Beginners Logic Gates

Skills

Creativity
Critical Thinking

External References

Logic Lab Gates Game

As above - see Student Activities notes.

Scratch Logic Gates Quiz

As above - see Student Activities notes.

How to Build Redstone Logic Gates

This a useful site explaining the gates in Minecraft - good for students to look up other gates.

World Download

Supporting Files

Prior Binary Lesson PPT

This is the lesson I teach before this one.

Prior Binary Lesson Worksheets

This is the lesson I teach before this one.

Lesson PPT

This is the lesson PPT - some slides need printing (see Student Activities).

Logic Gates Wokrsheets

These are the sheets for step 3 in students activities.

Logic Gate Learning Centre World

This zip file contains the pre-built world for the lesson.

Learning Objectives

Learn four different types of logic gate.
Be able to discuss four logic gates.
Be able to use at least one logic gate in a working mechanism/circuit.
Understand how logic gates work in Computer Science.

Guiding Ideas

* Prior learning - binary/denary - see attached PPT and worksheets - suggested 1st lesson prior to teaching this.

Student Activities

1. Discuss: What does it mean to think logically? Write a list of instructions for a task on the board but in the wrong order (e.g. something short like to write an essay would be turn PC on, log in, research, write essay) students need to reorder.

2. Teacher led: Use the PPT (attached below) to explain what logic gates and truth tables are and then show the four gates being learnt today. Print slide 9 as a worksheet and have students fill it in followed by a quick quiz on the board slides 10-13.

3. Embed: Students fill in the worksheets attached below to check understanding.

4. Task: Introduce the gates in Minecraft and display slides 15-18. Slide 19 has the task on it - students explore the Logic Gate Learning Centre World - looking at the simple gates in the spawn area (they'll need a partner to work the AND gate!!) they then explore the working examples - this can be done as a group for lower ability students. The main task is to then build a working mechanism using redstone.

Extensions: Look up other gates and apply to a mechanism/write out the truth table or use more than one of the four main gates for the lesson in a mechanism (they can be two of the same type). They could also explore the other gates in the logic lab game rather than build another mechanism in the game.

5. Round up: Quick quiz - print off slide 20.

NOTES:

* There are two links on the PPT (also given below) these games can be used at any point - one demonstrates the gates with lights and buzzers on the screen (logic lab) and the other is a simple scratch quiz.

* The world is built using build allow/deny blocks in all areas to avoid things being destroyed - there are also border blocks round all areas to avoid student wandering into each others areas.

Performance Expectations

* All students will be able to identify four logic gates and build a simple working circuit displayed in the spawn area (not as part of a working mechanism such as a shower).

* Most students will be able to fill in the truth tables for the four gates and build a simple working circuit as part of a simple mechanism (such as a light switch).

* Some students will be able to identify extension logic gates and use more than one gate in a larger working mechanism (such as a lighthouse lighting system*).

* They don't need to build the actual lighthouse - see example in the examples area of the world.