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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History of Computers II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars review the history of computers. They familiarize themselves with vocabulary associated with computer usage. Students watch a video that chronicles the history of computers and complete a KWL chart.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Computer Mystery

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the history of the computer. They explore who invented the computer, how it was invented, and how it has evolved. Students work together in order to gain the knowledge need to repair computers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting Started With Java-Background

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners study the history of computers including hardware and software, binary representation of data and examine the beginnings of programming languages. They investigate the development of software and the fundamentals of...
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Website
Other

Ibm Archives: Valuable Resources on Ibm's History

For Students 9th - 10th
This site chronicles the history of International Business Machines including exhibits, documents, and multimedia.
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eBook
Other

History of the Internet, Internet for Historians

For Students 9th - 10th
This contains a description of earliest developments of the internet as well as recent innovations.
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Website
The Franklin Institute

Franklin Institute: The Case Files: Early History of Computing

For Students 9th - 10th
Computers are ubiquitous today. Step back in time and meet some of the early inventors of precursors to computers, and of the first computers.
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Website
Computer Hope

Computer Hope: Free Computer Help for Everyone

For Students 9th - 10th
ComputerHope.com offers an archive of free computer-related information, including tutorials, troubleshooting tips, hints and more. Select "Hardware Listing" and "Software Listing" to choose from the extensive directory, or perform a...
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Handout
Other

Net History: Resource Centre for Internet History

For Students 9th - 10th
The history of the Internet is explained nontechnically in an easily accessible format. This portal compiles information starting with the early beginnings of the Internet through predictions on where the Internet will take us in the...
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Website
Computer History Museum

Computer History Museum

For Students 9th - 10th
This site includes a variety of exhibits, an artifact repository, special events and publications.
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Unit Plan
Other

London Grid for Learning: History of Computing: A Brave New World

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource aims to teach the history of computing and the effect of landmark moments in computing history on today's world. Crosses different curriculum areas. Explanations of many of the world's significant computers were provided by...
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Handout
Computer History Museum

Computer History Museum: Microprocessors

For Students 9th - 10th
The invention of the microprocessor is a very important milestone in the digital age. This site presents a timeline that illustrates the history of the microprocessor from 1971 through 1996.
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Article
History of Computing Science

History of Computing Science: Past Computer History

For Students 9th - 10th
An in-depth lecture and PowerPoint slideshow on the history of computing can be found here. It gives an overview of the advances in science that made desktop computers possible, starting with the invention of counting, to the...
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Graphic
Columbia University

Columbia University Computing H Istory: Hollerith 1890 Census Tabulator

For Students 9th - 10th
Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine was a very important advancement on the historical timeline of computing devices. This site describes how the machine worked and the role that it played in the development of the computing devices...
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Website
Computer History Museum

Computer History Museum: The Silicon Engine

For Students 9th - 10th
Microelectronic silicon computer chips have provided the growth engine for the technology revolution. This site provides a wealth of information about the development of semiconductors. Included is a timeline of major events, a list of...
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Article
Harvard University

Harvard University: Howard Aiken: Makin' a Computer Wonder

For Students 9th - 10th
About Howard Aiken's mission to build the first programmable computer.
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Article
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 1031: Antikythera Mechanism

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains the history of and a description of the Antikythera Mechanism in written and audio form.
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Website
Great Idea Finder

The Great Idea Finder: History of Computing

For Students 9th - 10th
The Great Idea Finder offers a timeline of the history of computers. Each innovation and invention is also click-able for more information.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: Triumph of the Nerds

For Students 9th - 10th
This page is the companion website to the PBS television special, Triumph of the Nerds. Coverage includes a history of the computer, a who's who, and a television transcript.
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Handout
PBS

Pbs: Who Made America?: Innovators: Gary Kildall

For Students 9th - 10th
One-page profile of influential innovator, Gary Kildall, a pioneer in the computer age whose vision and ideas created the first disc operating system for a microcomputer.
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Website
PBS

Pbs Triumph of the Nerds: A History of the Computer

For Students 3rd - 8th
This companion website for acclaimed PBS series "Triumph of the Nerds" explores the history of the computer, tracing the progression of computing technologies from the abacus to the World Wide Web.
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Website
Other

The Digi Barn Computer Museum

For Students 9th - 10th
This site chronicles the innovations in computer technology including computer hardware, computer software and computer advertising.
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Article
Other

An Illustrated History of Computers Part 1

For Students 9th - 10th
This site describes the history of computer innovations beginning with early mechanical devices to the electronic devices of the 20th century.
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Website
Other

The History of Computing Project

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a the history of computing devices, software, computer companies and biographies.
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Website
Other

Old Computers Rare, Vintage and Obsolete Computers

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains a listing of old computer hardware as well as old computer ads.