Objective:

Students will explore how the brain processes information similar to how a computer system works by acting out the roles of hardware and software. This unplugged activity helps students understand the interaction between input, processing, and output, while integrating computational thinking through decomposition and pattern recognition.

Materials Needed: 

• Paper

• Markers

• String

• Pictures of input/output devices and sensory organs

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by asking students how their brain processes sensory information (e.g., sight or sound). 

  • Compare this to how computers process input data. 

  • Define key terms like "hardware" and "software."

• Group Activity: 

  • Divide students into groups. 

  • Each group will act out a system, with one student playing the brain (processor) and others representing sensory organs (input devices) or body parts (output devices). 

  • Use string to show connections between them to simulate data transfer.

• Creating and Decomposing: 

  • As groups act out scenarios, students decompose the process into steps (e.g., eye sends an image to the brain, brain sends a signal to hand to respond).

• Testing and Refining: 

  • Groups can adjust roles and actions if their system doesn't function as expected, discussing what changes worked or didn’t.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each group will share their simulation, explaining how the brain and sensory organs interacted, then discuss how hardware and software do something similar in computers.

Equity and Access: 

Provide simple role cards to support students who may need extra help understanding the task. Assign roles that let students collaborate and support each other.

Real-World Application: 

Connect this activity to how we rely on technology (like sensors in cars) that mirrors the human body's response system.

CS Practice(s): 

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students break down processes into simpler parts by acting them out.

Standard(s): 

• CA NGSS 4-LS1-2

• CA CS 3-5.CS.2

Objective:

Students use a coding platform like Scratch to build a project that simulates how a computer system’s hardware and software work together, mirroring the way the human brain processes sensory input and produces responses. Through coding, students will engage in computational thinking, focusing on sequencing, testing, and problem-solving.

Materials Needed: 

• Computers or tablets 

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by asking students how their brain processes sensory information and connects it to body movement. 

  • For example, ask, “How does your brain know to catch a ball after you see it coming toward you?” 

  • Discuss how the brain receives information (sight), processes it, and sends instructions to muscles. 

  • Compare this process to how a computer receives input and produces output. 

  • Explain that they will use a coding platform to simulate how systems like the brain process information.

• Group Activity: 

  • Students will work in pairs to create a coding project simulating a computer system that processes inputs and outputs. 

  • One example could be using the keyboard as the sensor (input), the character as the processor, and the screen displaying the output. 

  • Students map this to how the brain takes in sensory data and generates a response.

• Creating and Coding: 

  • Students will use coding blocks to represent the flow of information, similar to how neurons transmit signals in the brain. 

  • For instance, input blocks (keyboard sensors) will trigger character movements or actions on the screen, mimicking how the brain processes and responds to stimuli. 

  • The students will focus on correctly sequencing the code, ensuring smooth communication between input and output.

• Testing and Refining: 

  • After coding, students will test their projects to ensure the input-output process functions correctly. 

  • Just as the brain refines actions with feedback (e.g., adjusting the hand when catching a ball), students will troubleshoot any issues, modify their code, and make sure the sequence accurately mirrors the brain’s processing.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each group will present their coding project to another group, explaining how their characters process inputs and display outputs, similar to how the brain processes sensory information. 

  • Lead a discussion comparing the interaction between hardware and software in computers to the brain's sensory system and motor responses, emphasizing how each system relies on processing and communication between components.

Equity and Access: 

Offer pre-made templates to students who need extra support, and promote pair programming to allow students to collaborate across different skill levels. Ensure all students feel included and can contribute to the project.

Real-World Application: 

Discuss real-world parallels such as how sensors in technology, like smartwatches, process inputs and produce outputs similar to how the human brain responds to stimuli. This will help students see how both natural and digital systems rely on input-processing-output sequences.

CS Practice(s): 

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts, Developing and Using Abstractions.
  
  

Standard(s): 

• CA NGSS 4-LS1-2

• CA CS 3-5.CS.2