Geeking the kids

[kjn]

Last spring, I told Hulda's kindergarten that I'd like to visit them and show them the insides of a computer. Now, I've finally managed to locate and get my hands on an old trash computer (a 1994-vintage Pentium, no less!), and I'll visit them tomorrow for a show-and-tell.

Things to show from the outside:

• network contacts (RJ45, coax, and old-school transceiver)
• display contact
• keyboard and mouse contacts (maybe with comparison to USB)

Things to show on the inside:

• processor
• hard drive - probably open up this as well
• RAM
• power supply
• graphics card
• diskette drive tape drive
• CD-ROM drive
• fans and cooling system

I've also prepared a short tutorial/play on network topology, using two different sets of strings. I intend to show star topology, and one set of circle or bus topology.

Any other good ideas to do or show? The kids will be four or five years old.

Comments

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

I can't comment, because I'm suddenly feeling all Rainbows End-y over the fact that it's reasonable to teach four-year-olds about network topologies...

[kjn]

Introducing maths is supposed to be a prioritised topic this year. And when I noticed the great old network card with all those old connections, I knew I had to do something with it.

[thette.livejournal.com]

Me too, to be honest.

(Though I'm teaching our very own four year old about physiology and anatomy in great detail.)