This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Do you want to understand what goes on inside a computer and maybe even build your own? Join us for a hands-on exploration of the compatibility between the parts of a computer and how they work together to make a running system.
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: If you plan to build your computer during the workshop, have all computer components in hand before the start of the first class. If you are planning to build later, make sure you have a plan for sourcing parts.
Suggested grade level: 9th – 12th grade
Suggested credit: ½ semester computer science
Description
What is a CPU, a motherboard, or RAM? In this course, students will learn the parts of the computer in detail. They will learn about the compatibility between the parts and how they work together to make a running system. The instructor will show students how to build their own computer using the recommended materials—this is a highly technical project, but don’t worry! The instructor will be with you every step of the way, and you will be able to watch recordings of the tutorials to help you build at your own pace. (Note that if you are not quite ready to build your own computer, or don’t have all the parts yet, you will still be able to learn how to build one. You will have access to the course for six months after the last class, so you will have plenty of time to build at your own pace.)
Outline
Day 1-2: An overview of the personal computer (PC) components.
Day 3-6: Putting the PC together and troubleshooting.
Materials and Homework
Materials: Mid-Range Parts https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Vj3Dwg or High-End Parts https://pcpartpicker.com/list/CRM4N6
Homework: As this is a hands-on course, the following assignments will be completed outside of class. There will be two quizzes. The first quiz will be on identifying the components of a computer. The second quiz will be on what each component is and does. There will also be a writing assignment in which students will have to think about how they would customize their computer to perform best for the tasks they wish to complete. This assignment will be 5 to 7 paragraphs in length.
Important Dates
Class dates: Monday through Thursday, June 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, and 25, 2024
Starting time: 5:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Central, 3:30 Mountain, 2:30 Pacific)
