1. Introduction to Computers
Lesson 1 – History of Computers
Man has been inventing calculating machines for over 5,000 years. In the 1800’s Charles Babbage created the mechanical
calculating machine - predecessor of today’s computers containing four essential elements: input, storage, processing and output.
Mechanical calculating machines had slow moving “mechanical” parts that tended to breakdown often. The invention of
“electronic” components gave modern computers the ability to process information at fast speeds with no moving parts.
Lesson 2 – Four Components of a Computer
For a computer to process information, it needs four essential elements: input, storage, processing and output. Computer
hardware consists of parts which can be physically touched like a keyboard. Computer software can not be touched physically
but helps the computer to manage information. The computer’s microprocessor is what gives the computer the ability to carry out
many different tasks.
Lesson 3 – How Computers Get Input
Computers manage information easily, but the computer has to be feed the information first. To feed information to a computer,
input devices such as the keyboard or a video camera are used.
Lesson 4 – How Computers Store Information
A computer’s storage capacity gives it the ability to manage the information its feed. Random Access Memory (RAM) is short-
term storage for new information currently being used. Read Only Memory (ROM) is long-term storage for information used
repeatedly. ROM does not recognize new information. Hard drives and optical discs are examples of long-term storage for
information not being used currently.
Lesson 5 – How Computers Process Information
A computer’s microprocessor is an intricate chip made to manage an assortment of information. By changing software, the
microprocessor can sort through a variety of information and respond accordingly. It does not have a fixed set of instructions like
a much simpler chip called the embedded processor.
Lesson 6 – How Computers Deliver Information
In order to receive information from the computer you need an output. An output can be viewing your monitor, a printed page
from your printer or sound from your speakers. Another source of output is downloading information either from the internet or
another computer.
Lesson 7 – Which is Smarter?
Computers have been compared to the human brain. Computers can be faster and have a better memory than the human brain. But
computers can not reason and make judgments based on human understanding and emotion. Computers are programmed, by the
human brain, with a set of fixed facts or instructions. Computers are wonderful tools created and used by the highly intelligent
human brain!

2. The Internet
The internet is a network of computers linked to each other sharing and communicating with each other.
Lesson 1 – The World Wide Web
Before the web was created, the internet was text-only with no graphics and mainly used by scientists and engineers. A computer
scientist, Tim Berners-Lee, created Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) a computer language making the internet more user-
friendly. HTML made it easier and faster to display graphics making it simple to create interactive web sites read by millions of
people instead of just scientists and engineers.
Lesson 2 – What is a URL?
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a distinctive Web address helping you locate a particular page on the internet. With the
rapidly growing internet, finding a unique URL for each page can be challenging but not impossible with the many different parts
to a URL address.
Lesson 3 – How Information Travels on the Internet
Your computer connects to a Web site through your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The information requested is routed on the
most proficient path available at that time by a computer called a “router.”
Lesson 4 – Breaking Messages into Packets
Pages on the internet are broken down into smaller pieces of information called packets making it easier and faster to send.
Packets arrive at the destination jumbled on different paths and are reassembled in the correct order by the computer to reveal a
completed page.
Lesson 5 – Bigger is Better
For a web page to download and rebuild fast on your screen, you need a larger bandwidth connection to the internet. A larger
bandwidth allows more information through the computer in a specific amount of time.
Lesson 6 – How Computer Speeds Are Measured
Internet connection speeds are measured by how much information can be transmitted per second. A bps per second is the
smallest bit of information. Eight bits equal bytes. Internet speeds are measured by Kbps (kilobits per second) and Mbps
(megabits per second). A larger bandwidth allows a faster connection from the internet and a much faster and smoother download
of files.
Lesson 7 – Information on the Internet
Information on any subject is easily accessed by the internet, but the information can come from anyone. There are no regulations
or anyone checking the quality of the information. Search Engines can help with sorting through the information to download and
will show the pages linked to most frequently missing billions of pages.
Lesson 8 – Connecting Wirelessly
A wireless connection is one of the fastest ways to connect to the internet. The advantage of a wireless connection is the ability to
move around a room, building or 30 miles away depending on the wireless device. Different wireless devices offer different
speeds and distances to connect to the internet.

3. Timeline
Since 1937, computers have evolved from occupying a whole room weighing thirty tons to sitting on a desk in your home or in your
hand in the classroom. Computers were once only used by scientists and now are accessed by young children in the classroom. The
invention of the World Wide Web in 1989, made it possible to not only download music or buy a car but also globally fight disease
using a massive supercomputer linking 10 million computers. Today you can instantly be linked to the internet anywhere changing the
way we communicate, educate and live.