Rocket races in with a list. "Only three computers at the station!" he says. "The laptop, the tablet and the big control screen."
Raven points at the door, the kitchen and the hallway lights. "What do you notice?" she asks. "The door unlocks with a code. The oven has a timer."
Nova spins in a slow circle. "Many computers hide inside other things," she says. "Would you like a hint? Look for anything with buttons and a little screen."
Some computers are easy to spot. A desktop sits on a desk with its own screen and keyboard. A laptop folds up to travel. A tablet is a flat screen you touch.
A phone is a small computer that fits in a pocket. A game console is a computer built for games.
Other computers hide inside everyday things. A washing machine, a microwave, a car and a traffic light have small computers inside.
| Computer | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop | Keyboard and touchpad | Screen and speakers |
| Tablet | Touchscreen | Screen and speakers |
| Washing machine | Dial and buttons | Lights, beeps and the drum spinning |
| Traffic light | Timer and road sensors | Red, yellow and green lights |
Every one of these follows the same path. Input, process, output, and sometimes storage.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| A phone is a kind of computer. | ? |
| Only things with a keyboard are computers. | ? |
| A traffic light can have a computer inside. | ? |
| A tablet uses a touchscreen for input. | ? |
Week one is done, Crew Technician! You can name the parts, sort hardware from software and follow the path. Tomorrow the Crew Quest takes the hunt to your whole home.