How do I use this pack?
The teacher pack complements the main page in teacher mode with everything you need to print. It is built so that you can print it once and reuse it for years. The interactive packet journey on the main page works beautifully as an opener on the projector.
Recommended sequence
- Preparation: First read through the main page in teacher mode. For each chapter it gives you learning goals, timing, method tips, quiz answers and “mini worksheet” tasks.
- Print the material: Print the worksheets that follow here (ideally one per student minus one, with one held in reserve). Print the parent letter as a class set.
- In the lesson: Follow the lesson overview. Show the interactive packet journey on the projector; the worksheets serve as an activity, not a test.
- Assessment: Optional class test at the end of the unit. Grade using the included rubric.
What's included?
- 4 worksheets — on the four core topics (packet journey, URL, DNS, server & browser). With an answer key directly underneath.
- Class test — 30 points across all topics, with a grading rubric.
- 15 homework tasks — 3 tasks per topic across 3 difficulty tiers.
- Parent letter — a template to adapt, with placeholders.
- Curriculum mapping — mapped to lower-secondary computing & media-literacy curricula (with DE/AT/CH notes), focus on computing & media literacy.
Printing tips
- Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or ⌘+P (Mac). In the print dialog you can also choose “Save as PDF”.
- When printing, the navigation and background colours are hidden — the result works in black and white.
- Each worksheet starts on a new page. You can select individual pages in the print dialog.
- The answer hints for the homework can be collapsed on screen but are always open when printed — only print those pages for yourself.
Lesson overview & learning goals
The unit answers a single big question: What actually happens when I open a website? From there it opens up data packets, addresses, DNS and the interplay of server and browser.
Overarching learning goals
By the end of the unit, students can …
- … describe the internet as a network of networks and debunk the “cloud” myth.
- … explain the path of a request from the click to the page in the right order (device → router → provider → DNS → server → back to the browser).
- … explain why data is transmitted in packets and what advantages that brings.
- … tell apart URL, domain and IP address and name the parts of a URL.
- … explain the job of DNS (name → IP address) using the phone-book analogy.
- … separate the roles of server and browser and describe what “loading” means.
- … argue why the internet belongs to no one alone and what net neutrality means.
Competence matrix (cognitive demand levels)
| Level | Demand | Example from this unit |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — Reproduction | Name terms and stops | List the six stops of the packet journey |
| Level II — Application | Explain and apply connections | Break a URL into scheme, domain and path |
| Level III — Transfer / evaluation | Judge, take a position | Net neutrality: weigh up pros and cons |
Lesson plan — double lesson (90 min)
| Time | Phase | Content & method |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 | Warm-up | Question “What happens when you open a page?” — collect guesses (board). |
| 10–25 | Development 1 | The internet as a network of networks; debunk the “cloud” myth (undersea cables, radio). |
| 25–45 | Development 2 | Interactive packet journey on the projector + Worksheet 1. |
| 45–60 | Development 3 | Anatomy of a URL + DNS as a phone book (Worksheets 2 + 3). |
| 60–80 | Development 4 | Server vs. browser, HTML/CSS, “loading” — role play (Worksheet 4). |
| 80–90 | Consolidation | Who owns the internet? Net neutrality, quiz review. |
In a single double lesson the selection is tight — pick 2 of the 4 worksheets. For the full depth, use the weekly module (3 × 50 min) or the 5-week project (see curriculum mapping).
Worksheets
Each worksheet suits about 15–20 minutes of individual or pair work. The answer key is in a fold-out box directly underneath — cut it off before printing the class set, or print double-sided (student side at the front, answer key at the back — do not hand to students).
Worksheet 1 — The journey of a data packet
1. Order the stops (3 points)
Put the stops in the correct order (1–6) that a request passes through from the click to the finished page. Write the number in the circle:
- ◯ DNS server
- ◯ Web server
- ◯ Your device
- ◯ Router
- ◯ Your browser (assembles the page)
- ◯ Provider
2. Trace the packet journey (3 points)
Draw the path of a data packet from your device to the web server. Label each stop and draw one arrow for the way there and one for the way back:
3. Why packets? (3 points)
A website is not sent in one piece but broken into many small data packets. Name two advantages of this split:
4. What's inside the packet? (2 points)
Every data packet is like a letter. Which two pieces of information must a letter (and a packet) always contain so that it arrives?
