Bitcoin Basics

Activity type Storytelling – Guided Discussion – Reflection

Duration 45-60 minutes

Grouping Whole Class/Pairs/Individual

Description

Students listen to the story of Satoshi and the Genesis of Bitcoin. Through guided pauses and discussion, they connect the narrative to prior lessons on value, scarcity, time and energy, analogue vs digital systems, and safety and privacy. The teacher uses a printed “white paper” prop to dramatize the moment Satoshi presents his idea to the world. Students reflect on how Bitcoin began as a proposal, required hard work to build, and depends on participants to keep the network alive. 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this activity, learners will:

• Explain who Satoshi is in simple terms.
• Describe what a white paper is.
• Identify the Genesis Block as the beginning of Bitcoin.
• Explain why Bitcoin requires time, energy, and shared rules.
• Recognize that networks stay alive when people participate.

Materials

• Printed copy of the story (See Appendix A)
• Printed “White Paper” prop (See Appendix B)
• Three keyword cards: VALUE - TIME & ENERGY - TRUST & PRIVACY (See Appendix C)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Exit slips or small paper
• Nice-to-have: Printed image of a chain of blocks, Small envelope labeled ‘BTC’

Equipment

• Nice-to-have: Whiteboard or Projector (optional)

PROCEDURE

OPENING 

• Print the story and place the “White Paper” prop inside an envelope labeled BTC for a dramatic reveal.
• Write on the board: What happens when money systems fail?
• Prepare three keyword cards: VALUE • TIME & ENERGY • TRUST & PRIVACY.
• Draw a simple “BANK – CLOSED” sign on the board to spark curiosity.
• Pre-select and mark 3–4 pause points in the story for guided discussion. 

PRE-ACTIVITY

5 minutes

1.  Ask students: “What would happen if a bank closed and people couldn’t get their money?”
2. Write responses on the board. Connect briefly to previous chapters (Value, Scarcity, Trust)
3. Do not explain Bitcoin yet. Build curiosity.
4. Show students the sealed envelope labeled BTC.
5. Say: “Inside this envelope is an idea that changed money forever.”

Objective In Student’s Words

•  “We are going to learn how Bitcoin started and why people choose to keep it alive.”

ACTIVITY

20–25 minutes

Setup

1. Students sit in a circle or attentive listening formation.
2. Holds the printed story and white paper prop. 

Carry Out

1. Read the story aloud with natural pacing.
2. Pause briefly at key moments:
   • When the bank closes – What is the problem?
   • When Satoshi works late – Why is effort important?
   • When the white paper is presented – What does it mean to share an idea with the world?
   • When Genesis Block is mentioned – What does beginning mean?
   • When the network must stay alive – Who keeps it alive?
3. Keep pauses short to preserve immersion.

Reflection

• Whole class discussion:
  • Why does Bitcoin need participants?
  • What happens if people stop caring about the rules?
• Connect to prior chapters:
  • Value – Why must Bitcoin be scarce?
  • Time & Energy – Why does Proof of Work matter?
  • Analogue vs Digital – How is Bitcoin different from paper money?
  • Safety & Privacy – Why must we protect keys?

FOLLOW-UP

2 minutes

•  Students complete one exit sentence:
  • Bitcoin began when ______.
  • Satoshi presented ______ to the world.
  • The network stays alive when ______.
• Collect responses.
• Set-up the next activity by mentioning that we will explore where Satoshi disappeared to.

CLOSE

• Collect exit slips and any reflection sheets.
• Ask students to return printed story copies, prompt cards, and materials to the designated area.
• Have students neatly stack chairs or reset the seating layout if it was changed for storytelling.
• Ensure the white paper prop and appendix materials are stored safely for future use.
• Prepare the room for the next class or transition students calmly to the next scheduled activity.

NOTES

Classroom management

• Set clear listening expectations.
• Use call-back signals for transitions.
• Keep discussion focused and time-bound. 

