MskProdComputing

Year 7 · Y7.1 Using Computers · Lesson 1

Stretch tasks Hardware and software

Task 1

Quiz Challenge

A quiz game against four computer players, then short and long written answers.

  1. Quiz Blitz12 questions against the clock
  2. Quick Fire4 short answers
  3. Big Think2 long answers

About 20 minutes

Task 2

This or That

Pixel the cat asks 8 questions. Each has two answers: pick the right one.

  • Two answers to every question
  • A fish treat for every right answer
  • Streaks win Pixel shades, then a party hat

About 4 minutes

Task 3

Memory Match

Flip the cards two at a time to match each term card to its meaning card.

  • 12 cards: each term has a meaning
  • One peek at every card
  • Combo points for pairs found in a row

6 pairs, about 4 minutes

The games need JavaScript. Every question is below, with the answers at the end.

Read the lesson: Hardware and software

Hardware and software: the questions

Quiz Challenge, round 1: Quiz Blitz

  1. Which of these is hardware?

    • The operating system
    • A game app
    • The keyboard
    • A web browser

  2. Which of these is system software?

    • Windows
    • A word processor
    • A photo editor
    • A web browser

  3. You can touch software.

    • True
    • False

  4. Which TWO are input devices?

    Tick 2.

    • Microphone
    • Camera
    • Speaker
    • Printer
    • Monitor

  5. Put what happens inside a digital camera in order.

    Number these 1 to 4.

    • The light is turned into an image
    • The image appears on the screen
    • The image is saved to the card
    • Light comes in through the lens

  6. A smart thermostat measures the room temperature. What kind of device is its temperature sensor?

    • An input device
    • An output device
    • A storage device
    • Application software

  7. Which part of a computer works on the data: calculating, sorting and comparing?

    • The USB stick
    • The CPU
    • The monitor
    • The keyboard

  8. What is the most important piece of system software called? Two words.

  9. You install a drawing app to make a poster. What kind of software is it?

    • An input device
    • Application software
    • System software
    • Hardware

  10. A printer is an output device.

    • True
    • False

  11. Which of these is a storage device?

    • A speaker
    • A mouse
    • A scanner
    • An SSD

  12. Which device is an input device AND an output device?

    • A printer
    • A touchscreen
    • A keyboard
    • A speaker

Quiz Challenge, round 2: Quick Fire

  1. Explain the difference between hardware and software. [2 marks]

  2. Name two output devices. [2 marks]

  3. Explain why the operating system is called system software. [2 marks]

  4. In a greenhouse, a computer keeps the plants cool. It measures how warm it is and cools the air when it gets too hot. Suggest one input device and one output device it needs. [2 marks]

Quiz Challenge, round 3: Big Think

  1. Explain how a digital camera follows the input, process, output and storage pattern. [4 marks]

  2. Compare system software and application software. Use examples in your answer. [6 marks]

This or That: tick the right answer

  1. Is a USB stick hardware or software?

    • Hardware
    • Software

  2. Is a game app system software or application software?

    • Application software
    • System software

  3. Which of these is an output device?

    • Microphone
    • Speaker

  4. A scanner turns a paper page into a picture on the computer. Input or output?

    • Output
    • Input

  5. Where are your photos kept when the computer is switched off?

    • In storage, such as an SSD
    • In the CPU

  6. A calculator app adds 2 and 3. Which stage is the adding?

    • Process
    • Output

  7. Android is an example of what?

    • An app
    • An operating system

  8. A computer controls a motor that opens a garage door. What kind of device is the motor?

    • Output
    • Input

Memory Match: match each term to its meaning

TermMeaning
A Hardware1 Sends data into the computer, like a keyboard
B Software2 System software that runs the computer
C Operating system3 Shows or plays results, like a speaker
D Application4 Instructions that tell the hardware what to do
E Input device5 Software you install to get a job done
F Output device6 The physical parts you can touch
Answers

Round 1: Quiz Blitz

  1. The keyboard Hardware is the physical parts you can touch. The other three are software.
  2. Windows Windows is an operating system, which runs the computer itself. The others are applications.
  3. False Software is instructions stored as data. You can touch the device it is stored on, but not the software.
  4. Microphone; Camera Microphones and cameras send data into the computer. Speakers, printers and monitors are output devices.
  5. Light comes in through the lens → The light is turned into an image → The image appears on the screen → The image is saved to the card Input, process, output, storage: every computer system follows the same pattern.
  6. An input device A sensor sends data into the system, so it is an input device.
  7. The CPU The CPU, the processor, does the processing.
  8. operating system The operating system, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android or iOS, runs the computer itself.
  9. Application software If you install it to get a job done, it is an application.
  10. True A printer takes results out of the computer and puts them on paper.
  11. An SSD An SSD keeps data for later. A speaker is output; a mouse and a scanner are input.
  12. A touchscreen A touchscreen shows pictures, which is output, and senses your finger, which is input.

Round 2: Quick Fire

    • Hardware is the physical parts you can touch
    • Software is the instructions that tell the hardware what to do
    Model answer

    Hardware is the physical parts of a computer that you can touch, such as the keyboard. Software is the instructions that tell the hardware what to do, such as an app.

    • A monitor or screen
    • A speaker or headphones
    • A printer
    • A motor or a light
    Model answer

    A monitor and a printer.

    • It runs the computer itself
    • Other programs need it in order to run
    Model answer

    The operating system runs the computer itself, and the computer needs it to work at all. Other programs, such as apps, run on it, so without it nothing else could run.

    • Input: a temperature sensor
    • Output: a fan, motor or air conditioning unit
    Model answer

    The input device is a temperature sensor, which measures how warm it is. The output device is a fan, which switches on to cool the air.

Round 3: Big Think

    • Input: light comes in through the lens
    • Process: the processor turns the light into an image
    • Output: the photo is shown on the screen
    • Storage: the photo is saved to the memory card
    • So the photo can be looked at again later
    Model answer

    Light comes in through the lens, which is the input. The camera's processor turns the light into an image, which is the process. The photo is shown on the screen on the back, which is the output. Finally the picture is saved to the memory card, which is storage, so it can be looked at later.

    • System software runs the computer itself
    • An example of system software is an operating system such as Windows
    • Application software lets the user do a task
    • An example of application software, such as a browser or a game
    • Applications are chosen and installed by the user
    • Applications run on top of the operating system
    • Without system software the computer could not work
    Model answer

    System software runs the computer itself, and the computer needs it to work at all. The most important example is the operating system, such as Windows or Android. Without it the computer could not work. Application software lets the user do a task, such as a web browser, a word processor or a game. You choose to install applications to get a job done, and they run on top of the operating system.

This or That

  1. Hardware You can touch a USB stick, so it is hardware. The files stored on it are data.
  2. Application software You install a game to do something, play it, so it is an application.
  3. Speaker A speaker sends sound out. A microphone takes sound in.
  4. Input The scanner sends data into the computer, so it is an input device.
  5. In storage, such as an SSD Storage keeps data for later. The CPU only works on data while the computer is running.
  6. Process Working on the data, such as calculating, is the process stage. Showing 5 on the screen is output.
  7. An operating system Android is system software: the operating system that runs many phones.
  8. Output The computer uses the motor to make something happen, so it is an output device.

Memory Match

  • A 6 Hardware: The physical parts you can touch
  • B 4 Software: Instructions that tell the hardware what to do
  • C 2 Operating system: System software that runs the computer
  • D 5 Application: Software you install to get a job done
  • E 1 Input device: Sends data into the computer, like a keyboard
  • F 3 Output device: Shows or plays results, like a speaker