Section 4.1
Delve Into Hardware
*Note: Hardware components have been removed from the updated APCSP course description. If your students already have familiarity with hardware, you may want to skip this lesson. Otherwise, knowing hardware components and how they work together are important life skills in our digital world.
Learning Goals
Students will define hardware vocabulary terms.
Students will identify and describe major hardware components of a computer.
Objectives and General Description
The objective is to familiarize students with some physical items in computer science. The goal is for students to understand the relationship between hardware and software, and that one cannot work without the other.
Activities
Activity 4.1.1 (outside assignment)
Students are given the vocabulary list and define each term.
Students can find definitions in their textbook or other online resources, such as...
Activity 4.1.2 (55 minutes)
There are several options for teaching students about hardware. Choose which option works for you.
Bring in several old computers. Check with your school to see if they have any. You can also check with student's families. Put students in groups and let them take the computers apart and identify the parts. Many students may have never seen the inside of a computer so you may have to lead them through the exercise. They can research the components and complete the vocabulary as they find them.
Bring in a guest speaker to demonstrate and discuss taking apart computers & identify components. Do know who to ask? Check with older students, parents of current students, local businesses, your district's IT department, local colleges, etc.
Find videos online that show the different parts.
Activity 4.1.3 (55 minutes)
Students can work with a partner or small group.
This task can be completed in class or as a take home assignment.
Students research specific hardware components and create an instructional artifact.