The Internet
Beginner
40 mins
Teacher/Student led
+75 XP
What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC or iPad/Tablet

How Does the Internet Work?

Follow a step-by-step journey to understand how a message travels across the Internet. Start by crafting your own message, identify key components like devices and routers, and trace its path from sender to receiver.
Learning Goals Learning Outcomes Teacher Notes

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    1 - Introduction

    Set the Stage

    Welcome to this lesson on how the Internet functions. You will investigate the process by constructing a straightforward narrative. This narrative will trace the path of a message from your device to a recipient's device via the Internet.

    To commence, consider a message that you might dispatch to a friend or acquaintance. Here are some examples to guide your thinking:

    • An electronic mail containing information about a school assignment.
    • A text message regarding arrangements for the weekend.
    • A digital file with photographs from a recent occasion.

    Select the precise message you wish to transmit and determine the recipient, such as a fellow student or a relative. This individual selection will assist in developing your narrative and comprehending the essential stages involved in the transmission of messages across the Internet.

    Activity: Dedicate a few minutes to record your chosen message and the name of the recipient. You may use a notebook or a digital document for this purpose. This notation will serve as the basis for your educational exploration in this lesson.
    By personalising this activity, you will gain a clearer insight into the intricate yet fascinating mechanisms that enable global connectivity through the Internet.

    👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

    +5 XP

    2 - Introduce the Key Players

    Introducing the Key Components

    In every narrative, there are essential characters who play specific roles. Similarly, the Internet consists of several key components that work together to ensure your message is delivered successfully from the sender to the receiver. Let us examine these components in detail.

    • Your device (such as a computer, tablet, or phone): This acts as the Sender. It is the starting point where you create and initiate the sending of your message.
    • Your friend’s device: This serves as the Receiver. It is the final destination where your message arrives and can be viewed.
    • Email or messaging servers: These function as the Post Offices. They process, sort, and prepare your message for its journey across the network.
    • Internet Service Providers (ISPs): These are the Delivery Team. They provide the connections and pathways that carry your message through the Internet.
    • Routers: These operate as the Traffic Managers. They direct your message along the most appropriate routes, ensuring it reaches the correct destination without getting lost.
    Understanding these components will help you appreciate how the Internet facilitates communication.

    👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

    +10 XP

    3 - Start the Journey

    Now that you have identified the key components involved in sending a message across the Internet, it is time to commence your narrative. Begin by describing how the Sender—which is your device, such as a computer, tablet, or phone—creates and initiates the sending of the message to the Receiver, your friend’s device.

    Recall the message you selected earlier, along with the intended recipient. In your story, explain that the Sender prepares the message and then relies upon the Delivery Team (your Internet Service Provider, or ISP) and the Post Offices (servers) to begin transporting it through the network.

    For instance, you might write: 'On my computer, I type a message about our school project and press send. My device, the Sender, now hands it over to the Delivery Team and Post Offices to start the journey.'

    Activity: Take a moment to write or note down this opening part of your story in your notebook or digital document. Ensure it clearly shows the Sender starting the process and involving the Delivery Team and Post Offices.
    This step sets the foundation for understanding how messages begin their path across the Internet.

    +10 XP

    4 - Stop at the Post Office

    Continuing your narrative, let us now focus on the next stage of the message's journey. After the Sender (your device) initiates the process, the message is transmitted to the Post Office, which represents the server. This is a crucial checkpoint where the message is prepared for its travels across the Internet.

    At the Post Office, the following actions occur:

    • The server examines the destination address, such as an email address or a telephone number, to verify its correctness and validity.
    • If the address is accurate, the server organises the message, ensuring it is ready for delivery.
    • Once prepared, the server forwards the message to the Delivery Team (your Internet Service Provider, or ISP), which will handle the transportation through the network.

    Think of this as a post office in the real world, where letters are sorted, stamped, and directed to the appropriate delivery routes.

    Activity: Add this part to your story. For example, you might write: 'The message arrives at the Post Office, where the server checks the address to make sure it is correct. Once verified, it passes the message to the Delivery Team for the next leg of the journey.' Write this in your notebook or digital document, building on what you have already noted.
    This step illustrates an important verification process that helps ensure messages reach their intended recipients without errors.

    +10 XP

    5 - The Delivery Team's Route

    Continuing your narrative, we now examine the role of the Delivery Team, which represents your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Once the message has been prepared at the Post Office (server), it is handed over to the Delivery Team. This team is responsible for transporting the message across the vast network of the Internet towards the Receiver (your friend’s device).

    During this journey, the message encounters several Traffic Managers, known as routers. These routers act as guides, directing the message along the most efficient paths. They examine the destination information and ensure the message follows the correct route, preventing it from becoming lost amidst the numerous connections on the Internet.

    Imagine this as a delivery van navigating through a busy city, with traffic lights and signs (the routers) helping it to reach the right address without delays or wrong turns.

    • The Delivery Team (ISP) provides the main pathways and connections that carry the message forward.
    • The Traffic Managers (routers) make decisions at each junction, forwarding the message to the next appropriate point in the network.
    • This process may involve multiple routers, as the message travels through various parts of the Internet to reach its destination.
    Activity: Expand your story by adding this section. For example, you might write: 'The Delivery Team takes the message and starts moving it across the Internet. Along the way, Traffic Managers (routers) guide it, choosing the best paths to ensure it arrives safely at the Receiver.' Note this in your notebook or digital document, building upon the previous parts of your narrative.
    This step highlights the collaborative effort between the Delivery Team and Traffic Managers, which is essential for efficient communication over the Internet.

    +15 XP

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