Session 2

Before the session, ensure you know the locations of all the parts of your school network, planning a route beforehand which passes each of these things:

• network switch

• wireless access points

• server

• any other networked items, such as printers and photocopiers
  

Note: You may want to speak to your tech support team to ensure you know where the components are located and draw these on to a spare floor plan to help you locate some of the harder to find items, e.g. the network switch

What's a network?

Show this image of two laptops connected with a line:

Connection

Ask: Why would it be useful for laptops to be connected?

Or to give more context, ask: Why would it be useful if my computer were connected to that of another teacher?

Give the children time to talk about this with a partner and then share as a class.

They may say “To send messages to each other” and this is possible, but it’s unlikely you have a program to do this on your laptop. Most messaging programs use the internet and it’s important that the children recognise that the internet and a network are not the same thing.

Now, ask the same question but about different devices: a printer and a photocopier. A network doesn’t just connect computers together, but other devices too. Again, it’s best to have photos of things that are within your school that the children may have seen or even have them physically in the room with you.

Ask: Why is it useful to have these devices connected? What would you do if they weren’t connected? (If the computer wasn’t connected to the printer or photocopier, it wouldn’t be able to print anything.)

With your iPad, point out to pupils that there are no wires connecting your device to the printer, yet you can still print. Ask the children to discuss and then mention wireless technology.

Your iPad is connected to wifi, as is the printer and so these things do not need wires. Important for children to know that this does not require the internet to work. If the internet is turned off, you will still be connected to the network!

Network safari

Ask the children to explain what a network is and what it’s for. Explain that, as a class, the children are going on a ‘network safari’ around the school. Put the children into groups of two or three and hand out the floor plans you have prepared, making sure the children understand where they are currently. Explain that they will mark the key parts of a network onto their floor plans.

The children should take their iPads with them to take photos of devices that they think are connected to the school network, such as laptops, tablets, desktops, printers, photocopiers, server, network switch, wireless access points, etc.

Once back in the classroom, the children share the photos they have taken with another group and discuss what they think is the purpose of each device on the network.

Bring the class together and share a set of photos that you have taken. Start with the devices that the children will be most familiar with and discuss each in turn. Ask:

1. What is the device called?

2. What is the device for?

3. How does the device connect to the network?

4. Is the device wireless or wired?

Refer to 'Network devices' answers to help children answer these questions.

Sorting activity

Hand out the 'Networks sorting' to each table and ask the children to discuss the images and definitions. Ask pupils to sort them into three separate groups: Network, Wireless and Device.

Get the children to find appropriate definitions and images to match each of these words, warning them that not all groups may have the same number of pictures or definitions.

A brief definition of each:

• Network – one or more devices connected together.

• Wireless – a connection that doesn’t need wires.

• Device – technology; more than just computers, for example, printers.

Although the images and definitions were added with one of these terms in mind, as long as children can use sound logic to justify why they put them in a specific group, they can sort them in this way. For instance, they might put a mobile phone in wireless because it doesn’t need wires to connect.

Key questions

• What is a computer network?

• What is it for?

• What devices are connected to our network?

• Why are they connected to our network?

• Are they connected wirelessly or do they use wires?

• What’s a server for?

• What’s connected to the network switch?

• Is that a router?