Context of the Standard

A system is defined as a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole. A computing system is composed of hardware and software. Hardware consists of physical components, while software provides instructions for the system. These instructions are represented in a form that a computer can understand and allow the user to input information and, once the task is completed, obtain output in a form that can be understood.

Hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks, such as sending, receiving, processing, and storing units of information. Hardware include screens to display information and buttons, keys, or touch screens to enter information. Software applications are programs with specific purposes, such as a web browser or game. A person may use a mouse (hardware) to click on a button displayed in a web browser (software) to navigate to a new web page.

Essential Skills

Essential Questions

Essential Vocabulary

Students should demonstrate these skills:

• Compare and contrast hardware and software.
• Describe how both hardware and software are used in a computing system.
• Identify the input and output associated with a given task.

Students should investigate these concepts:

• What are the differences between hardware and software?
• What are examples of hardware and software?
• What are examples of input and output?
• If you were a computer, what would be an example of input and output?
  • • What is an example of your teacher providing you with input?
    • What is an example of you providing your teacher with output?

Students should be introduced to these concepts:

• Hardware
• Software
• Input
• Output