Project: Plan a Network for a Small Business
Computer Science Fundamentals Grades 9–12 3-day lesson 24 deliverables In this networking lesson, students plan a network for a small dance studio and keep it safe. They list the studio's needs, choose its network type and a cable or Wi-Fi for each device, and draw the network map.
● Instant download · Lifetime access · Editable & print-ready
Print + digitalPDF, PowerPoint, Word & Google
Answer keysA key for every page
Built-in assessmentExit tickets + project rubric
45-minute daysEvery day planned and timed
What does this lesson cover?
It's hard to tell whether students can use network ideas together until they plan a whole network. In this project, they choose the network type, connections, servers, sites and safe habits for a small business, using facts from the studio's story. The pitch at the end shows you whether they can explain each choice.
Needs and the Map
Students read a dance studio's story, list its needs, choose its network type and a cable or Wi-Fi for each device, and draw the network map.
Everything that's included
00 Start Here
- READ FIRST: every file in the lesson and when you use it
- Teacher guide and pacing: the plan for each day, what to print and how to grade
- Skills map: which standards each day teaches
01 Present
- One editable PowerPoint deck for all three days, 28 slides, with speaker notes
- Slide script: the speaker notes, printed
- Bell ringers: a short warm-up for each day
02 Student Handouts
- Guided notes for all three days, in PDF and editable Word, with the word bank on the page
- Vocab slip: the lesson's words and what they mean, on one page
04 Activities
- Needs and the Map: read the studio's story, list its needs, choose its network type and a cable or Wi-Fi for each device, and draw the network map
- Servers, Sites and the Call: choose where the studio's files live, name the clients and servers, plan the intranet, extranet and public website, and trace the guest teacher's video call
- Keep It Safe and Pitch It: name three risks in their plan with a safe habit for each, check the plan against every need and pitch it to a partner who plays the owner
05 Assessment
- Exit tickets, one per day: quick questions that show who needs more help
- Project rubric: what the whole project is graded on, 16 points
06 Answer Keys
- 4 answer key files: a key for each day (its bell ringer, notes and exit ticket) and the activity keys
Digital: Google Forms™ + Google Slides™
- 3 Google Forms™ of the exit tickets, ready to copy into your Drive
- The multiple choice grades itself, and you grade the written answers
- A Google Slides™ copy of the deck, with the same slides and speaker notes, for Google Classroom™
Why teachers love this lesson
Students draw a network mapThe map shows each of the studio's devices and how it connects, so the plan is easy to check.
Students check the plan against every needBefore they pitch, students name the risks in their plan, choose a safe habit for each and make sure every need is met.
Print and digitalEvery page is a print-ready PDF, and the Google Forms™ and Google Slides™ let you teach the same lesson in Google Classroom™.
A key for every pageEvery day has its own answer key, and every written question has a sample answer and what to look for.
Every day fits a 45-minute classEach day's plan is timed activity by activity against real reading and writing speeds.
Written for your studentsEvery student page is checked for reading level, with plain words and complete sentences.
What Teachers Say
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How do I get the files after I buy?
Instant download right after checkout: PowerPoint and Word files you can edit, print-ready PDFs, and links that copy the Google Forms™ and Google Slides™ into your Drive.
Can I buy the whole unit or course instead?
Yes. This lesson is part of the Unit 3 bundle and the complete Computer Science Fundamentals course. Both cost less than buying the lessons one at a time.
Is this AP Computer Science?
No. It is a full-year, non-AP intro course for grades 9 to 12. For AP, see AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A.
What formats are the files in?
Every page is a print-ready PDF. The slides are an editable PowerPoint and the guided notes an editable Word file. The exit tickets also come as Google Forms™, and the deck as Google Slides™.
Which standards does it cover?
Written for Florida's Advanced Information Technology course (9007610). The skills map in the lesson shows which standards each day teaches.