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ALL GUIDES


  1. What is a Computer?
  2. Executing a Plan
  3. Practicing Flexibility
  4. Completing a System

  1. Buttons & Breadboards
  2. Basic Inputs & Outputs
  3. Polarity & Audio Output
  4. Parallel Circuits

  1. Intro to Computational Thinking
  2. Loops & Sequences
  3. Events
  4. Programming with Lights & Sounds
  5. Completing Additional PiperCode Projects

  1. Extend in Storymode
  2. Design a Bot & Make Music
  3. Redesign a Stoplight
  4. Engineering Design with Piper

  1. Take Apart and Reflection
  2. Computers in Everyday Life
  3. The Environmental Impact of Computers
  4. Final Design Challenge

  1. What is Color?
  2. How Do We See Color?
  3. How Does the Color Sensor Detect Color?
  4. RGB in Computing

  1. The Water Cycle
  2. What is Temperature?
  3. What Are the States of Matter?
  4. Phase Changes

  1. Motion Introduction
  2. How Do Waves Help Us Understand Patterns?
  3. Creating Devices That Use Data
  4. Graphing Motion

  1. What is Energy?
  2. The Energy Behind Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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Phase 5

Lesson 5.2

Phase 5: Lesson 5.2

Computers in Everyday Life


45 - 60 mins

Grades 3 - 8
INTRODUCTION
Students will dive deeper into the roles computers play in their everyday lives. In the process, they will learn how to define computers, what different types of computer devices are used for, and what they can do with computing systems.

  Print Educator Guide   Lesson Slides    Assessments    Support
GETTING STARTED Lesson Materials Learning Objectives Lesson Preperation
5E INSTRUCTIONS Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate
Phase Resources Career Connections Graphic Organizer Term Glossary Standards Alignment
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GETTING STARTED

Lesson Materials


Piper Computer Kit

Learning Objectives

Students will dive deeper into the role computers play in our everyday lives. They will learn about different kinds of computers and what they do.
Students will:
  1. Students will learn the different kinds of computers.
  2. Students will identify the different advantages for each type of computer.
  3. Students will be able to identify multiple ways in which computers are used in their everyday lives.

Lesson Preperation

  • Suggested student-to-kit ratio is 2:1 up to 3:1. Assign students into groups of 2 or 3.
  • Share the Graphic Organizer with students.
  • Project or share slides with students.
PIPER 5E INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Engage

Introduction (10-20 minutes) How often do you come into contact with a computer? What do you use them for? How many kinds do you use in a day? Students can record their answers on the Phase 5 Graphic Organizer.

Explore

Main Activity (30-40 minutes) Explore the different kinds of computers and what they do.
  • This lesson could be a jigsaw activity where each team is given a different computer to define. Students should include the setting in which the computer would be used and why it would be the most appropriate for that setting.
  • Another option, depending on students’ writing abilities, could be to create a journal entry of their day. The entry should include:
    • The computer the student used and how they used it.
    • What it would have been like to not have the computer to help.

Explain

Computers in Everyday Life (10 Minutes)

During this time, students can compare how they use computers in their lives. Use Slide 4.

Jigsaw: Students are split into groups with one member assigned to each computer. Working individually, each student learns about his or her computer and presents it to their group. Next, students gather into groups divided by type of computer. Each member presents again to the topic group. In same-topic groups, students reconcile points of view and synthesize information. They create a final report. Finally, the original groups reconvene and listen to presentations from each member. The final presentations provide all group members with an understanding of their own type of computer, as well as the findings that have emerged from topic-specific group discussion.

Elaborate

Computer Costs (5 Minutes)

There are organizations that provide computers for communities around the world. What do you think they have to consider when selecting computers?

Example: There is a community in the mountains of Peru that have to use electricity generated from a small personal windmill What kind of computer would this community need?

Evaluate

Closing/Reflection Activity (10-15 Minutes) Provide students a list of occupations and a list of computers. Have students describe the computer that occupation would use and how they would use it. Students can record their answers on the Phase 5 Graphic Organizer.
PHASE RESOURCES

Career Connections

Economist: Salary $115,730/yr
Pilot: Salary $219,140/yr
Healthcare Professional: Salary $224,640/yr
Database Architect: Salary $134,700/yr

Graphic Organizer

Phase 5 DOWNLOAD

Term Glossary


GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) Pins Pins on a microcomputer or microcontroller that can be programmed to send or receive electrical signals. They can be connected to almost anything (such as buttons and LEDs).

Raspberry Pi A small, low-cost microcomputer. Together with the Raspberry Pi OS, a special operating system, it can do many things that a full-sized computer can do.

Jumper Wires Wires used to connect from the GPIO to the breadboard. Jumper wires can have different kinds of connections on their ends, such as plugs, sockets, or alligator clips.

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Standards Alignment


We are excited to be aligned with the following standards.


Concepts Standards

Computing Systems: Devices

CA 3-5.CS.1 Describe how computing devices connect to other components to form a system. (P7.2)

Computing Systems: Hardware & Software

CA 3-5.CS.2 Demonstrate how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. (P4.4)

6-8.CS.2 Design a project that combines hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. (P5.1)

Computing Systems: Troubleshooting

3-5.CS.3 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. (P6.2)

6-8.CS.3 Systematically apply troubleshooting strategies to identify and resolve hardware and software problems in computing systems. (P6.2

Algorithms & Programming:

Program Development

3-5.AP.18 Perform different roles when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development.

6-8.AP.15 Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs. (P1.1, P2.3)

6-8.AP.18 Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing computational artifacts. (P2.2, P5.1)

6-8.AP.19 Document programs in order to make them easier to use, read, test, and debug. (P7.2)

Practices

P1. Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture

P2. Collaborating Around Computing

P4. Developing and Using Abstractions

P5. Creating Computational Artifacts

P6. Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts


Concept Standard

Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.

(4-PS3-4)

Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information.

(4-PS4-3)

Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Connection to the Nature of Science: Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.

(MS-PS4-1)

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem (Performance Expectation).;

3–5-ETS1-2

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. (P.E.3.4.7)

3–5-ETS1-3.

Optimizing the Design Solution; Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints.

MS-ETS1.C.



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