Lesson Plan

• Describe the principle of magnetic storage and how binary data is represented by magnetic polarity.
• Identify the main components of magnetic hard disks and magnetic tape drives and explain their functions.
• Compare performance characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of HDDs and magnetic tape.
• Analyse appropriate use‑cases for each magnetic storage medium in ICT environments.

• Projector and screen
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed handouts with HDD and tape diagrams
• Sample HDD (or high‑resolution image)
• Sample tape cartridge (or image)
• Worksheet for HDD vs. tape comparison
• Exit‑ticket slips

Start with the question, “What would happen to your school projects if you dropped your computer?” Connect to students’ existing knowledge of binary data and basic storage concepts. Explain that today they will discover how magnetic devices store that data and what criteria determine the right choice for different tasks.

1. Do‑now (5’) – quick quiz on types of storage (primary vs. backup).
2. Mini‑lecture with slides (10’) – magnetic principles and overview of HDD and tape.
3. Interactive demonstration (10’) – label parts of an HDD diagram and discuss function.
4. Group activity (15’) – complete comparison worksheet (capacity, access type, cost, reliability).
5. Teacher‑led discussion (10’) – performance factors (rpm, seek time, sequential vs. random access) and real‑world applications.
6. Exit ticket (5’) – one‑sentence answer: “When would you choose tape over an HDD and why?”

Summarise that HDDs provide fast random access for everyday computing, while magnetic tape offers high‑capacity, low‑cost archival storage. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, and assign a homework task to research the latest LTO generation capacity and present a brief recommendation for a school backup strategy.