First Partial Activity 1.

 Computer History
Previous activities
 Read Chapter 9, Section A, pp. 486-496.
Content
1.    Computer hardware
           1.1    Computer history
                 1.1.1    First generation: vacuum tubes
1.2. 1.1.2 Second generation: transistors
1.1.3 Third generation: integrated circuit
1.1.4 Fourth generation: microprocessor
1.2 Timeline of a digital device
1.3 Computer Taxonomy
1.3.1 Personal computers
1.3.2 Servers
1.3.3 Mainframes
1.3.4 Supercomputers
Review
From room sized computers to handheld devices, we can identify four generations in computer
history. In this session, we will discuss the main features of each generation and why they are
important.
Required material
• Laptop (Windows 7 or Mac OS)

• Book and CD
Estimated time
• Previous readings: 30 minutes

• Class activities: 50 minutes

Delivery method
• None
Instructions / steps
1. Form teams of three members.
2. Choose 10 -15 most important moments in the history of the computer.
3. Open MS Word and create a time line so you can place the events you chose, in chronological order
or sign up and log in to http://www.xtimeline.com (ask your teacher about this instruction).
4. Make sure each event is identified (for example, the invention of the microprocessor), include an
approximate year/date, a brief description of the event and a picture that illustrates it.
5. Locate your group and teacher name on the following Blackboard path and submit your work.
Learning Units /Unit 1: Computer Hardware/Activity 1: Computer history

Evaluation criteria
 Information quality The information The information The information
provided in the provided in the provided in the
timeline reaches timeline is general timeline is
the highest level of and there’s not superficial.
detail and enough detail. The
relevance. The event is identified
event is identified, and dated but it
dated, described lacks description or
and illustrated. picture.
Creativity The timeline is The timeline is The timeline is not
visually appealing visually attractive visually appealing
and it shows a high and it shows a and it shows no
level of medium level of creativeness at all.
creativeness. creativeness.
Resources The team presents The team presents The team does not
four relevant and two relevant and show relevant
trustworthy sources trustworthy sources sources of
of information. of information. information.
Spelling and The timeline shows The timeline shows The timeline shows
grammar no spelling or four spelling or five or more
grammar mistakes. grammar mistakes. spelling or grammar
mistakes.
Homework
 Prepare your timeline for next session