Unit Title: Understanding Computers

Year 8 – Autumn 2

Unit title: Understanding computers

Unit outcome: Understanding the inside of a computer and how they communicate

National Curriculum mapping:  3.5 Understand how numbers can be represented in binary, and be able to carry out simple operations on binary numbers [for example, binary addition, and conversion between binary and decimal]  3.6 Understand the hardware and software components that make up computer systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems  3.7 Understand how instructions are stored and executed within a computer system;

Resources:  Project diary, 6x computer shells, Input output card sort, build a computer matching cards, binary sheets x 2, binary game, warriors of the net video, self marking test

Differentiation  (L3/L4) All students will know the main components which make up a computer system and develop a basic understanding of how computers communicate with one another;  (L5 / L6) Most students will be able to describe the main components which make up a computer system and be able to explain and give examples of how computers communicate with one another;  (L7) Some students will be able to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the main components which make up a computer system and be able to explain and translate machine code;

Assessment  Project diary used to record success criteria and how the lesson went;  Project diary to record the majority of learning activities;  Self assessment activities x 2;  Self marking end of unit test; Year 8 – Autumn 2

Checklist for end of unit test

I know the main parts which make up a computer: Computer casing, hard disk drive, RAM memory, Graphics card, Sound card, CPU, Power supply, Motherboard

I know what the following units stand for and what they are used to measure? KB MB GB TB Hz GHz

I could recommend what size computer part you need if building a computer for specific purpose

I can give examples of input, output and storage devices

I know how the fetch execute cycle works

I could explain clock speed

I know the difference between hardware and software

I can convert binary into a decimal and from a decimal to binary

I can add binary

I know what the terms LAN and WAN stand for

I could explain the advantages and disadvantages of the network topologies star, ring and bus

I could explain how the internet works

Activities Differentiation Assessment Resources

Lesson 1 S – Complete beginning of project checklist in Differentiated groups for inside a Project diary; Project diary project diary. Make a list of everything that computer activity; Self activities; could be inside a computer Selection of students for end of assessment; Post-it notes; Year 8 – Autumn 2

M – Label the inside of a computer – several lesson quiz; 6 x computer key terms. Google search for actual parts and shells; move labels. Talk about what is what and a PPT quiz; brief summary of what it does. Split students into groups to find out a) what each part is measured in and b) how much is good for each part. Units and top spec to be recorded in project diary P – PPT quiz – which is better 1GB memory or 2GB memory etc…

Lesson 2 S – Words, input, output and storage stuck Differentiated words given for Project diary; Project diary; around the walls of the classroom. Students starter sort (coloured); Input word sort; given a word as they enter. With definitions Differentiated groups with GCSE bitesize and an example on the board, students to differentiated instructions for fetch video; stick their word to the correct term. execute; Fetch execute M – Show GCSE bitesize video on input/output instructions for and explain these are known as peripheral activity; devices. Refer back to last lesson looking at size and measurements and explain storage is measured in GB and come in different sizes. Explain fetch execute cycle and in groups of 3, get students to be the CPU, the address bus and the data bus. Complete activity as per project diary with teacher playing the role of RAM – instructions given to the CPU to give to the address bus. The address bus to address, give back to the CPU who gives to the data bus to decode and execute. RAM calls out addresses every 20 seconds. Activity repeated until addresses are called every 5 seconds – Year 8 – Autumn 2

relate to clock speed being a billion a second and we can’t even do 1 a second. P – Discuss difficulty of exercise

Lesson 3 S – Students to read hardware software First matching exercise completed Project diary; Project diary; difference then answer quiz using project with low ability before they Quiz; Build a PC diary to help. complete alone; matching cards x M – Discuss different computer specifications 6 as a class and pass out matching cards. Students to match the motherboard to the processor, memory and case. Record results in project diary. After, screenshot a low and high spec computer from PC world and highlight key differences. P – Discuss and share as a class

Lesson 4 S – Intro to binary – do computers talk in Calculator to be allowed for lower Binary Project diary; English – how do they talk? Introduce the idea ability code cracking but not name activities; Name and code of 1 and 0, referring to TRUE or FALSE in exercise; exercises printed; previous programming work. Binary game; M – Give binary code to crack.. Write name as binary then a secret message. P – Binary game quick quiz

Lesson 5 S – Use the internet to research the meaning Additional support and explanation Project dairy; Project diary; of networks, LAN and WAN. given for lower ability; Warriors of the M – Discuss networks – difference between net video; LAN and WAN. Discuss different topologies Year 8 – Autumn 2

using students and objects as data to weigh up pros and cons of different topologies. Watch warriors of the net video. Complete picture / instruction sort for order of actions P – Discuss answers to the order – did anyone get it right?

Lesson 6 S – 15 minutes silent revision End of unit End of unit M - Exam assessment; assessment