Part of Lesson Plan: Learn Hardware Vocabulary

Activity Overview / Details

The first thing you want students to learn is the basic definition of hardware, that it is "everything they can see or touch."

A couple of ideas for your anticipatory set.

One, write the word "hardware" on the board in the front of the room.  Do a brainstorming session with the class, ask them what they think of when you say the word "hardware."  Write every idea they have on the board, right or wrong.  Usually, once you get one or two students commenting, others will speak up and give their ideas.  Just write everything on the board.  After the students are out of ideas (or you fill the board), explain to students the definition, and circle the items on the board that relate to the definition.  You can then tell students that today they will be learning hardware and how the components relate to each other.

Second - a different idea to start the class, this one takes a little bit of prep work.  Before class, collect various hardware items (ie - hard drive, CD, mouse, memory)  You can even use broken (not sharp or dangerous) parts, like inside of a floppy disk or keys off a keyboard.  Place each items in a separate bag and seal them shut.  Have the bags on a table or someplace in your room where students can get to them.  (or, you can number the bags and pass them around as students sit).  Make a game of students trying to identify the parts in each bag.  This can be done individually, pairs, or small groups.  Have them write their guesses on a piece of paper.  You can give a small prize for whoever gets the most correct.  When done, make sure you emphasize that hardware is the things they can see or touch, in relation to the computer system.