How Computer Works

Have kids play parts of the computer in the example of a calculator program.

1. Simulating separate components

Before simulating the whole system, let kids get a feel of each individual component

Mouse, user and mouse controller

There is a user (one child) who drags a mouse (another child), holding the shoulders of the child. The mouse controller watches where the mouse moves and yells "Left, right, up and down". The mouse should have a big button on her head (funny hat). The mouse controller yells "Click" if the button is pressed. Have kids exchange roles and experiment with it

Calculator program and the processor

Draw a simple calculator on a paper and give kids blank sheets of paper and pencils. Then push "buttons" on the calculator and have kids record the buttons pressed, including "+" and "="

Once "=" is pressed have them count the result and write it down

Output controller (Screen)

Have a white board as a screen (it can be split into grids) and have the output controller hold a mouse pointer.

Then have the mouse controller yell "left, right, up and down" and output controller move the mouse pointer correspondingly

2. Simulating the complete computer system

Have the following roles:

User - drags mouse and presses on mouse's head

Mouse - being dragged by the user

Mouse controller - yells "up, down, left, right or click"

Output controller - moves the mouse pointer on the screen based what mouse controller tells her

Bus - communicates with the processor about what numbers are clicked and give the result to the output controller

Antiviruses - for a big number of kids, have the rest run as antiviruses who are looking for viruses. Antiviruses can start running once the mouse is idle and they stop when mouse starts moving.

Also, use sleeping mode - all parts start sleeping and then when the mouse is moved they all wake up.