When learning about computers and learning about coding it is important to first know the difference between hardware and software! Don’t miss the hardware vs. software song and this fun computer science lesson from Scratch Garden.
Lyrics
Hardware software over where? Hardware software everywhere!
Hardware software over there? Hardware software underwear!
Hardware is the stuff you can see and feel
But please don’t eat it, it’s not a meal
This screen, this keyboard, and cords for power
These speakers and this printer, but not this flower
Software is actually something you can’t see
It’s inside the hardware, don’t believe me?
It’s the instructions that tell the computer what to do
We call this coding, and you can do it too!
Hardware and software, they need each other
Like I need pizza and a baby bird needs a mother
Actually you can’t have one without the other
They’re like a family, like a sister and a brother
You want an example? OK, take this screen
It uses both to work, you’ll see what I mean
The screen is the hardware, you already know
But software inside tells the screen to turn on and glow
Then it will tell it what to show
Like some words, an image, or this video
But without any software, I’m gonna be frank
If you didn’t have no software, the screen would just be blank!
Hardware software over where? Hardware software everywhere!
Hardware software over there? Hardware software underwear!
Let’s divide up the hardware some more, make some slices!
Into one: input and two: output devices!
One makes things go in the computer and the other things come out
You’ll understand this, I have no doubt
With a keyboard you type words and this is input
A printer can print words and this is output
With a mic you can sing and this is input
A speaker makes sounds and this is output
And with a screen, yeah especially these days
Well things with a screen can actually go both ways!
Some screens you can input stuff with your fingers
You can click and swipe or type stuff with fingers
But a screen you know, we talked about this before
Can output colors, and pictures, and videos and more!
Hardware software over where? Hardware software everywhere!
Hardware software over there? Hardware software underwear!
Hardware software over where? Hardware software everywhere!
Hardware software over there? Hardware software underwear!