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Computers everywhere

  1. What is a computer?

    A computer follows instructions. Instructions tell it what to do, one step at a time. That is what makes it a computer.

  2. phone
    makes calls
    microwave
    heats food
    washing machine
    washes clothes

    Computers inside things

    Many things have a small computer inside. Phones and tablets do. A microwave and a washing machine do too.

  3. A traffic light showing a red light Real photo

    Out on the street

    A traffic light has a computer. It changes colors on time. Many cars have one too. It can show a map.

  4. no computer
    no computer
    no computer

    No computer here

    A rock has no computer. A pencil cannot follow instructions by itself. A tree cannot either.

  5. A microwave with a number screen and buttons to set the time Real photo

    Following a program

    Sam sets the microwave for 1 minute. It heats the food, then stops. It follows his instructions. That is a program.

  6. A laptop computer open on a table Real photo

    Computers look different

    Some computers have a keyboard and a mouse. Many do not. A smart speaker listens when you ask for a song.

For parents

Goal: Your child learns that a computer is anything that follows instructions, and that many everyday things have a small computer inside. Then three labs: a computer hunt sort, the steps of a microwave program, and giving a robot its first instructions.

  • Ask: does it follow instructions? That is the test for a computer.
  • After the computer hunt lab, name things at home together and sort them the same way.
  • In the robot lab, let your child press Run and watch the robot obey each block.

Away from the screen: Go on a computer hunt around your home. Your child finds things with a small computer inside, like the microwave, washer or thermostat, and things without one, like a spoon or pillow.

Coding · Computers and Code
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