Parts of a computer and switching on and off properly

Hello, computer!

Welcome to your first computer course! Computers help us write stories, draw pictures, find information and talk to people far away. In this course you will learn to use one confidently, and at the end you will make and show something of your own.

The parts of a computer

Let's meet the main parts. Your teacher will point to each one.

• Screen (monitor): where you see pictures and words.
• Keyboard: the buttons with letters and numbers. You type with it.
• Mouse or touchpad: you move it to point at things on the screen and click to choose them.
• System unit or laptop body: the box that does the thinking. Inside is the processor, a bit like the computer's brain.
• Speakers or headphones: so you can hear sounds.
• Printer: puts your work onto paper.

A laptop has the screen, keyboard, touchpad and system unit all together in one piece that folds.

Switching on

1. Check the computer is plugged in, or the laptop battery is charged.
2. Press the power button. It often has a circle with a line through the top.
3. Wait. The computer takes a little time to wake up.
4. You may need to type a password. Your teacher will help. Never tell your password to friends.

Switching off properly

Do not just press the power button or pull out the plug. That can lose your work or hurt the computer.

1. Save your work first.
2. Click the Start button (at the bottom left on Windows).
3. Click the power icon.
4. Click Shut down.
5. Wait for the screen to go dark.

Looking after the computer

• Keep food and drinks away. One spill can break a keyboard.
• Wash and dry your hands before using it.
• Carry laptops with two hands and closed.
• Be gentle with keys and cables.

Sitting well

Sit up straight with your feet on the floor or a footrest. Keep the screen about an arm's length away. Take a short break every twenty minutes: look at something far away and stretch.

Let's try

With your teacher, find each part of your computer and say its name. Then switch the computer on, wait for the desktop, and switch it off properly.

For grown ups

This lesson builds confidence and good habits. Please help children practise switching off properly at home, and agree simple rules about food and drink near devices.

What you learned

You now know the parts of a computer and how to switch it on and off the right way. That is the start of being a computer expert!