game of battleships.

In this game, learners experience how computers divide a big problem into many smaller ones and how they use binary "yes"/"no" questions.

This activity introduces the idea that computer scientists measure information by how "surprising" a message is.

In this activity related to computer programming, learners give directions to a "robot" (either an adult or another learner) and find out which instructions the robot is able to follow, and how their

This activity introduces the idea of "divide and conquer" using a fictitious but serious problem--a pair of dirty socks has accidentally been wrapped in one of the presents that Santa is about to deli

This activity shows learners how computers use numbers to represent pictures. A grid is used to represent the pixels (short for picture elements) of a computer screen.

This activity helps students learn how computers "compress" text by identifying repeating patterns of letters, words, and phrases.

In this activity, learners listen to songs and decode hidden messages based on the same principle as a modem. As a final challenge, learners decode the binary messages in a music video.

This magic trick is based on how computers detect and correct data errors.

In this activity, learners cut out 5 paper cards and label them with 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 dot(s) to explore binary digits.

In this activity, learners find the answer to the question, "if you have a pile of 8 cards, and you remove half, then half again, how many times can you do this until you get to just one card?" This w

In this puzzle, learners investigate the decisions involved in linking a network between houses in a muddy city.

This activity lets learners participate in the process of reconstructing a phylogenetic tree and introduces them to several core bioinformatics concepts, particularly in relation to evolution.

This activity about cryptographic techniques illustrates how to accomplish a simple, but nevertheless seemingly impossible task—making a fair, random choice by flipping a coin between two people who d

In this activity, learners will explore how product barcodes are scanned accurately and be able to "guess" the last number in a 13 digit barcode correctly every time.

In this activity, learners will explore how computers represent pictures using pixels.

This activity explores what it means for a computer to be intelligent and introduces the topic of what a computer program is and how everything computers do simply involves following instructions writ

In this activity, learners play a game similar to Hangman by guessing a secret phrase to understand how computer scientists measure the amount of "information" in a document.