Extensions & Sponge Activities

• Write a letter to Satoshi explaining how you would protect the future of money.
• Draw the Genesis Block using three symbols: chain, clock, lock.
• Roleplay Satoshi presenting the white paper. 

Differentiation

• Younger students: Shorten reading segments and focus on problem–idea–solution structure.
• ELL/Accessibility: Pre-teach vocabulary: proposal, genesis, network, effort, participant.
• Safety: Provide sentence starters for exit tasks.

Activity type Creative Writing – Collaborative Learning – Dramatic Arts

Duration 60 minutes

Grouping Individual / Small Groups

Description

In this lesson, students construct a story using four independent ideas written on sticky notes. They begin by recalling the earlier story in which Satoshi disappeared and speculate about where he might have gone. Students then generate four ideas from guided prompts and organize them into a beginning, middle, and end structure. Through structured sharing and a sticky note swap, they revise their narratives to include new constraints. The lesson concludes with either a written or illustrated final draft, or a short dramatic role play using a class-generated story arc.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this activity, learners will:

• Sequence ideas into beginning, middle, and end
• Construct a logical narrative from independent elements
• Adapt a story when new constraints are introduced
• Participate in structured peer storytelling
• Collaborate in a short dramatic performance

Materials

• Sticky notes (4 per student)
• Markers or pencils
• Handout with three columns: Beginning / Middle / End (See Appendix A)
• Whiteboard
• Timer
• Nice-to-have: Colored sticky notes, TImer

Equipment

• Whiteboard
• Markers
• Nice-to-have: Bell or signal for transitions

PROCEDURE

OPENING 

• Prepare whiteboard space for later three-column setup.
• Ensure markers are accessible.
• Confirm timing signals and group arrangements. 

PRE-ACTIVITY

8 minutes

1. Activate prior learning by referencing the earlier story where Satoshi disappeared.
2. Ask:
   • Where do you think Satoshi went?
   • Why might he have left?
   • What could have happened next?
3. Take brief responses.
4. Explain that today students will build their own stories using small ideas that connect together.
5. Ask one student to explain the task in their own words.

Objective In Student’s Words

•  “We are going to turn small ideas into a full story.”

ACTIVITY

30 minutes

Carry Out

1. Distribute Materials - four sticky notes per student and markers. Explain the rule: one short idea per sticky note.
2. Idea Generation - Students respond to the four prompts:
   • What is your dream vacation destination?
   • If you had one bitcoin, what would you do?
   • What could turn a good day into a bad one?
   • Who is your hero?
3. Circulate and ensure responses are concise and readable.
4. Distribute the three-column handout. Students place their four sticky notes into Beginning, Middle, or End. They may place more than one note in a column.
5. Draft Story - Students construct a short story using all four sticky notes. Requirements:
   • Clear beginning
   • A change or problem in the middle
   • An ending that shows what happened
6. Students form groups of 3–4. Each student tells their story. Listeners give one short comment about clarity or interest.
7. Each student removes one sticky note and passes it to the left. Students reorganize their timeline to include the new idea. Students revise and retell their story.

Optional: Repeat swap once more if time allows.

Checkpoint

1. What changed in your story?
2. Was it easier or harder to include the new idea?

Production

Option 1Students write a final draft (older learners) or draw a three-panel version with captions (younger learners).

Option 2Collect sticky notes and randomly build a class story arc on the board. In small groups, students create a 2-minute role play using all board elements. After performances, briefly identify the turning point and ending in each.

FOLLOW-UP

2 minutes

1. Review and consolidate learning.
2. Ask:
   • Why does order matter in a story?
   • What makes a middle strong?
   • What changed from your first version to your final version?

CLOSE

• Collect sticky notes and handouts.
• Clear board and materials.
• Return markers.
• Reset classroom layout.
• Store or submit student work appropriately.

NOTES

Classroom management

• Distribute sticky notes only at the moment of writing.
• Set visible time limits for each phase.
• Keep group sizes small to ensure participation.

Extensions & Sponge Activities

• Require dialogue in the final draft.
• Add a secret object that must appear in the middle.
• Introduce a rule that the hero cannot appear in the beginning.

