Lesson Plan

• Describe the purpose, typical ports and communication model of HTTP, FTP, POP3, IMAP, SMTP and BitTorrent.
• Explain the differences between client‑server and peer‑to‑peer models and how statefulness varies across the protocols.
• Compare how each protocol manages connections and data transfer in real‑world scenarios.
• Apply knowledge by matching a given network task to the appropriate protocol.

• Projector and screen
• Whiteboard and markers
• Handout with protocol summary table
• Slide deck showing diagrams of client‑server and P2P interactions
• Laptops with internet access (Wi‑Fi)
• Sample packet‑capture files (Wireshark) for HTTP, FTP and email
• BitTorrent client demo file
• Exit‑ticket cards

Begin with a quick poll: “Which online activity did you just perform?” – students answer (browsing, emailing, downloading). Connect these actions to the invisible protocols that make them possible. Review the OSI/TCP‑IP layers covered previously and state that by the end of the lesson they will be able to identify each protocol’s purpose, port and communication model.

1. Do‑now (5') – Matching quiz on a printed sheet: protocol ↔ purpose.
2. Mini‑lecture (15') – Slides summarise each protocol (purpose, ports, model, statefulness) with diagrams.
3. Live demo (10') – Show an HTTP GET request in browser dev tools and explain request/response flow.
4. Group activity (15') – In pairs, analyse Wireshark captures of FTP and email (POP3/IMAP) and answer guided questions.
5. BitTorrent simulation (10') – Demonstrate a torrent client, highlight tracker, peers and piece exchange.
6. Check for understanding (5') – Quick “exit ticket” on a sticky: one key difference between HTTP and BitTorrent.

Summarise the main contrasts: client‑server vs peer‑to‑peer, stateless vs stateful, and typical ports. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding and assign homework: create a one‑page comparison chart that includes an additional protocol of their choice, citing purpose, ports and model.