Core Concepts:
- Computing Systems (Devices)
- Impacts of Computing (Culture)
CSTA Standards
1A-CS-02 Use appropriate terminology in identifying and describing the function of common physical components of computing systems (hardware). (P7.2)
A computing system is composed of hardware and software.Hardware consists of physical components.Students should be able to identify and describe the function of external hardware, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet devices, monitors, keyboards, mice, and printers.
1A-CS-01 Select and operate appropriate software to perform a variety of tasks, and recognize that users have different needs and preferences for the technology they use. (P1.1)
People use computing devices to perform a variety of tasks accurately and quickly. Students should be able to select the appropriate app/program to use for tasks they are required to complete. For example, if students are asked to draw a picture, they should be able to open and use a drawing app/program to complete this task, or if they are asked to create a presentation, they should be able to open and use presentation software. In addition, with teacher guidance, students should compare and discuss preferences for software with the same primary functionality. Students could compare different web browsers or word processing, presentation, or drawing programs.
1A-IC-16 Compare how people live and work before and after the implementation or adoption of new computing technology. (P7.0)
Computing technology has positively and negatively changed the way people live and work. In the past, if students wanted to read about a topic, they needed access to a library to find a book about it. Today, students can view and read information on the Internet about a topic or they can download e-books about it directly to a device. Such information may be available in more than one language and could be read to a student, allowing for great accessibility.
Related Resources and Toolkits
Sample Lessons
Lesson 1 and 2: What's a computer?
Lesson 3 and 4: That could be computer
Lesson 5 and 6: Computer all around us
View Samples