Differentiation

• Younger students: Allow drawing before writing, Provide sentence starters.
• ELL/Accessibility: Provide vocabulary support, Allow oral storytelling before written production.
• Safety: Keep movement controlled during role play.

Activity type Simulation • Memory Game • Team Competition

Duration 45 minutes

Grouping Small Teams (3–4 students) + Whole Class moments

Description

In this activity, learners simulate Bitcoin mining using playing cards as hashes and vocabulary words as transactions. Teams flip cards to find matching pairs. When they find two identical cards, they say “It’s mine.” A valid pair gives them access to the mempool, where they collect one Bitcoin vocabulary word. Words are grouped into blocks and only count after confirmation. The number of cards in the mining pool represents difficulty and is adjusted between rounds. Final scores are calculated by counting the total number of letters in confirmed words stored in each team’s wallet.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this activity, learners will:

• Explain that mining requires repeated attempts
• Describe how difficulty can increase or decrease
• Understand that transactions are grouped into blocks
• Recognize that confirmation comes before ownership
• Connect effort to reward

Materials

• 1–2 decks of playing cards
• 40–60 Bitcoin vocabulary word cards (See Appendix A)
• 1 envelope per team labeled WALLET
• 1 large envelope labeled BLOCK
• Signs labeled MEMPOOL and MINING POOL
• Nice-to-have: Stickers or stamps for confirmation, Whiteboard for recording scores

Equipment

• Timer
• Table or floor space for laying out cards
• Nice-to-have: Bell or signal sound for block completion

PROCEDURE

OPENING 

1.  Review key terms briefly: hash, mine, block, wallet, difficulty.
2. Keep explanations short and concrete.
3. Explain that today they must “prove work” before earning words.

PRE-ACTIVITY

5 minutes

1. Lay out 20 playing cards face down in a grid. Explain: Two identical cards = valid hash.
2. When you find a match, say clearly: “It’s mine.”
3. Demonstrate flipping two cards and replacing them if they do not match.

Objective In Student’s Words

•  “I find a matching pair and say ‘It’s mine’ to earn a word for my wallet.”

ACTIVITY

30 minutes

Setup

1. Divide students into teams of 3–4.
2. Give each team one WALLET envelope.
3. Place all word cards face down in the MEMPOOL area.
4. Place the BLOCK envelope at the front.

Carry Out

1. Use 20 cards in the mining pool.
2. Teams take turns flipping two cards.
3. If they match, they say “It’s mine.”
4. They collect one word from the mempool.
5. They must read it correctly to keep it temporarily.
6. After 6–8 minutes, stop the round.
7. If too many words were mined, increase difficulty by adding more cards.If too few were mined, decrease difficulty by removing cards.
8. State simply:“When mining is too fast, we make it harder.When mining is too slow, we make it easier.”

Carry Out

1. At the end of each round, collect all earned words into the BLOCK envelope.
2. Announce “Block complete.”
3. Return confirmed words to each team’s wallet.
4. Only confirmed words count.

FOLLOW-UP

4 minutes

• What happened when we added more cards?
• Was it harder to find pairs?
• Did you earn fewer words?
• Did longer words give higher scores?
• Did everyone follow the same rules?

CLOSE

•  Collect and count all playing cards and return them to full decks.
• Gather all word cards, empty wallets and the block envelope, and restack neatly.
• Clear the mining area, erase the board, and check for loose cards under tables and chairs.

NOTES

Classroom management

•  Only one team flips at a time
• No touching cards out of turn
• Words must be read aloud clearly
• Cards must be returned neatly if unmatched

Extensions & Sponge Activities

• Introduce a halving event: after a set time, each valid hash earns only every second word
• Require red card pairs only for valid hashes
• Add a bonus if a team mines three pairs in one round

Differentiation

• Younger students: Using the word cards directly in the mining pool may make things easier.
• ELL/Accessibility: Add picture support to vocabulary cards. Allow peer reading assistance.
• Safety: Clear space around the mining pool. No running