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An introduction to what computers are and the different shapes they come in, like laptops and tablets.
Imagine a magic box that can help you draw a rainbow, play a song, and talk to a friend far away all at the same time. Did you know you probably have one of these magic boxes in your room right now?
A computer is a very smart machine! Unlike a toy that only does one thing, a computer can do many different jobs. It follows our instructions to show us videos, help us write stories, or play games. In your classroom, a computer is a tool, just like your pencils and crayons, but it uses electricity to work. Most computers have a screen so we can see what the machine is thinking about.
Quick Check
Is a computer a living animal or a machine?
Answer
A computer is a machine.
Computers don't all look the same. A desktop computer is big and usually stays in one place on a desk. A laptop is a computer that can fold shut like a book so you can carry it in your backpack. A tablet is a thin computer that is mostly just a screen! You use your finger to touch a tablet to tell it what to do. Even though they look different, they are all part of the computer family.
Let's look at how we use different computers: 1. If you are sitting at a big desk at school, you might use a desktop. 2. If your teacher moves to a different room and takes her computer with her, she is using a laptop. 3. If you are sitting on the rug and drawing with your finger on a screen, you are using a tablet.
Quick Check
Which computer is flat and lets you use your finger to touch the screen?
Answer
A tablet.
Computers are like super-helpers for our brains. We can use them to practice our math by counting or to learn how to spell new words. They can show us pictures of planets in space or animals under the ocean that we can't see in person. When we use a computer to learn, we are using technology to grow smarter every day!
Imagine you are using a math game on a tablet: 1. The screen shows you apples. 2. Then it shows you more apples. 3. The computer helps you count them all to find that apples!
Can you find the computer in this story? 'Sam is sitting at the kitchen table. He is looking at a screen that is attached to a keyboard. When he is done with his homework, he closes the screen down flat against the keyboard and puts it in his bag.' What kind of computer is Sam using? Sam is using a laptop because it folds flat and can be moved!
Which of these is a computer you can fold up and put in a backpack?
What do we call the part of the computer that shows us pictures?
A tablet is a type of computer.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, look around your classroom or home. Can you find one desktop, one laptop, or one tablet?
Practice Activity
Draw a picture of your favorite type of computer and draw one thing you would like to learn on it today!