5. Reflection (2 points)
The whole journey often takes only half a second. What surprises you most about that? Explain in 1–2 sentences:
Total points: ___ / 13
🔑 Answer key for teachers — Worksheet 1
1. Order: Your device (1) → Router (2) → Provider (3) → DNS server (4) → Web server (5) → Your browser (6). Half a point per correctly placed block, rounded up.
2. Accepted: a coherent sketch with all stops, where the way there and back are recognisable. Full marks for correct order and labelling. (Note: the answer travels back along the same route.)
3. At least 2 of: if a packet is lost, only that one needs to be resent (not the whole page) · packets can travel on different routes and avoid congestion · several requests share the line · even large files fit through the network this way.
4. Sender and recipient (on the network: source and destination IP address). Also accepted: a number for the correct order.
5. Accepted: any well-reasoned answer (e.g. “that so many stops are passed in such a short time”, “that the data even travels through cables under the sea”).
Worksheet 2 — The anatomy of a URL
1. Take a URL apart (3 points)
Here is a URL. Mark (e.g. with three colours) and label the three parts scheme, domain and path:
https://www.webhoch.com/blog/internet
Scheme:
Domain:
Path:
2. Tell the terms apart (3 points)
Explain the difference in one sentence each:
IP address:
Domain:
URL:
3. Match them up (2 points)
Connect (draw lines):
a) https:// | → the name of the site |
b) www.wikipedia.org | → the specific page within the domain |
c) /wiki/Internet | → how the connection is made (secure, encrypted) |
d) 192.0.2.10 | → the technical number behind it |
4. What does the “s” mean? (2 points)
In “https” the “s” stands for something important. What — and what does it mean for you?
5. Your own URL (2 points)
Write down a URL of your favourite site and underline the domain:
Total points: ___ / 12
🔑 Answer key — Worksheet 2
1. Scheme: https:// · Domain: www.webhoch.com · Path: /blog/internet.
2. IP address: the technical number of a device on the network (e.g. 192.0.2.10). Domain: the memorable name for it (e.g. webhoch.com), which DNS resolves. URL: the full address of a page — scheme + domain + path together.
3. a→“how the connection is made”; b→“the name of the site”; c→“the specific page within the domain”; d→“the technical number behind it”.
4. The “s” stands for secure (HTTP over TLS). The connection is encrypted — no one along the way can read along or alter the data. Also accepted: reference to the padlock symbol in the browser.
5. Accepted: any plausible URL with the domain correctly underlined (the part between :// and the next /).
Worksheet 3 — DNS as a phone book
1. The analogy (3 points)
DNS is often compared to a phone book. Fill in the table:
| Phone book | Internet (DNS) |
| Name of a person | _______________________ |
| Phone number | _______________________ |
| “Look up the number” | _______________________ |
2. What is DNS for? (2 points)
Explain in 1–2 sentences what job the DNS server has:
3. Why DNS at all? (3 points)
Why do we type names like wikipedia.org and not simply the number? Name the main reason:
4. Role-play notes (3 points)
In class you played DNS as a role play (one student = resolver, one = root server, one = .org server). Write down in your own words what happens, one step after another, during a request:
5. True or false? (3 points)
Tick the box and briefly correct the false statements:
- ☐ true ☐ false — “DNS stores all the websites in the world.”
- ☐ true ☐ false — “DNS encrypts your data.”
- ☐ true ☐ false — “DNS translates names into IP addresses.”
Total points: ___ / 14
🔑 Answer key — Worksheet 3
1. Name → domain (e.g. wikipedia.org) · Phone number → IP address · “Look up the number” → DNS query / resolution.
2. The DNS server looks up the matching IP address for the name (domain) so that the request finds the right server.
3. People remember names far more easily than long strings of digits; computers, however, need numbers. DNS connects the two. Extra: if a site moves (new IP), the name stays the same.
4. Accepted: the resolver asks in turn — root server (responsible for .org?) → .org server (responsible for wikipedia.org?) → authoritative server (IP address). Full marks for the correct order in the student's own words.
5. false (DNS stores no websites, only names↔numbers) · false (DNS encrypts nothing; that is what HTTPS/TLS does) · true.
Worksheet 4 — Who asks, who answers?
1. Assign the roles (3 points)
Write “server” or “browser” in the gap:
- ____________ runs on your device (e.g. Firefox, Chrome, Safari).
- ____________ holds the website ready and sits in a data centre.
- ____________ makes the request; ____________ sends the response.
