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Computing · Stage 5

The Operating System

Coding & Systems · systems — the operating system is the manager that starts the computer, runs your apps and shares the CPU, memory and storage between them

✦ Computing📘 Stage 5 · S5⏱ ~10 min🧒 Ages 9–10★ Free to start
I can explain what the operating system does.
Start the free lesson →⬇ Printable PDF
Kavi the owl for Computing
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Kavi Meets the Computer's Manager

Kavi opened a music app and a drawing app at the same time, and both kept running. "Who is in charge of all this?" Kavi wondered. "Meet the operating system — the OS," hooted a wise voice. "I'm the manager of the whole computer. When you switch on, I start up first, before any app. Then I show your home screen and wait." The OS went on: "When you tap an app, I find it in storage, load it into memory, and give it a share of the CPU so it can run. If two apps are open, I share the CPU and memory so both keep going. I also look after your files in folders, and I handle the screen, the keyboard and the printer for every app." Kavi grinned. "So the apps do the fun jobs — but you run the whole show." Real operating systems have names you may know: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, ChromeOS, Linux.

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What your child will learn

1Four big jobs of the operating systemThe operating system (OS) is the main program that runs the whole computer. It is the manager that sits between you and the hardware, and it does these big jobs. Tap each one to hear more.
2The manager, or the thing it runs?This is the key idea. The operating system is the manager that runs everything. An app is a program that runs on top of the OS to do one fun job. Tap each card to compare.
3The operating system's job, or an app's job?If it runs the whole computer or shares the hardware, that is the operating system. If it is one fun thing you opened to do, that is an app running on top. Tap the right box for each one.
4Kavi presses the power buttonKavi switches a cold tablet on and wants to open a game. Predict what must start up FIRST — before any game or app can run — then reveal.
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A peek inside

Kavi switches on a tablet and wants to open a drawing app. Before any app can run, what must start up first — and then run everything else?
the OS is the manager; it always loads first, before any app

Try this at home: The main program that runs the whole computer and all its apps is called the ____.

Ready to play and learn?

Start the free interactive lesson, or print the handout for screen-free play.

Start the free lesson →⬇ Download PDF

Part of Computing · Stage 5 · S5 on KAVI Academy — a secular, whole-child learning platform for ages 5–12.