The student (grades 4-7) will read the article and determine the purposes of each of the nine (simplified) tasks of a computer's operating system. This can be an independent, small group, or whole group activity.
Students will work independently, or in groups, to explore computer response times for start-up; application and program run times; serch engine speeds; and powering off the computer in safe and efficient ways using stopwatches and averaging load times. Students will draw conclutions through a series of questions and comparisons to understand that variables in the user data collection, system byte sizes, storage limitations, multiple known and unknow tasks running behind the scenes, and/or internet stability/instability can all directly affect the computer's ability to respond accurately, and in a timely manner to user requests as well as perform as expected (with errors or success and/or lag time) and quickly.
Just about everything you can do on a computer—checking your email, posting to Facebook, online banking and shopping—is powered by software. The people who come up with that software, and keep it working efficiently, are behind the scenes of a big portion of our lives. Software engineering is an exciting career,.In this remix, some reflections questions for students have been added.
Just about everything you can do on a computer—checking your email, posting to Facebook, online banking and shopping—is powered by software. The people who come up with that software, and keep it working efficiently, are behind the scenes of a big portion of our lives. Software engineering is an exciting career,.
The students will learn about how circuits work within a computer to not only turn the computer on, but to store/recall data, run applications, and in general respond when the mouse is clicked or a key is pressed (input/output), etc..This lesson can be created as a class with the teacher demoing what the students tell him/her/them to do or if there are enough kits students can work with partners/small groups/indivdually to create circuits and draw conclusions about how computers use circuits to operate efficiently.Suggestion: Use this link to share with students how circuits work within the computers to store and recall memory to inspire their connective learning more :) start about 3:54 until 7:19. This information will help students understand how electical currents are used to store information, but also be able to make connections with what also happens when a key is pressed or the power is turned on and electricity flows through the open circuits within the computer's operating system (hardware).Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A1e8eceIsY
This chart assignment is meant as a review and a second part to the first Computer Operating System Tasks (WS 1). The student will mark each task with the appropriate purposes of the task in relationship to how the computer communicates, security protocols, storage and management of files, and its performace speed and accuracy.This can be used as an exit pass, interactive notebook or binder page, a small group or whole group assignment, or an independent activity/worksheet.This link will take you to the first WS if interested: https://goopenva.org/courseware/lesson/4254This link will take you to the Computer OS poster/image for reference and use if interested: https://goopenva.org/courseware/lesson/4254
The student may use this image as a resource to explore and discover the nine (simplified) tasks of a computer's operating system.A teacher can use this image as a poster, or an image to use within their own created instructional materials. The teacher could also print this as an interactive notebook resource to glue/insert into the students' notebooks/binders.