This lesson introduces students to the field of quantum computing. They will also learn about the quantum concept superposition. This is a very different lesson from other WOW! lessons you may be familiar with. This kind of topic does not lend itself to multiple, educationally valuable, hands-on activities…but it is an opportunity for understanding a new concept. Students will review the base-10 number system, will gain a good understanding of the binary system, will be able to explain the difference between base-10 and binary systems, and will be able to see the expected value of quantum computers. (Most appropriate for grade levels 6-8.)
Lesson Time: 70 minutes
Student Activity 1: This activity has students working in small groups to become more familiar with the binary system and identifying numbers written in binary.
Student Activity 2: This activity is a whole class activity, working through a booklet together, as the become familiar with quantum science, quantum computing, and superposition.
Group work: Students will work in groups of 2-3 students. In order to save time, teachers are asked to create the groups before our Wizard arrives.
Technology Standards:
6-8.ICT.3.b: Analyze data collected or retrieved from a variety of digital learning tools and resources to determine if patterns or trends are present.
6-8.ST.3.c: Analyze how technological innovations and inventions can have multiple applications, both intended and unintended.
6-8.DT.1.a: Explore and document how technology can impact efficiency.
6-8.DT.1.b: Analyze how tools, materials and processes are used to alter the natural and human-designed worlds.
6-8.DT.2.c: Explain how innovation is the process of modifying an existing system or system element(s) to improve it.
6-8.DT.3.b: Explain ways that invention and innovation within one field can transfer into other fields of technology.
6-8.DT.3.d: Give examples of how changes in one part of a system can impact other parts of that system.
Math Standards:
7.SP.5: Understand that the probability of a chance event is a number between 0 and 1 that expresses the likelihood of the event occurring. Larger numbers indicate greater likelihood. A probability near 0 indicates an unlikely event; a probability around 1/2 indicates an event that is neither unlikely nor likely; and a probability near 1 indicates a likely event.