Computer Hardware Lesson 4 - the CPU

In this lesson you are going to learn what the CPU does and how it works.

Objectives and Outcomes

• Be able to describe what the CPU is (band 3)
• Be able to explain what it does and how it works (band 4)
• Be able to apply your understanding by completing the worksheet
• Link this work to work you did previously, eg Scratch - what was the CPU doing while you were creating your Pacman game in Scratch? (band 6)

Here is the link to my slideshow which will explain everything in more detail and includes your task for the lesson...

Link to my slideshow

Here is the link to your written task...

Worksheet - make a copy first!

When you have completed your worksheet, share it correctly (Share - Advanced - change from Private to Anyone with the Link).

Copy/paste the link on to a new blog post for today, titled the same as this one.

Band 6 - don't forget to try and Link this lesson with your Scratch programming as mentioned in the Objectives and Outcomes.  Write your notes under your worksheet link on your post

Publish!

Computer Hardware Lesson 3 - How it all works

In this lesson you'll be finding out how a computer actually works.

Objectives and Outcomes

• Be able to describe the steps that take place when you open a program (band 4)
• Be able to explain how certain components (CPU, RAM and input and output devices) work together (band 5)
• Link these ideas to examples of using a computer and programs in previous units, eg Scratch (band 6)

As you learned last lesson, computers are made up of lots of different components (parts) that all do different jobs.  

Here is a link to my slideshow where this is explained in more detail...

How a computer works slideshow

This slideshow also has tasks on it and links to worksheets for different bands.

Choose the worksheet for the band that you know from your marks so far is the most appropriate for you.  Do not take the easy option - challenge yourself, but do so realistically!  Ask me if you're not sure which one to do.

Share your worksheet correctly (Advanced - change from Private to Anyone with the Link) and copy/paste the link to your blog post for this lesson.  Make sure your post has a title (the same as this one)

Publish!

Computer Hardware Lesson 2 - What's inside a computer?

In this lesson you are going to learn what the main parts of hardware are inside a computer and what they do.

Objectives and Outcomes

• Be able to describe how computers use inputs, process them and produce outputs (band 4)
• Be able to explain the functions (what they do) of different pieces of hardware inside a computer (band 5)

1.  Open a new post on your blog and title it the same as this one.

2.  Click this link to open my slideshow of information and tasks for this lesson

Slideshow - What's inside a computer

3.  Read through my slideshow, watch the video on slide 3 (you'll need headphones!), check what you've remembered (slide 4) and complete Task 1 on slide 5.

4.  For Task 2 on slide 6, targets are 

Bronze - 4 components and a description of what each one does.

Silver - 5 components and a detailed description of what each one does.

Gold - 6 components, a detailed description of what each one does and an explanation of what would happen (or not!) to the working of the computer if each one of them in turn was missing.

5.  Share your slideshow (Advanced - change from Private to Anyone with the Link) and copy/paste the link to your blog post under your Task 1 work.

Publish!

Computer Hardware - Lesson 1

In this lesson you are going to think about what a computer is and think of a definition for a computer. 

Objectives and Outcomes

• Understand what a computer is and how they can come in various forms
• Be able to describe how computers receive commands and data
• Be able to explain what 'processing' means
• Be able to describe how computers can output information

1.  Open a new blog post and call it the same as this one.

2.  Here is a link to my slideshow.  Read through and then, on your post, write the answers to the Task 1 question on slide 3.

Link to slide show

3.  On your post, write your answers to Task 2 on slide 5.

4.  Go through slides 6 -14 and on your post, write the name of each device and then your answer.

5.  On your post, write down the name of the odd one out on slide 15 - the one that isn't a computer.

6.  On your post, answer Plenary 1 on slide 16.

7.  On your post, answer Plenary 2 on slide 16.

Make sure you have done as much work correctly as possible and then Publish!