U1Ch2L11_Packets&ReliableInternet

U1Ch2L11_ Packets & Making a Reliable Internet

Purpose: Students will simulate how information is sent and received on the internet.

Reality: On the Internet, packet sizes are limited, and transmission is unreliable.

Activity 1: Post It Note

Organize the room so that the desks are in an ‘H’ pattern – I will sit in the Middle of the ‘H’.
Create an IP address for each desk (eg. 1.1,2.2, etc). Write them on a Post It and stick them on each desk.
Stick 4 post its notes in a 4 square pattern on all the desks.
Students enter room and select a desk.
Students may not talk.
Students are to select a partner on the opposite side of the ‘H”. All they have to do is point in agreement.
Give the class a moment to raise and show their partner the post it with the IP address
Students will address each of the 4 post its with a To: (the IP address of their partner) and From (their IP number).
Students will write a 4 letter word on the Post its…one letter per word per Post It.
When I say go, I will collect a Post It from each student on one side and distribute them randomly to the opposite side. Some times I will hand the stack of post its to one person on that side and other times I will hand maybe a couple to one student and just one to another. The students with out talking will hand the post it to another student if the IP is not their address. Eventually, the Post It should make it to its Destination.
Then the student tries to order the 4 Post Its into the original 4 square initially created by the Sender.
When Complete, Allow the Sender to review the 4 square for accuracy.
Class Reflection.
Ask if they want to try again.

Activity 2: Internet Simulator

Ch 11 Internet Simulator will allow up to 6 students in to each router.
Notify the students that the Internet simulator will intentionally make receiving and sending messages more challenging by:

Restrict packet-size to be very small - 8 ASCII characters – and then it will cut the message off.
Intentionally drop messages..

Tell Students: These types of constraints are a very real problem on the Internet.
Start / Stop after 10 minutes.

Ask: “How will the Recipient of the message inform the Sender that the message was…Complete or Not Complete?”