Analog and Digital Signals Reading and Activity

Designed with middle school students in mind, this analog and digital signals reading and activity simplifies NGSS MS-PS4-3 (waves and their applications in technologies) to essential understandings. After this lesson, students will be able to:

• differentiate between the basics of analog and digital signals
• compare the advantages and disadvantages (including reliability) of each

First, students READ the 2-page article. The reading is clear, straightforward, and written for a middle school audience. Topics include:

• Basics of analog and digital signals
• Devices that use each type of signal
• Advantages and disadvantages of each

Second, students ANSWER text-dependent and analysis questions based on the text.

Third, students GRAPH data points for an analog wave and data points for a digital wave. (The Google version of the activity does NOT include this graphing piece. this is only in the print version.) The graphing is very simple, designed not to be a challenging graphing activity but rather to highlight how the two signals graphs are different. A few analysis questions follow the graphs to bring students’ attention to the major characteristics of each wave type.

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Teacher Notes:

• Please note: This analog and digital signals reading is NOT editable.
• Answer key included.
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Related Standards:

• NGSS MS-PS4-3: Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals.