Introduction to computers QR code scavenger hunt

This task could be used to find out what students know, or to help students revise and understand key hardware terms. Students will need mobile phones with a QR reader app. Some students will need to work in pairs if they are without phones. You could set homework the previous week to download and use a QR reader onto their phones.

1) Print off the QR codes, cut them up and display them around the room. Click here for the codes.

2) Hand out the following questions to students or display them on the whiteboard:

   A1. Any piece of computing equipment you can touch.
   A2. Keyboard, graphics tablet, microphone.
   A3. VDU, speakers, printer.
   A4. It’s the brain of the computer.
   A5. Random Access Memory (RAM).
   A6. It’s a piece of software that does something useful for people.
   A7. It manages the computer.
   A8. A place you can attach a device to your computer.
   A9. USB ports, FireWire ports and HDMI ports.
   A10. It’s needed to store all your files and programs permanently.
   A11. Any hardware that can be connected to the CPU, usually via a port.
   A12. Visual Display Unit.
   A13. It’s the case that holds all of the computer components.
   A14. It’s the circuit board that components inside a computer are attached to.
   A15. It has a program that checks the computer is working and helps it start up correctly.

2) Get students into pairs. They should jot down what they think the question is to each answer. Use a 5 minute countdown clock for this task.

3) Go through some random answers and get ideas for what some of the questions might be.

4) Explain to students that there are 20 questions around the room in the form of QR codes. Their job is to find and write down the question that goes with the answer. Explain that there are also 5 questions without answers. They also have to come up with suitable answers for those 5 questions, perhaps using books and the Internet.

5) Students who finish could find out how to make up their own questions and answers to test other students with in the form of QR codes and then make a few.

6) Bring the class together and go over the answers for the 5 questions where no answers were supplied. Try out some of the QR codes that students have made.

Here are all the questions and answers:

Q1. What is meant by computer hardware?
A1. Any piece of computing equipment you can touch.

Q2. State three input devices.
A2. Keyboard, graphics tablet, microphone.

Q3. State three output devices.
A3. VDU, speakers, printer.

Q4. What does a CPU do?
A4. It’s the brain of the computer.

Q5. Where are the programs and files you are currently using held?
A5. Random Access Memory (RAM).

Q6. What is meant by a software application?
A6. It’s a piece of software that does something useful for people.

Q7. What does an operating system do?
A7. It manages the computer.

Q8. What is meant by a 'port'?
A8. A place you can attach a device to your computer.

Q9. Give three examples of the names of ports you may find on a computer or laptop.
A9. USB ports, FireWire ports and HDMI ports.

Q10. Explain why a computer needs a hard drive.
A10. It’s needed to store all your files and programs permanently.

Q11. Describe what is meant by a ‘peripheral’.
A11. Any hardware that can be connected to the CPU, usually via a port.

Q12. What does VDU stand for?
A12. Visual Display Unit.

Q13. What is a chassis?
A13. It’s the case that holds all of the computer components.

Q14. What is a motherboard?
A14. It’s the circuit board that components inside a computer are attached to.

Q15. What does ROM do?
A15. It has a program that checks the computer is working and helps it start up correctly.

OTHER QUESTIONS
Q16. Why does the CPU need a fan?
Q17. What is the network adapter for?
Q18. What is malware?
Q19. What is the unit used to measure storage capacity?
Q20. What is meant by the term ‘solid state’ when referring to hardware?