Download RAM Lesson: Understanding the Role and Types of Random Access Memory and more Summaries Computer Science in PDF only on Docsity! Lesson Plan The need for RAM Teacher’s Notes Length 60 mins Specifi cation Link 212/i Learning objective Candidates should be able to: (i) describe the purpose of RAM in a computer system Time (min) Activity Further Notes 10 Props: A hard disk drive, CPU and some RAM chips. Show the students the CPU and, as revision, ask them to state its function in the computer. Ask the students where the programs and data are stored when the computer is switched off. Show the students the hard disk drive and ask why it is referred to as a ‘secondary storage device’. Show the students the RAM chips and reinforce that program instructions and data being accessed by the CPU are stored here for quick access. Using a projector, display the Interactive Starter Activity. Processes data according to the instructions provided by the program. The hard disk drive. It is a secondary storage device as programs and data currently being accessed by the CPU are stored in RAM. 10 Watch the video, pausing to discuss the content. 5 Discuss the video to assess learning. Ask questions such as: • Why is RAM said to be volatile? • Why is it referred to as ‘random’ access memory? • How is dynamic RAM different to static RAM? Answers: Because it loses the data when the power is turned off. Because data stored in RAM can be accessed in any order – does not have to start at the fi rst address and go through in a serial search. Dynamic RAM has to be continuously recharged or refreshed or it loses the data. To store a ‘1’ the memory location has to be charged with electrons. But in dynamic RAM the memory locations are ‘leaky’ and lose electrons, so could empty and therefore represent a ‘0’. Therefore thousands of times a second the CPU has to read each memory location and reset it to ‘1’. Static RAM does not need continuously recharging and is therefore much quicker – data can be accessed by the CPU more rapidly. Static RAM, however, is far more expensive. ® Time (min) Activity Further Notes 15 Worksheet 1 Students to complete Worksheet 1 either on paper or on the computer. They may need access to the Internet to research some of the questions. Ask individual students for their answers and discuss with the class so that all students will have the correct answers. Answers provided. Ask students with the correct responses to explain to the class how they arrived at their answers. 10 The students use Interactive Activity 1. Extension Challenge/Homework Students to complete and submit Worksheet 2 for homework. They should also complete any questions remaining from Worksheet 1. 10 Plenary – Class challenge Use the Interactive Plenary Activity to assess learning. The class should be quickly divided into two teams, which have to alternately answer the questions displayed. ®
