Lesson Plan

• Describe the purpose and key characteristics of secondary storage.
• Compare common secondary storage devices (HDD, SSD, optical disc, USB flash, magnetic tape) in terms of capacity, speed, durability, cost and portability.
• Calculate storage requirements for a simple project and choose an appropriate device.
• Explain the main advantages and disadvantages of each type of secondary storage.
• Evaluate factors (capacity, speed, budget, portability, longevity) to select suitable secondary storage for a given scenario.

• Projector and screen
• Whiteboard and markers
• Handout with a comparison table of secondary storage devices
• Sample USB flash drive (or external SSD) for demonstration
• Laptop with internet access for quick videos
• Worksheet for storage‑requirement calculations

Begin by asking students where their photos, videos and documents are kept after the computer is turned off. Link this to their existing knowledge of RAM as temporary memory. Explain that today they will learn how permanent (secondary) storage works and what criteria they can use to pick the right device. Success will be measured by their ability to describe, compare and calculate storage needs.

1. Do‑Now (5'): Students write a quick list of devices they use to store data outside the computer.
2. Mini‑lecture with slides (10'): Overview of secondary storage purpose, key characteristics and why it is needed.
3. Device showcase (15'): Demonstrate HDD, SSD, optical disc, USB flash and magnetic tape (images/video). Discuss capacity, access time, transfer rate, durability, cost.
4. Comparison activity (10'): Students work in pairs with the handout to fill a Venn‑style chart comparing the five devices.
5. Calculation practice (10'): Using the worksheet, students estimate storage for a sample project and apply a 15% safety margin.
6. Decision‑making discussion (5'): Groups choose the most suitable device for the sample project and justify their choice.

Recap the main points: permanent nature of secondary storage, the trade‑offs between speed, capacity, durability and cost, and how to calculate needs. Exit ticket: each student writes the single device they would recommend for long‑term archival and one reason why. For homework, students research the current price per GB of SSDs and prepare a brief recommendation for upgrading a school computer.