2. HTML & CSS (3 points)
What does HTML describe, what does CSS describe? Give one example each:
HTML:
CSS:
3. What does “loading” mean? (3 points)
Why, when you open a page, does the text sometimes appear first and only then the images? Explain using the term “loading”:
4. Request & response (3 points)
Label the process: what does the browser send, what does the server reply? Write one example each (e.g. “GET …”, “200 OK”):
Browser sends:
Server replies:
5. Reflection (2 points)
The browser is “your window onto the web”. What would it be like if browsers didn't exist? Explain briefly:
Total points: ___ / 14
🔑 Answer key — Worksheet 4
1. Browser (runs on your device) · Server (holds the page ready) · Browser makes the request; server sends the response.
2. HTML = the blueprint/structure (what's there: heading, text, image). CSS = the appearance (colours, fonts, spacing, layout). Examples accepted.
3. “Loading” means the browser fetches the page piece by piece — first the blueprint (HTML), then images, fonts and so on, partly in parallel. That's why the text often appears first. Once everything is there, the page is “finished loading”.
4. The browser sends a request, e.g. GET /index.html. The server replies with a status code + content, e.g. 200 OK (or 404 Not Found if the page is missing).
5. Accepted: without a browser you couldn't see the delivered files (HTML/CSS) as a finished page — you'd only have code. Any well-reasoned answer counts.
Class test — final assessment
Duration: 45 min · Points: 30 · Grade: per rubric below
The test does not fit into a 90-minute double lesson — recommended as its own lesson at the end of the weekly module (3 × 50 min) or as the close of the 5-week project.
Part A: Multiple choice 1 pt each · 6 pts
1. What describes the internet best?
- A single large computer owned by one company
- A worldwide network of many connected networks
- A cloud in which data floats
- A single very long cable
2. What is DNS responsible for?
- It stores all the websites in the world
- It encrypts your data
- It translates domain names into IP addresses
- It assembles the website
3. What happens at the very beginning when you type an address?
- The web server calls your device first
- The whole page arrives in one piece
- Your device breaks the request into small data packets
- The router switches itself off
4. What does the browser do with the HTML the server sends?
- It shows the code as text
- It builds the visible page from it
- It sends it to the DNS server
- It deletes it after receiving
5. What does the “s” in “https” stand for?
- speedy
- secure (encrypted)
- server
- search
6. Who owns the internet?
- One single large company
- The government of one country
- No one alone — it is decentralised
- The makers of the routers
Part B: Short answer 2 pts each · 8 pts
7. Explain in 1–2 sentences why data is transmitted in packets:
8. Name the stops between your device and the web server in the correct order:
9. What is the difference between a domain and an IP address?
10. What is the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web?
Part C: Application 10 pts
11. Take the following URL apart and label scheme, domain and path (3 pts):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
12. Describe step by step what happens when you open a website — from the click to the finished page (4 pts):
13. Explain in your own words why the internet is not a “cloud” (3 pts):
Part D: Reflection 6 pts
14. Discuss in 5–8 sentences: “Should all data on the internet really be treated equally (net neutrality)?” Give one argument for and one against, then take a position of your own.
🔑 Answer key for teachers — Class test
Part A: 1b · 2c · 3c · 4b · 5b · 6c
Part B:
7. So that if a packet is lost only a small packet has to be resent (not the whole page), and packets can travel on different routes. (2 pts: one clearly stated advantage = 2 pts; partially correct = 1 pt)
8. Your device → router → provider → DNS server → web server (→ back to the browser). Full marks for a complete, correct order.
9. The domain is the memorable name (e.g. webhoch.com), the IP address is the technical number behind it (e.g. 192.0.2.10). DNS connects the two.
10. The internet is the infrastructure (a network of devices and lines). The World Wide Web is just one service on it (the websites). Email and streaming also use the internet but are not part of the web.
Part C:
11. Scheme https:// · Domain en.wikipedia.org · Path /wiki/Internet. 1 pt per correct part.
12. Ideal answer: device breaks the request into packets → router → provider → DNS looks up the IP → request to the web server → server sends the page back in packets → browser reassembles and renders it. Points: order (2), DNS step named (1), browser builds the page (1).
13. Behind every click are real cables (fibre, undersea cables on the seabed), routers and radio — tangible technology. “The cloud” just means someone else's servers in data centres. (3 pts for two concrete physical examples + the statement “not mist/a place”.)
Part D:
14. Full marks: one clear pro argument (e.g. fair competition, freedom of expression, small providers are not disadvantaged), one con argument (e.g. necessary traffic management, free special offers via zero-rating) and a reasoned position of one's own. The depth of the argument is graded, not the position.
