---
title: The Need for Addressing
units: [The Internet]
summary: Devices need addresses so information can be delivered to them.
weight: 160
---

{{% param summary %}}

## Today's Objectives
- Describe the way the Internet Protocol helps uniquely identify one another on the Internet.
- Explain the need for open and shared protocols for communicating on the Internet.

## Lesson Overview
### Why do houses have addresses?
{{< collapse summary="Click here to reveal the answer." >}}

Houses have addresses to make them easy to locate for purposes including mail delivery.

Similarly, devices on the Internet have addresses to make them easy to locate for purposes including information delivery.

{{</ collapse >}}

### What is the Internet Protocol?
{{% define "Internet Protocol (IP)" %}}
{{< video title="What is the Internet?" src="/videos/the-internet-ip-addresses-and-dns.mp4" poster="/images/video-poster-the-internet-ip-addresses-and-dns.jpg" >}}

## Assignment
{{% instructions-unit-journal-update %}}

### Planning Your Week
Get in a group of 4-6.

You’re trying to make plans to see your classmates. You need to meet with every classmate once during the week and can only meet with one person each day. Each time you complete the activity is a different week.

**Before completing the activity for each week**:
- If you are a group of 5, everyone cross out Sunday.
- If you are a group of 4, everyone cross out Sunday and Saturday.
- Before starting each week, each person should choose a random day of that week and cross it out.

**During the activity**:
- Talk with your group to fill in your schedule.
- Week 1 you can speak out loud. After that you can only talk on the Internet Simulator.

**When you're done**:
- Go through each day of the week and point to the person you’re scheduled to meet with.
- Check that everyone’s schedules agree.

#### Week 1
Once your group is ready, record your schedule:

| Day       | Classmate Name |
|-----------|----------------|
| Monday    |                |
| Tuesday   |                |
| Wednesday |                |
| Thursday  |                |
| Friday    |                |
| Saturday  |                |
| Sunday    |                |

With your group, check that everyone's schedules match. Then discuss what worked well, what made this tricky, or if there's anything you want to try differently in Week 2.

#### Week 2
Using the Internet Simulator on Code.org, join a room with your group. Once everyone is in the room, complete this week using only the simulator (no talking):

| Day       | Classmate Name |
|-----------|----------------|
| Monday    |                |
| Tuesday   |                |
| Wednesday |                |
| Thursday  |                |
| Friday    |                |
| Saturday  |                |
| Sunday    |                |

Record your answers to the following questions:

- Problems Communicating
- Potential Solutions

#### Week 3
Agree with your group on the set of rules you'd like to try this time around for how to communicate.

Complete this week again using only the simulator (no talking):

| Day       | Classmate Name |
|-----------|----------------|
| Monday    |                |
| Tuesday   |                |
| Wednesday |                |
| Thursday  |                |
| Friday    |                |
| Saturday  |                |
| Sunday    |                |

Record the following:

- Your rules
- Some sample messages that follow your rules

{{% unit-journal-define-terms "Internet Protocol (IP)" "Protocol" "IP Address" %}}
{{% instructions-code-org-update %}}