Lesson 2:

Under the hood

Year 8 – Computing systems
 Starter activity

Question .
What is the main task of a general-purpose computing
system?
▹ A. The main task is to execute programs.
B. There is no main task. It can perform any task
prescribed by a program.
C. The main task depends on the system. Different
systems may perform a different main task.
D. The main task depends on the user. Different
users may need the system to perform a
different main task.
 Starter activity

A machine playing noughts and crosses

In the previous lesson,

a human executed a program for noughts
and crosses.

Question What do you think it would

take for a machine to be able to execute
that program?
 Starter activity

A machine playing noughts and crosses

In the previous lesson, Language

a human executed a program for noughts It needs to

and crosses. ‘understand’ the Input and output
program.
It needs to ‘read’ the
Question What do you think it would board and ‘write’ on
take for a machine to be able to execute it.

that program? Hardware

Internally, it needs
components that will allow
the machine to follow the
instructions.
 Starter activity

A machine playing noughts and crosses

The physical components of a

computing system are called
hardware.

Hardware is any component of a computing

system that you can touch.

The programs of a computing

system are called software.
 Objectives

Lesson 2: Under the hood

In this lesson, you will:

● Describe the hardware components used in computing systems and how they
work together in order to execute programs
● Highlight how all computing systems, regardless of form, are similar in structure
(‘architecture’)
 Activity 1

Check the specs

Your handout contains specs for a range Specifications or ‘specs’: a table of

of modern computing devices. hardware components and technical
characteristics
Question .
What are the components that are present
in every one of these computing systems?
They must be important, right?
 Activity 1

Check the specs – Answers

Desktop Laptop Phone Raspberry Pi 4 micro:bit Rover

Processor ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Memory ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Storage ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Communication ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Graphics processor ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Input and output ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Connections ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Weight ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
 Activity 1

Check the specs – Answers

Desktop Laptop Phone Raspberry Pi 4 micro:bit Rover

Processor ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Memory ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Storage ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Communication ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Graphics processor ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Input and output ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Connections ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Weight ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Answer . Computing systems need a processor, memory, and storage. Modern

systems also rely heavily on communication between them.
 Activity 1

Check the specs – Answers

Desktop Laptop Phone Raspberry Pi 4 micro:bit Rover

Processor ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Memory ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Storage ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Communication ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Graphics processor ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Input and output ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Connections ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Weight ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Systems without input/output devices can connect to such devices. Input and
output is always present in computing systems.
 Activity 1

Insight

Diverse computing systems have

strikingly similar components:
all computing systems are similar in
structure (‘architecture’).

Let’s examine:
What the common components do
How they function together in order to
execute programs
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The storage (secondary memory) is the Question . Name a few common storage
set of components that stores programs devices.
and data.
Answer . Hard disk drives (HDD), solid-
Storage is persistent: it retains its state drives (SSD), USB flash drives or
contents when the power is off. USB sticks, SD cards
Storage technology evolves over time.
The concept of storage is a constant.
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The storage (secondary memory) is the Question . Name a few common storage
set of components that stores programs devices.
and data.
Storage is persistent: it retains its
contents when the power is off.
Hard disk Solid-state
(HDD) drive (SSD)

Storage technology evolves over time.

The concept of storage is a constant. SD card USB stick Optical disc
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The storage (secondary memory) is the programs

set of components that stores programs storage stores

and data. data

Storage is persistent: it retains its

contents when the power is off.
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The main memory is the component that

stores the programs and data currently in
use.
Memory is volatile: its contents are lost
when the power is off.

Terminology: The main memory is commonly

referred to as RAM (random-access memory). This is what the main memory looks like
in desktops and laptops.
Sometimes, memory is integrated with
other components, rather than being a
separate component.
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The main memory is the component that How it works with other components

stores the programs and data currently in When a program must be executed,
use. it is loaded from storage in memory,
Memory is volatile: its contents are lost along with the data required.
when the power is off. Any new or modified data must be saved
from memory to storage.
Terminology: The memory is commonly referred to
as RAM (random-access memory).
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The main memory is the component that programs

under execution
stores the programs and data currently in memory stores
data
use. under processing

Memory is volatile: its contents are lost loaded into

when the power is off.

programs

Terminology: The memory is commonly referred to storage stores

as RAM (random-access memory). data

 Activity 2

What does it do?