Grading rubric
| Points | Grade (DE/AT) | Grade (CH) | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 – 30 | 1 / Very good | 5.5 – 6.0 | Complete understanding, independent reflection, precise terminology. |
| 23 – 26 | 2 / Good | 4.5 – 5.0 | Confident knowledge, minor gaps, reflection present. |
| 18 – 22 | 3 / Satisfactory | 3.5 – 4.0 | Basics understood, reflection superficial. |
| 14 – 17 | 4 / Sufficient | 3.0 – 3.4 | Key terms present, many gaps in application. |
| 0 – 13 | 5 / Insufficient | < 3.0 | Basic terms not understood — extra support recommended. |
Grades follow the DE/AT 1–5 and CH 1–6 systems; map the point bands to your own grading scale as needed.
Weighting recommendation
- Knowledge (Parts A + B): 14 pts — testable with a clear right/wrong line
- Application (Part C): 10 pts — room for partial marks per task
- Reflection (Part D): 6 pts — grade the depth of the argument here, not the position
Homework collection — 3 difficulty tiers
3 tasks per topic: Easy Medium Challenging. Answer hints are in expandable details directly underneath (collapsible on screen, always open when printed).
Topic 1 — The journey of a data packet
Draw the path of a data packet from your device to the web server on a sheet of paper and label all the stops.
🔑 Answer hint
Order: device → router → provider → DNS server → web server → back to the browser. Accepted: a clean sketch with the way there and back.
Explain the packet journey to a family member and write down in 4–6 sentences how you explained it and what question they asked.
🔑 Answer hint
Accepted: a coherent explanation in the student's own words + a documented follow-up question. Bonus: a fitting everyday analogy (post, roads).
Research the term traceroute (or tracert). What does this tool show? Describe in 5–6 sentences what “hops” are.
🔑 Answer hint
traceroute shows the intermediate stops (hops/routers) on the way to a destination, including the time per step. Insight: between device and server there are often 10–20 stops across several networks. Bonus: note that the route can change.
Topic 2 — The anatomy of a URL
Collect 5 URLs of sites you often visit. Mark the domain on each one.
🔑 Answer hint
Domain = the part between :// and the next /. Accepted: 5 plausible URLs with the domain correctly marked.
Create a table with 4 URLs and the columns “Scheme”, “Domain”, “Path”. Fill it in completely.
🔑 Answer hint
Example row: https:// | www.webhoch.com | /blog/internet. Full marks: all three columns correctly separated.
What is a subdomain (e.g. mail. or en.)? Find 3 examples and explain what subdomains are for.
🔑 Answer hint
Subdomains are sub-areas of a domain (e.g. en.wikipedia.org, mail.google.com). They divide a domain into sections (languages, services). Accepted: 3 real examples with an explanation.
Topic 3 — DNS
Explain in 3 sentences why DNS is called the “phone book of the internet”.
🔑 Answer hint
Like a phone book, DNS looks up the matching number (IP address) for a name (domain) — so that people can use names instead of numbers.
Tell the DNS resolution as a comic in 3–4 panels. Draw how a request travels from the resolver to the IP address.
🔑 Answer hint
Panel 1: “Which IP does wikipedia.org have?” → Panel 2: the root server points to .org → Panel 3: the .org server points to the authoritative server → Panel 4: the IP address comes back. Accepted: correct order, creatively done.
Research: what are the DNS record types A, AAAA and MX? Write one sentence on what each is for.
🔑 Answer hint
A = name → IPv4 address · AAAA = name → IPv6 address · MX = the domain's responsible mail server. Bonus: a note on TTL (how long a record is valid).
Topic 4 — Server, browser & loading
Name 3 different browsers and write one sentence each on what a browser does.
🔑 Answer hint
Browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge (among others). Job: make a request, receive a response, build the visible page from it.
Open a website and watch, as it loads, what appears first (text? images?). Describe in 4–6 sentences what you see, and explain why.
🔑 Answer hint
Accepted: a documented observation. Insight: often the text (HTML) appears first, then the images, because the browser fetches the parts one after another / in parallel.
Write your first own mini website: an HTML file with one heading and one paragraph. Open it in the browser and describe what happened.
🔑 Answer hint
Accepted: valid mini HTML (<h1> + <p>), opened in the browser. Insight: the browser interprets the tags and shows a formatted page — not the code. Bonus: simple CSS added.
Topic 5 — Who owns the internet?
Explain in 3 sentences why people say the internet belongs to “no one alone”.
🔑 Answer hint
It is decentralised: many participants (providers, companies, organisations) each own a piece; there is no owner and no central off switch.
