Computer Technology & Repair Model

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Lesson Plan Originally Created By: Tasnim 'taz' Sharif

Windows XP & Linux Dual Boot Lesson

Part of Unit: Operating Systems

Lesson Plan Overview / Details

In this day and age, Linux is becoming a bigger player in the OS field. Not only that, the use of multiple forms of operating systems of all kinds is going on all around them: in iPhones, iPads, computers - both PCs and Macs - and students need to be familiar with other operating systems if they want to continue on in the IT field. This lesson exposes them to a form of Linux that is used on PCs and students need to lose their fear of the unknown - in this case, Linux OS, and play with more than just one OS to compare and contrast them. Ubuntu is perfect because it can be loaded onto an older, more common computer usually found in computer repair classrooms and will very little or no cost. The fact that linux is open source and 'free' is something that can also be discussed during the time students are installing the operating systems.

Lesson Time

2 - 4 Hours

Standards

California Career and Technical Education Standards

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

Objectives and Goals

Students will learn how to install an additional operating system onto a computer hard drive already loaded with WinXP. Students will learn that computers can run more than one operating system on a hard drive, although just one at a time on a PC.Students will learn how to choose which OS to boot.Students will become a bit familiar with Ubuntu and be able to compare/contrast the two operating systems.

Activities in this Lesson

  • Windows vs Mac vs Linux - Hooks / Set

    Have the classroom set up to immediately turn on a video for the students as soon as they enter and sit down. It is a video about Windows vs Mac vs Linux and it is pretty mild. There is a second video to directly follow this one.

  • Discussion - Other

    After the videos are shown, spend a few minutes with the students discussing what they saw. There will most likely be more lively discussion about MacOS and Windows than Linux.  Discuss the fact that Linux is 'open source', free, and being adopted by many nations of the world who do not want to be tied down to American software. Some of the largest countries in the world are adopting Linux OSs because they can create their own 'flavors' of the OS for themselves. 

    Linus Torvalds is the creator of Linux and a bit of research about him by students could be done at some time, if time allows. There is a great video about him on YouTube but it lasts over an hour. 

  • How Many OS's Do You Know? - Hooks / Set

    After the short discussion, show the slide provided up on the screen. Have students take turns trying to figure out the different operating system logos. See if they can identify them. Take about 5 minutes or so. 

    Next, hand out a copy of the powerpoint slide to each student and give them ten minutes to find and name the operating systems for which they stand. Have them write them directly on the paper. The second page of the powerpoint is for the students to do this. See who has the most correct and give him/her a little flash drive or some type of positive reinforcement. 

    They will keep this in their notebooks after you review the correct answers with them. You can do this by showing the students the second slide.

    • Hook for Linux & Win XP dual boot lesson.pptx [ Download ] The first page of the powerpoint is for the students. Make a copy for each student so he/she can take the ten minutes to research and label them. Have the students exchange papers and grade each other's papers. The second page of the powerpoint is for the students to do this.
  • Instructions for You to Follow - Other

    This is a sheet which has instructions on how to install more than one OS. This is for your information and can be reproduced for the students.

    If you are an instructor who is not as familiar with installing dual or multi-boot operating systems, there is a second sheet that may help clarify things. 

    • Install_more_than_one_operating_system_multiboot.pdf.pdf [ Download ] Great instructions on how to boot more than one operating system.
    • Hints on dual-booting computers for instructors.pdf [ Download ] Just a quick reference on dual-booting for the instructor.
  • Demonstration of Loading Dual OS's - Demo / Modeling

    Needed for this will be a computer with at least a 60 GB hard drive space, WinXP OS already loaded, and an Ubuntu OS disk.

    Students will first watch the provided video to see the shortened version of installation. The video can be provided to them to watch at home via a link in whatever form you wish before they return the next day to start installations. The link to the video on YouTube is below. The version of Ubuntu that is the latest is 11.04. It can be found here:  http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download . Full directions are also there as to how to download it, burn it to a CD or put on a USB drive, and install it to a computer with XP. When you download Ubuntu, it will take some time, so download it the day before you plan this lesson.

    • How To Install Ubuntu 9.04 Dual Boot with Windows XP - Video.flv [ Watch Video ] [ Download Original Video ] This video will show students how to install Ubuntu onto a computer that already has XP installed.
  • Review the steps to loading the OS. - Guided Practice

    Review the steps to follow to load the Ubuntu OS. Since the computers will already have XP loaded, the installation of Ubuntu is fairly simple and directions just need to be followed. Instruct the students to make sure they ask questions if they do not understand the next step in the sequence of installation. Other than that, the instructions are pretty straight forward and are no more difficult than installing WinOS's. 

  • Ubuntu Installation - Independent Practice

    Each student/pair of students/group of students should have a computer with XP already installed. Give students a disk upon which Ubuntu has been burned and instruct the students to load them into the CD Rom drives, find the executable files, and follow instructions. Before long, students should have a dual OS (WinXP and Ubuntu) on their computers. Good job!

Assessment

Assessment Types:
Journals, Demonstrations, Teacher-Made Test, Observations,

In order to assess students at this lesson, the instructor should be walking around the classroom, observing and answering questions, when asked. Students who have successfully followed directions and loaded the Ubundu OS onto their computers will be evident. Complete success will be the ability of students to turn off their computers, turn them back on, and demonstrate the ability to choose which OS to load. Both OS's should be demonstrated to the instructor by students.

If the instructor has students writing in any type of technician's journal, directions as to how-to's, CD's with the OSs, and other information should be noted in them by students.

Once completed, allow students to explore the Ubuntu OS and have them document the similarities and differences between the two OSs. This is to be handed in upon completion of the lab.

An additional assessment is attached. You and your students may find it useful, as it explores the similarities and differences between the two types of operating systems and also develops a vocabulary.  Mainly, it is to assess whether, in a working pair of students, one student 'gets' it while the other does not. 

  • Assessment Quiz for Windows XP & Lunux Dual Boot Lesson.doc Assessment Quiz for Windows XP & Lunux Dual Boot Lesson.doc [ Download ] Just a possible assessment for you to use to see if your students 'get' it. :)