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Information Transfer Activity for Kids
Pixel Drawing DIY
- Duration: 30-60 min
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: $0
Use a pattern of 1's and 0's to create a pixelated work of art!
Material List
- 1Picture you want to pixelate (simple images with 1-3 colors work best)
- 1Sheet of graph paper
- 3 Different colored markers
- 1 Pencil with a good eraser
Instructions
- 1Place the graph paper and photo next to each other.
- 2Using the photo for reference, write a 1 in any of the squares that will be filled in.
- 3Create a code for the other colors. For example, 1 = Black, 11 = Red, 111= Blue.
- 4Add 1's to your image to show where different colors will go.
- 5Using your color key, fill in the colors to reveal the pixelated image.
- Tip:On your first try use a very simple image like a smiley face to get some practice.
How It Works
When a photo is taken with a camera, the information about the image is stored as a pattern of 1's and 0's. That pattern of numbers tells a digital screen which tiny lights - called pixels - to turn on (1's) and which ones to turn off (0's). The tiny lights make a picture that we can see. In real life it takes thousands or millions of lights turning different colors to make a high-resolution image (that means there are so many little lights that the image looks clear and sharp).
Check out the Full Lesson on Information Transfer
In this lesson, we learn that:
- Patterns are used to communicate information electronically.
- Text and images are transferred through a pattern of 1’s and 0’s.
- Patterns of 1’s and 0’s are sent and received by microchips in our devices.
- Music is also transferred through 1’s and 0’s, in both CDs and music players.
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