Lesson Plan

• Describe the main hardware components that enable internet connectivity.
• Explain the function of each component within the internet architecture.
• Analyse how data travels through hardware from a client to a server.
• Evaluate the supporting infrastructure that ensures reliability and security.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Slide deck showing hardware diagrams
• Handouts with hardware summary table
• Sample network cable and NIC (or images)
• Whiteboard markers
• Exit ticket slips

Begin with a short video of a data centre to spark curiosity about what lies behind the web. Ask students what devices they think make the internet work, linking to prior knowledge of routers and switches. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to identify key hardware and describe its role in the network.

1. Do‑Now (5') – quick quiz on basic networking terms to activate prior knowledge.
2. Mini‑lecture (10') – present the core hardware components (router, switch, modem, NIC, server, firewall, load balancer, etc.) with slides.
3. Guided exploration (15') – display a client‑to‑server path diagram; students label each device and its function.
4. Group activity (15') – teams match hardware cards to their primary functions and typical deployment locations.
5. Whole‑class debrief (10') – discuss supporting infrastructure (UPS, cooling, monitoring) and security considerations.
6. Check for understanding (5') – exit ticket: list three hardware pieces and explain how they contribute to internet connectivity.

Summarise the hardware chain from end‑user device to data‑centre server, highlighting the role of each component. Collect the exit tickets to gauge individual understanding and clarify any misconceptions. Assign a brief homework: research one emerging internet hardware technology (e.g., edge computing device) and prepare a one‑minute summary for the next class.