Abstraction and Internet Layers

CS Principles
1

Does anyone have any other ideas of how to present the layers of the Internet as an Abstraction besides the handout provided?
My students seem a bit confused and I wanted to help clarify it for them.
Also, what exactly would students need to know about the layers of the Internet for the AP Exam?

2

Hi Elena,

Happy to help, can you give me a little more information? Is this the handout that you’re thinking about? [link]
Do you think that your students are having trouble with the idea of abstraction, or with how the layers build upon one another? Perhaps a combination of the two?

Here are the statements from the CED that may be helpful:

  • 6.1 - The Internet is a network of autonomous systems.
    • 6.1.1 - Explain the abstractions in the Internet and how the Internet functions. [P3]
  • 6.2 - Characteristics of the Internet influence the systems built on it.

The specific Essential Knowledge statements (can be found on the CED page 32). Here’s an example that may be helpful to think about the scope of student knowledge:

  • EK 6.2.2G Standards for packets and routing include transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).
    EXCLUSION STATEMENT: Specific technical details of how TCP/IP works are beyond the scope of this course and the AP Exam.

I think that if students can talk generally about how the layers build upon one another and recognize the titles of different protocols, they should be good.