HTML Lesson 1: Where the Web Came From & Basic Text Tags

HTML Lesson 1 (2026 Updated) – Origins of the Web + First HTML Tags | KS3 Computing | Free Marking Included

This fully resourced, classroom-ready lesson introduces students to where the World Wide Web came from and builds their first practical HTML skills through short, scaffolded coding steps.

Students learn why HTML was created, how web pages are structured, and how simple tags control what appears on screen. The coding section starts with the <br> line break and progresses to essential text-formatting tags including <strong> and <em>, so learners quickly see how HTML changes presentation and meaning.

Free Online Marking / Instant Feedback Included
A key feature of this lesson is a free online HTML viewer with a default web page provided. Students paste their code and instantly see the results, making the lesson ideal for:
• Instant visual feedback and self-checking
• Faster teacher marking (clear evidence of progress)
• No software installs or logins required
• Support for non-specialists and cover lessons

Designed for Mixed Ability (Highly Scaffolded)
• Clear, step-by-step instructions for every task
• Small, manageable coding edits (reduce cognitive load)
• Suitable for beginners and lower-ability groups
• Safe experimentation with immediate results

Students will be able to:
• Explain, in simple terms, how the web started and why HTML exists
• Describe what HTML does (structure and content)
• Use <br>, <strong> and <em> correctly
• Edit real HTML and evaluate changes using the viewer

Perfect for:
• KS3 Computing / Computer Science
• Introductory web design units
• Cover lessons and non-specialist teachers
• A foundation lesson before CSS, algorithms or JavaScript

No prior HTML knowledge required.