What does “net neutrality” mean? Explain the term and give an example of when it would be violated.
🔑 Answer hint
Net neutrality = all data packets are treated equally, no matter who they are from. Violated, e.g., by paid “fast lanes” or when a service is deliberately throttled.
Discussion essay (max. 1 page): “Should the internet be a public basic right, like electricity and water?” Argue for and against.
🔑 Answer hint
Accepted: a balanced argument. Pro: participation, education, democracy. Con: cost, responsibility, technical implementation. A reasoned position of one's own is required.
Parent-letter template
You can adapt this template to your school and class. Replace the [placeholders in green] with your own details and print the template for your class.
[Your school]
[Address]
[Date]
To the parents of class [Year X]
Subject: Teaching unit “How does the internet work?”
Dear parents,
over the coming [weeks / double lesson] your child's class will be looking at the question of how the internet actually works. Your child uses the internet every day — we want them to understand, too, what happens between a click and the finished website. Whoever sees through this uses the net more confidently and safely.
What your child will learn:
- What is the internet — and why is it not a “cloud”?
- How does a data packet travel from the device to the server and back?
- What does an internet address mean (URL, domain, IP address)?
- What is DNS — the “phone book of the internet”?
- How do server and browser work together so that a page appears?
- Who owns the internet — and what does net neutrality mean?
Material and source: We use the freely available learning platform internet-verstehen.webhoch.com, provided by the Austrian agency Webagentur Hochmeir e.U. under a free licence (CC BY 4.0). The content is age-appropriate for [Years 6–9] and includes an interactive “journey of a data packet”.
How you can support at home:
- Look at the interactive packet journey on the site together — your child can explain it to you.
- Talk about which devices in your home are connected to the internet (router, phone, TV).
- Next time you open a page, ask your child: “What's actually happening right now?”
- The topic connects well with online safety — happy to discuss as a follow-up.
Important notes:
- No personal data of the students is entered on the internet during the lesson. The site works without any sign-in.
- It is used [on the projector / in the computer room / with school tablets].
- If you have questions or concerns: [Your email address]
We are glad that your child is gaining this important basic skill — and we appreciate your support along the way.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Role / class teacher]
Curriculum mapping
This unit covers core learning areas of computing / digital literacy and media literacy. In general, it maps to lower-secondary computing and media-literacy curricula (≈ Years 6–9, ages 11–15). The mapping below is adaptable to the German, Austrian and Swiss education standards for lower secondary.
Curriculum references (general lower-secondary computing/media literacy; DE/AT “Digitale Grundbildung / Informatik”, CH Lehrplan 21 “Medien und Informatik”)
| Subject / area | Competence / standard | Worksheet |
|---|---|---|
| Computing / digital literacy | Explain the structure and workings of networks and the internet; understand data transmission | 1, 3, 4 |
| Media literacy | Critically situate digital infrastructure; read URLs and addresses; check sources | 2, 4 |
| Computing — data & coding | Addressing (IP, DNS); understand protocols as rules | 2, 3 |
| Civics / ethics | Responsibility, participation and rules in the digital space (net neutrality) | — |
| Language / English | Explain facts, argue, justify your own position | 1–4 (reflection parts) |
Competence matrix (cognitive demand levels)
| Level | Name | Example from this course |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | Reproduction | Name the stops of the packet journey; name the parts of a URL |
| Level II | Application | Take a URL apart; describe the process of opening a page |
| Level III | Transfer / evaluation | Weigh up net neutrality; discuss “the internet as a basic right?” |
Time allocation
| Variant | Breakdown | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Double lesson (90 min) | Intensive workshop, all topics in excerpts, 2 worksheets | Project day, cover lesson, taster course |
| Weekly module (3 × 50 min) | Day 1: packet journey; Day 2: URL + DNS; Day 3: server/browser + test | Standard lessons across one week |
| 5-week project (5 × 90 min) | One double lesson per topic, own research projects, final test | In-depth study, project work, gifted-and-talented support |
| Project week (5 × 4h) | Days 1–4: deep dive into the topics with own research · Day 5: presentations + test | Themed week, IT summer camp |
Where do I connect this?
- Helpful beforehand: basic skills in using a web browser and a smartphone. Familiarity with the terms “app” and “website”.
- Follow-on links: Sicher im Netz (HTTPS, passwords, phishing), Datenschutz verstehen (data protection / GDPR), an intro to programming (HTML, Scratch).
- From the same series: KI verstehen — how artificial intelligence works (its own teacher pack available).