SS 1 First Term

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BY THE END OF THE LESSON STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

Cognitive	i. Describe the keyboard and the mouse as input devices. ii. Identify scanners, microphones, webcams and touchscreens. iii. Choose the right input device for a task. iv. Describe input technologies and assistive input devices.
Affective	i. Appreciate the value of Input Devices in school, at home and in the community. ii. Show willingness to use digital tools carefully, safely and responsibly.
Psychomotor	i. Group a list of input devices into typing, pointing and capturing devices. ii. Draw a table of five input devices and their uses. iii. Choose an input device for a bank and explain your choice. iv. Name two assistive input devices and who needs them.

Rationale: An input device is any hardware component that lets the user enter data and instructions into a computer. Understanding the Keyboard and the Mouse, scanners, Microphones, Webcams, and Touchscreens, choosing the Right Input Device, input Hardware Technologies helps learners use digital technology confidently, safely and responsibly.

Pre-requisite Knowledge: In Week 3, learners studied Computer Hardware Architecture, including characteristics of a Computer, the Motherboard and the System Unit, the CPU, ALU, Control Unit, and Registers. The knowledge from that week is used again in this lesson.

Learning Material/Teaching Aid: Whiteboard, markers, computer or laptop where available, printed notes and charts on Input Devices, practical task sheets, learners' notebooks and pens.

Reference Materials: Digital Technology for Senior Secondary Schools (SS 1); NERDC Digital Technology Curriculum; Digital Technology SS 1 First Term Notes (Week 4); First Term examination and Continuous Assessment question papers.

LESSON DEVELOPMENT

Stage/Step (Time)	Teacher's Activities	Student's Activities	Learning Points
Introduction 5 MINUTES	Welcomes learners, revises Week 3 (Computer Hardware Architecture) with two quick oral questions, and asks what they already know about Input Devices. Elicits responses and writes the topic on the board.	Recall the previous lesson and share what they already know about Input Devices.	Connecting prior knowledge to Input Devices.
Step 1 6 MINUTES	Covers The Keyboard and the Mouse: An input device is any hardware component that lets the user enter data and instructions into a computer. Input devices capture data in the real world (text, images, sound, movement) and convert it into digital signals that the CPU can process. Covers Scanners, Microphones, Webcams, and Touchscreens: A scanner captures printed text, photos, or documents and converts them into digital images that a computer can edit, store, and print. Flatbed scanners work like a photocopier, where the paper lies on a glass plate and a moving light passes over it.	Listen, take notes and answer oral questions on "The Keyboard and the Mouse" and related points.	Understanding: The Keyboard and the Mouse; Scanners, Microphones, Webcams, and Touchscreens.
Step 2 6 MINUTES	Covers Choosing the Right Input Device: Choosing an input device depends on the type of data (text, numbers, sound, images), the speed and accuracy required, the environment (office, field, classroom), and cost. For typing a 20-page essay, the keyboard is best because it is fast and accurate for text. Covers Input Hardware Technologies: Input devices work by sensing physical signals and converting them into data the computer can process. An optical mouse uses a light sensor to track movement, a touchscreen detects where a finger touches, and a microphone converts sound waves into digital signals.	Copy the key points, give examples from school and everyday life, and ask questions on "Choosing the Right Input Device" and related points.	Understanding: Choosing the Right Input Device; Input Hardware Technologies.
Step 3 6 MINUTES	Covers Input Interfaces and Data Capture Techniques: An input interface is the point where a user or machine passes data into the system, including the physical port (such as USB or Bluetooth) and the software that receives the data. Data capture is the process of collecting data so the computer can store and use it.	Discuss in pairs, then report one point on "Input Interfaces and Data Capture Techniques" to the class.	Understanding: Input Interfaces and Data Capture Techniques.
Step 4 6 MINUTES	Covers Alternative and Assistive Input Devices: Alternative input devices provide other ways of entering data for users who cannot use a standard keyboard or mouse comfortably. A joystick and a trackball replace the mouse, and a drawing tablet lets an artist write with a pen.	Respond to questions, complete the examples on the board and note down "Alternative and Assistive Input Devices".	Understanding: Alternative and Assistive Input Devices.
Practical Work 6 MINUTES	Guides learners through the practical work: (i) Group a list of input devices into typing, pointing and capturing devices. (ii) Draw a table of five input devices and their uses. (iii) Choose an input device for a bank and explain your choice. Moves round the class to check progress and correct unsafe or careless use.	Carry out the practical tasks individually or in pairs and record what they did in their notebooks.	Applying the lesson through hands-on practice.
Evaluation 3 MINUTES	Asks learners to: i. Describe the keyboard and the mouse as input devices. ii. Identify scanners, microphones, webcams and touchscreens. iii. Choose the right input device for a task. iv. Describe input technologies and assistive input devices.	Respond verbally and in writing to the evaluation questions.	Assessment and consolidation of the lesson content.
Conclusion 2 MINUTES	Recaps the main points: the Keyboard and the Mouse, scanners, Microphones, Webcams, and Touchscreens, choosing the Right Input Device, input Hardware Technologies, input Interfaces and Data Capture Techniques. Links them to the assignment and previews Week 5: Output Devices.	Listen, ask questions and copy the assignment.	Reinforcement of key concepts and a preview of the next lesson.

Assignment: i. (a) Define Computer Hardware and categorize it into Input, Output, and Storage components. (b) Explain the primary functions of computer peripheral devices, giving specific attention to Scanners, Plotters, and Projectors. (c) Convert 10 Megabytes (MB) into Kilobytes (KB) and then calculate how many 512-byte blocks can fit into that 10 MB space. ii. A bank wants to digitise ten years of paper withdrawal forms for its archive. Which input device should it choose, and why is that device better than typing every form with a keyboard, using speed and accuracy in your justification?