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Make a binary code bracelet

Learn about Ada Lovelace and make a binary code bracelet.

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You’ll need

  • Bowls
  • Scrap paper
  • Pens or pencils
  • Scissors
  • Beads (at least three different colours)
  • Pipe cleaners (optional)
  • Elastic
  • Copies of the Binary code sheet

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There’s also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.

Planning and setting up this activity

  • You may want to set up tables and chairs for people to work at. 
  • Make sure each table has enough copies of the Binary code sheet for everyone to see one. You could leave some pencils and paper out for people to write down their word and code translation. 
  • Divide the beads into bowls, making sure beads of the same colour are in a bowl together, and place at least three different coloured beads at each table. 
  • Place some elastic and scissors on each table. 

This activity could be run for International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on the 8 March every year. International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. It can also be a great way to introduce young people to inspirational women. International Women's Day has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Find out more about Girls and Women in Scouts.

 

Who is Ada Lovelace? 

  1. Gather everyone in a circle. 
  2. Ask if anyone has heard of Ada Lovelace and who she is or what she did. Choose a few people to answer if anyone has put their hand up.  
  3. Explain to the group that Ada Lovelace was a famous mathematician and is thought to be the world’s first computer programmer.  
  4. Read out Ada’s story. 

Ada Lovelace was a leading 19th century mathematician and daughter of the famous poet Lord Byron. Ada Lovelace Day is held every year on the second Tuesday of October. 

Ada’s mother insisted that Ada was taught logic, science and mathematics from a young age - which was rare for women at the time. From childhood Ada had a fascination with machines.  

In 1833 she met Charles Babbage, who was an inventor and mechanical engineer, and they became good friends. Lovelace was extremely interested in Babbage's plans for a complicated device called the Analytical Engine. It was never built, but the design had all the essential elements of a modern computer. 

Lovelace studied the plans for the Analytical Engine and wrote lots of her own comments about how the machine could work, which have been described as early computer programmes.  She described how codes could be created for the device to handle letters and symbols along with numbers. She also created a method for the engine to repeat a series of instructions, a process known as 'looping' that computer programmes still use today. 

Her work was published in 1843, in an English science journal. However, it’d be more than 100 years until the Analytical Engine became a reality. Lovelace’s notes inspired Alan Turing's work on the first modern computers in the 1940s. Lovelace died on 27 November 1852 at just 36, but her contributions to the field of computer science were not discovered until after her death.  

Her passion for mathematics and early computer engineering have made her a symbol for modern women in technology. Lovelace has received many honours for her work since she died. In 1980, the U.S. Department of Defence named a newly developed computer language ‘Ada’. 

 

What is binary code?

  1. Gather everyone in a circle. 
  2. Tell everyone that they’re going to make a bracelet that has a secret message within it. We’re going to use something called Binary code. 
  3. Explain that Binary is a number system that only uses two digits, 0 and 1. It was invented by German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Binary code is used widely in computer programming, so it is important to learn what it means and how to use it All information that is processed by a computer is in the form of a sequence of 1s and 0s. Therefore, all data that we want a computer to process needs to be converted into binary. 
  4. Tell everyone today they’re going to change a word into binary to make it into a chain. It could be their name, a pet or their favourite thing. 
  5. If the young person doesn’t want to wear a bracelet, these can also be made into keychains or backpack pulls. 

Make a binary code bracelet 

  1. Split everyone into small groups, sat around tables. You could put several different bowls of beads on each table, with some elastic and scissors. 
  2. Each person needs a piece of elastic, which is long enough to go around the wrist, with some extra elastic left over just in case.  
  3. Tie a knot in one end of the elastic to stop the beads falling off as you put them on. 
  4. Now everyone’s ready to add their beads. Make sure they’ve chosen their word - keeping it shorter, often makes it easier. 
  5. Each bracelet will only use two colours of beads for the letters and one colour as a space marker between each letter to separate them, so they need to pick carefully. You may also want to give the whole group just two colours, such as black and white, blue and red, or purple and green, for the letters and one colour, such as yellow, for the space marker. 
  6. Using three different colours of beads, everyone should follow the binary pattern to make their words. Remind everyone to put in the space markers between their letters. 
  7. Once it’s completed, people should make sure their bracelet fits round their wrist and it isn’t too tight. Make sure there’s plenty of room to take it off and on, then tie the ends of the string together. 
  8. You can trim any excess elastic, being careful not to cut through the knot. 
  9. When you’re finished, see if you can read what other people’s bracelets say. 

Reflection

Computers work in binary. They use electrical signals that are on or off, so they’ve to see everything as a series of binary numbers. As a result, all characters, whether they are letters, punctuation or digits, are stored as binary numbers. This data’s represented as a sequence of 1s and 0s (on and off). All data that we want a computer to process needs to be converted into this binary format. 

How did everyone find this activity? Was it easy for you to translate your word? What do you think it would be like to write out a full sentence in binary code? 

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Scissors

Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

  • To make it easier, you may want to pre-cut the elastic and tie a knot in one end before starting the session.
  • For younger groups, you could also use pipe cleaners and thread the beads on, then twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together to allow someone to wear it. 
  • If anyone needs help or struggles with fine motor skills, give them the opportunity to work in pairs, with a young leader or an adult volunteer. Alternatively, swap out the items for something easier to handle, such as by using sturdier, thicker pipe cleaners, or larger beads. 
  • Anyone who struggles with reading could work with an adult, young leader, or a more confident reader who’s happy to help them work out the beads they need to spell their word. 

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.