The big ideaWe put things in with a keyboard or a microphone. Things come out on a screen.
How it works
An in is how we tell the computer something: a keyboard, a mouse or a microphone.
An out is how the computer tells us: a screen or a speaker.
Things go in, the computer follows its steps, and things come out.
Ins and outs.
Example 1: The microphone
Nia talks into the microphone.
Her voice goes in, so the microphone is an in.
Example 2: The speaker
Nia whispers to the speaker, and nothing happens.
The speaker plays sound out. It does not listen.
To talk to the computer, use the microphone.
Example 3: The talking card
Nia types and clicks, so letters and clicks go in.
The screen shows the card, and the speaker plays a song.
Those come out.
In, steps, out.
Example 4: Find them at home
Pick a tablet or a toy with a grown-up.
Find one way to tell it something, like a touch, a button or your voice.
Find one way it tells you back, like a picture or a sound.
Words to know
in
Something we tell the computer.
out
Something that comes out of the computer.
keyboard
The keys we type letters with.
microphone
The part that hears us.
screen
The part that shows pictures.
speaker
The part that plays sound.
Watch out
A speaker plays sound. It cannot hear us.
A mouse is an in, because a click tells the computer where to go.
A screen is an out, because it shows things to us.
Some parts, like a printer, send things out onto paper.
Try it
Which part hears you talk?
Is a screen an in or an out?
Is a mouse an in or an out?
Which part plays a song?
Answers: 1. The microphone · 2. An out · 3. An in · 4. The speaker
Try at homeWith a grown-up, pick a machine like a tablet or a toy. Find one way to tell it something, like a touch, a button or your voice. Then find one way it tells you back, like a picture or a sound.
For grown-upsPick a tablet or a toy and name its ins and outs together: a touch or a button goes in, and a picture or a sound comes out.
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