Computing · Year 3 · Connecting the Dots: Networks and the Internet · Autumn Term

Websites and Web Pages

Students learn about the structure of websites, identifying homepages, links, and navigation elements.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Computing - The Internet
• KS2: Computing - Information Technology

About This Topic

Websites consist of multiple web pages connected by hyperlinks, with the homepage acting as the main entry point that provides navigation to other pages. In Year 3, students identify these elements on simple, familiar sites such as school or news pages for children. They learn how hyperlinks enable movement between pages and compare the homepage's role in overviewing content to the focused information on sub-pages.

This topic fits within the KS2 Computing curriculum on the internet and information technology, building on networks by showing how the web structures information for users. Students develop skills in analysing digital interfaces, which supports safe online navigation and prepares for creating digital content. Key questions guide them to explain hyperlinks, compare page purposes, and design a school website navigation path, fostering critical thinking about information organisation.

Active learning suits this topic well. When students trace hyperlinks on printed site maps or build physical models with cards linked by strings, they grasp abstract connections through tangible exploration. Collaborative design tasks make navigation intuitive and memorable, turning passive observation into active understanding.

Key Questions

1. Explain how hyperlinks connect different web pages.
2. Compare the purpose of a homepage to other pages on a website.
3. Design a simple navigation path for a website about our school.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the homepage, hyperlinks, and navigation elements on a given website.
• Explain how hyperlinks facilitate movement between different web pages.
• Compare the primary purpose of a website's homepage to that of its sub-pages.
• Design a simple navigation path for a website about our school, illustrating the connections between pages.

Before You Start

Introduction to Digital Devices

Why: Students need basic familiarity with using computers or tablets to interact with digital content.

Basic Computer Operations

Why: Students should be able to use a mouse and keyboard to navigate simple interfaces and click on items.

Key Vocabulary

Website	A collection of related web pages, images, videos, and other digital assets that are hosted on at least one web server and are typically accessible via the internet.
Web Page	A single document or resource within a website that can be displayed in a web browser. It contains information, text, images, and links.
Homepage	The main or introductory page of a website, usually serving as a central hub that provides an overview and links to other sections.
Hyperlink	A clickable element, often text or an image, that connects to another web page or resource when selected.
Navigation	The system of links and menus on a website that allows users to move between different pages and find information.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

A website is just one big page.

What to Teach Instead

Websites contain many pages connected by hyperlinks. Tracing paths on printed maps or physical models helps students see the multi-page structure. Group hunts reveal how links branch to different content areas.

Common Misconception

Hyperlinks only appear as buttons or images.

What to Teach Instead

Hyperlinks can be underlined text, icons, or images; clicking any jumps to another page. Hands-on hunts where students click various elements build recognition. Pair discussions clarify that text links work the same way.

Common Misconception

The homepage holds all the information.

What to Teach Instead

The homepage overviews and links to detailed sub-pages. Designing mockups shows its index role. Collaborative sharing corrects overload ideas by comparing page purposes.

Active Learning Ideas

Whole Class: Website Dissection

Project a simple website like your school homepage. Students label elements on shared worksheets: homepage, hyperlinks, navigation bar. Discuss as a class how clicking a link moves to a new page, then trace a path together from home to a sub-page.

30 min·Whole Class

Small Groups: Hyperlink Hunt

Provide tablets with child-safe sites. Groups follow teacher-set paths using hyperlinks, noting what each page shows and how navigation works. Groups report back one discovery, such as a menu leading to class pages.

35 min·Small Groups

Pairs: Navigation Path Design

Pairs sketch a school website: homepage with links to 'About Us', 'Classes', 'Events'. Draw arrows for hyperlinks and label page purposes. Pairs present their path, explaining user flow from home to a specific page.

40 min·Pairs

Individual: Homepage Mockup

Students draw their ideal school homepage with 4-5 navigation links to imagined pages. Label each link's destination and purpose. Share one feature with a partner for feedback on clarity.

25 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Web designers use their understanding of navigation and page structure to create user-friendly websites for companies like the BBC, ensuring visitors can easily find news articles or program information.
• Librarians often create website structures for school or public libraries, organizing resources and information so students and patrons can quickly locate books, databases, or event schedules.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a printed screenshot of a simple website (e.g., a local park or museum). Ask them to circle the homepage, underline two hyperlinks, and draw an arrow showing where one hyperlink would lead. Then, ask: 'What is the job of the homepage?'

Quick Check

Display a familiar child-friendly news website on the projector. Ask students to raise their hand and identify the homepage. Then, ask them to point out a link that would take them to a different page and explain what kind of content they expect to find there.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are designing a website for our school. What would be on the homepage, and what other pages would you link to from it? How would you make it easy for someone to find information about clubs or the school play?'

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I explain hyperlinks to Year 3 students?

Compare hyperlinks to doors between rooms in a building: clicking opens a path to new content. Use printed site maps first for tracing without screens, then live demos on safe sites. Students practise by following set paths, reinforcing that links connect pages across the website.

What makes a good homepage for teaching purposes?

A strong homepage has clear navigation menus, a title, and links to main sections like news or classes. Choose child-friendly sites with large text and few distractions. Discuss how it welcomes users and guides them, contrasting with sub-pages focused on one topic like 'Year 3 Homework'.

How can active learning help teach websites and web pages?

Active approaches like physical models with linked cards or group hyperlink hunts make digital structures concrete. Students manipulate elements to see connections, discuss paths, and design their own, building deeper recall than watching demos. This hands-on method suits Year 3 attention spans and turns abstract tech into playful exploration.

What activities build navigation design skills?

Start with pair sketching of school site maps, labelling homepage links to sub-pages. Progress to small group critiques of real sites, noting clear paths. Culminate in whole-class sharing of designs, where peers vote on most intuitive navigation, teaching purpose and user-friendliness.