When you think about computer coding, do you also think about jewelry? Probably not, but the April STEM Challenge of the Month will change your thinking as you use binary code to make secret coded jewelry. This is a great activity to show girls how to combine STEM and fashion!
Creative Coding
Background:
Binary code is a method of representing letters and words using only two symbols. Typically for computer programming, these symbols are 0 and 1. Braille is another type of binary code that uses raised or not raised dots as its two symbols. Binary code is used for writing computer processor instructions, encoding data, and encrypting sound onto CDs and DVDs. It can also be used to write secret messages for yourself or your friends to decode!
In ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) binary code, each letter of the alphabet is assigned a string of eight 0s and 1s as seen in the chart below. You can write any word or computer command by “spelling” out the letters with 0s and 1s. For example, if we wanted to spell STEM we would write it like this:
1010011 1010100 1000101 1001101
However, you don’t have to use 0s and 1s to write your binary code. For this activity, we will use two different color beads to represent either 0 or 1 and string them together to make a secret coded bracelet or necklace of your choice!
Are you ready to do some creative coding and make a binary bracelet or necklace?
Materials:
- Three different color beads of your choice — one color for 0, a second color for 1, and a third color as a spacer between the letters. Get creative with your beads depending on the style, size, and type of jewelry you are looking for. Pony beads are great for little hands or longer necklaces. I made mine with smaller glass beads.
- Elastic thread (make sure it fits through the hole in whatever bead you chose!)
- Crayons or markers in the same color as your beads
- Creative Coding Experiment Test Sheet
Methods:
- Download and print the Creative Coding Experiment Test Sheet.
- Decide what word you want to code. Examples include your name, nickname, or a fun word like “LOVE” or “STEM”. Fill in these letters down the first column of your Test Sheet. I chose my first name and last initial which made my bracelet the right length (see example below).
- Determine which color bead will represent the black spaces and which will represent the white spaces on the chart. For my bracelet, pink represents the dark colors, white represents the light colors, and black represents the spaces between letters.
- Using the chart on the Test Sheet, decode each letter of your word and color in the boxes to the right with the crayon colors you chose.
- Follow your chart to string the beads in the correct order onto your string. Use the third color bead as a space between each letter.
- Depending on the length of your word, size of your beads, and what type of jewelry your want, you may need to add extra spacer beads to the end of your word to make your jewery longer.
- Once its done, tie the ends together and see if anyone can decode your secret jewelry!
We’d love to see pictures of the binary code jewelry you create! Email your pictures to info@stemlikeagirl.org to be featured on our website or social media. Or you can tag us on instagram @stemlikeagirl_pdx or use the hashtag #stemlikeagirlchallengeofthemonth
