Chapter 1: Meet Your Devices
Meet Your Devices 💻
Section titled “Meet Your Devices 💻”Get to Know Your Tech Tools
You use technology all the time — but do you know how it really works? Being a smart tech user means understanding your tools, not just tapping until something happens. Let’s start with the devices themselves.
1.1 — Kinds of Devices 📱
Section titled “1.1 — Kinds of Devices 📱”A devicedevice: A tool like a tablet, laptop, phone, or computer that helps you do things and go online. is a tech tool you use to do things and go online. Here are the main kinds:
- Tablet or iPad — a flat device with a touchscreen you tap with your fingers.
- Laptop — a computer with a keyboard that folds shut so you can carry it.
- Desktop — a bigger computer that stays on a desk.
- Smartphone — a small computer that fits in your pocket and makes calls.
The big difference is how you control them. Tablets and phones use a touchscreentouchscreen: A screen you touch with your fingers to tap, swipe, and zoom.. Laptops and desktops use a mouse or touchpad to move a pointer, plus a keyboard.
1.2 — The Parts of a Device 🔩
Section titled “1.2 — The Parts of a Device 🔩”The parts you can touch are called hardwarehardware: The parts of a device you can see and touch, like the screen, keyboard, and mouse.:
- Screen — shows you pictures and words.
- Keyboard — keys you press to type.
- Mouse or touchpad — moves the pointer.
- Camera and microphone — for photos and video calls.
- Ports — little slots to plug things in, like the charger.
Your work is kept in storage. It can be on the device, or in the cloudcloud: A place on the internet — like Google Drive or iCloud — where your files are saved so you can open them on any device. — a place on the internet where your files are saved and backed up.
1.3 — Turning On and Logging In 🔑
Section titled “1.3 — Turning On and Logging In 🔑”To turn a computer off, use the menu to shut it down — don’t just pull the plug — so it can save your work. If something acts weird, restarting (turning off and on again) fixes many problems!
Most devices ask you to log inlog in: To prove it's really you, using a password, a PIN, or a fingerprint or face scan. so only you can get in. You might use a password, a PIN (a number code), or your fingerprint or face.
1.4 — Tablets, iPads, and Helping Everyone 👆
Section titled “1.4 — Tablets, iPads, and Helping Everyone 👆”Tablets like the iPad work by tapping apps on a home screen and using finger moves — swipe up to go home, pinch to zoom. You get new apps from an app store, which helps keep out bad software.
Every device can also change to fit you. These accessibilityaccessibility: Settings that change a device to fit you — like bigger text, reading out loud, or captions on videos. settings can make text bigger, read the screen out loud, or add captions to videos. They help everyone!
Chapter 1 Activity: Be a Device Detective 🔍
Section titled “Chapter 1 Activity: Be a Device Detective 🔍”Part 1: Label It
Section titled “Part 1: Label It”Draw a device you use. Label at least four parts (screen, keyboard, camera, port) and what each one does.
Part 2: On and Off
Section titled “Part 2: On and Off”Write the steps to turn the device on, log in, and turn it off the right way.
Part 3: Make It Yours
Section titled “Part 3: Make It Yours”With a grown-up, change one setting — make the text bigger or the screen brighter. What happened? Who would that help?
Key Concepts Checklist
Section titled “Key Concepts Checklist”- I can name the main kinds of devices
- I can tell the difference between a touchscreen and a mouse
- I can point to hardware parts like the screen, camera, and ports
- I know files can be saved on a device or in the cloud
- I can turn a device on, log in, and shut it down the right way
- I know what a password, PIN, and fingerprint login are
- I can spot a scary “click now!” trick message
- I know how tablets use apps and how to make text bigger