Human Activities Help Sustain Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing World
developed by:
Julie Allender (OMSD), Colleen Duncan (Redlands USD), Dr. Vickie Harri (OMSD), Sara Yeh (OMSD)
Lesson 6: Analog vs. Digital Signals (MS-PS4-3)
MS-PS4-3: Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals (sent as wave pulses) are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information.
Main Learning Goal: Students will learn the differences between analog and digitized signals and why digitized signals are more effective forms of communication.
Focus questions for the lesson:
What is the difference between an analog and digital wave? Why are digital waves more reliable than analog waves? Ideal student response to the focus questions: Analog are constant waves, whereas digital waves are sent in pulses, and are easier to decode because there is not a variance within the message, and therefore gets translated correctly into another type of wave. Since there is not a variance within the message sent, the message can be stored and decoded, with precision, at a later date. |
Science content storyline:
*Note: This lesson is for a PE that seems to stand alone, but is connected to this unit as the early warning system for impending Tsunamis. Students have learned about tides and characteristics of waves. They used this knowledge to learn about the energy in seismic and tsunami waves and then how this energy was mathematically related to the amplitude of the wave. Students will understand about digitized and analog signals, which are waves, used for tsunami early warning systems and be able to explain why a digital signal is more reliable than an analog signal. |
Linking Question: Why are early warning systems necessary for human survival, but not for many species of animals?