Computing · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Input and Output Devices

Active learning helps young students grasp input and output by making abstract ideas concrete and memorable. When children physically act out processes or explore devices with their hands, they build lasting understanding of how technology responds to their actions.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Computing - Computer Systems
• KS1: Computing - Information Technology

• 15–20 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 15 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Human Computer

One student is the 'Input' (pokes a shoulder), one is the 'Processor' (claps), and one is the 'Output' (jumps). They practice different 'programs' to see how an input always leads to a specific output.

How can you give instructions to a tablet or computer?

Facilitation Tip

During the Human Computer relay, stand back after giving instructions to allow students to self-correct their actions and timing.

What to look for

Hold up various common objects like a mouse, keyboard, speaker, or tablet. Ask students to give a thumbs up if it's an input device and a thumbs down if it's an output device. Follow up by asking 'How do you know?' for a few examples.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 20 min · Pairs

Inquiry Circle: Input/Output Hunters

Pairs look at different devices (a keyboard, a speaker, a mouse, a screen). They must sort them into two hoops: 'Things we give information to' and 'Things that give information to us'.

How does a computer show you its answer , can you think of different ways?

Facilitation Tip

When leading Input/Output Hunters, circulate with a clipboard to listen for precise language like ‘touch’, ‘press’, ‘see’, and ‘hear’ as students categorise devices.

What to look for

Give each student a small card. Ask them to draw one input device on one side and one output device on the other. For each drawing, they should write one word describing what it does (e.g., 'type', 'see', 'hear', 'click').

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Mystery Machine

The teacher describes an output (e.g., 'It makes a loud beeping sound and shows numbers'). Students must guess the machine (a microwave) and identify what the 'input' was (pressing the time buttons).

Why do you think different machines have different buttons or screens?

Facilitation Tip

In the Mystery Machine activity, pause after the pair discussion to invite quieter pairs to share their guesses with the whole class.

What to look for

Gather students around a familiar device, like a tablet or a simple toy robot. Ask: 'What button or screen area do you touch to make it do something?' (Input). Then ask, 'What does it do or show you when you touch it?' (Output). Discuss why different buttons or screens might exist on different devices.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic through multi-sensory experiences to anchor new vocabulary in real actions. Avoid abstract definitions at this stage; instead, anchor explanations in what children can see and do. Research shows that physical interaction and peer talk strengthen early computational thinking, so prioritise opportunities for movement, collaboration, and clear feedback loops.

By the end of the activities, students will confidently identify input and output devices, explain their roles in simple terms, and apply this knowledge to familiar technology. They will also begin to sequence events, recognizing that input always comes before output.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Human Computer activity, watch for students reversing the sequence of input and output.

  Pause the relay and ask the class, ‘What had to happen first? Did the runner start before or after the trigger?’ Model saying the sequence aloud together: ‘Press, move, stop.’

• During the Mystery Machine activity, listen for students saying that a screen is only an input because it is touched.

  Use the separate mouse and monitor you’ve set up nearby. Ask students to press the mouse (input) and watch the screen change (output). Then ask them to touch the screen and say, ‘Now the screen is both—it feels my touch and shows me the picture.’

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share