The main memory is the component that programs

under execution
stores the programs and data currently in memory stores
data
use. under processing

Memory is volatile: its contents are lost saved into

when the power is off.

programs

Terminology: The memory is commonly referred to storage stores

as RAM (random-access memory). data

 Activity 2

What does it do?

The processor is the component that

executes program instructions.
An instruction may:
● Perform arithmetic or logic
operations on data
● Perform input/output of data
● Control program flow This is what the processor looks like in
desktops and laptops.
Terminology: The processor is commonly referred to Sometimes, the processor is integrated with
as the CPU (central processing unit). other components, rather than being a
separate component.
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The processor is the component that How it works with other components

executes program instructions. Instructions are fetched one by one from

An instruction may: memory into the processor, along with
any required data.
● Perform arithmetic or logic
operations on data The processor decodes and executes each
● Perform input/output of data instruction.
● Control program flow Any resulting data is moved into memory.

Terminology: The processor is commonly referred to

as the CPU (central processing unit).
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The processor is the component that processor

decodese
xecutes
program
instructions
executes program instructions.
instruction
operate on
An instruction may: data

fetched into
● Perform arithmetic or logic
operations on data programs
under execution
● Perform input/output of data memory stores

● Control program flow data

under processing

Terminology: The processor is commonly referred to

as the CPU (central processing unit).
 Activity 2

What does it do?

The processor is the component that processor

decodes
executes
program
instructions
executes program instructions.
resulting
generate
An instruction may: data

moved into
● Perform arithmetic or logic
operations on data programs
under execution
● Perform input/output of data memory stores

● Control program flow data

under processing

Terminology: The processor is commonly referred to

as the CPU (central processing unit).
 Activity 2

An analogy

Knitting patterns, yarn supplies,

half-finished and finished projects
are kept on the shelves.

This is the storage for programs and

data.
 Activity 2

An analogy

When the knitter works on a project,

the knitting pattern and materials are
transferred to the work area, where
they can be kept handy for quick
access.
This is the memory, where the
program under execution is stored
temporarily, along with the required
data under processing.
 Activity 2

An analogy

The knitter reads from the knitting

pattern, one instruction at a time,
and carries out the instruction,
operating on the material at hand.

The knitter is the processor.

 Activity 2

What does it do?

Computing systems exchange information Programs and data are transferred

and form networks using communication between computing systems, when
components. required.

This allows:
● Input to be obtained remotely
● Data to be stored on remote systems
● Programs to be executed remotely
 Activity 2

What does it do?

Computing systems exchange information programs

and form networks using communication storage stores

components. data

transfer

communication connect
other systems
components to
 Activity 2

What does it do?

Computing systems exchange information Question . Name different ways for

and form networks using communication computing systems to communicate.
components. Hint: Think about networks
 Activity 2

What does it do?

Computing systems interact with the user

and their surroundings through devices for memory stores

input and output . data

Input: data received by a system

transfer
Output: data transmitted from a system
user
input/output interact
devices with
surroundings
 Activity 2

What does it do?

Computing systems interact with the user Question . Name a few common input
and their surroundings through devices for devices.
input and output .

Input: data received by a system

Output: data transmitted from a system
Keyboard Mouse

Input and output devices evolve over time.

The concepts of input and output are constants. Camera Microphone Sensors
 Activity 2

What does it do?

Computing systems interact with the user Question . Name a few common output
and their surroundings through devices for devices.
input and output .

Input: data received by a system

Output: data transmitted from a system
Screen Speakers Printer

Input and output devices evolve over time.

The concepts of input and output are constants. Projector LEDs Motors
 Plenary

Wearable computing

Google Glass is a wearable computing

system. Use the worksheet to label its
components.

Input Output

Program execution Data exchange with

other systems

Program & data Program & data

(volatile storage) (persistent storage)
 Summary

In this lesson, you... Next lesson, you will...

Described the hardware components used Explore how the processor, memory, and
in computing systems and how they work storage interact to execute programs in
together in order to execute programs real scenarios

Highlighted how all computing systems, Define what an operating system is, and
regardless of form, are similar in structure provide an overview of what it does
(‘architecture’)