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

HTML Lesson 1 – Where the Web Came From + Basic HTML Tags (Free Marking Included)

This fully resourced lesson introduces students to the origins of the World Wide Web while building their first HTML skills in a simple, engaging, and accessible way.

• Clear explanation of where the web came from and why HTML was created
• Students learn what HTML is used for and how web pages are structured
• Step-by-step introduction to basic HTML tags, starting with the <br> line break
• Progression to common text-formatting tags including <strong> and <em>
• Pupils write and edit real HTML and instantly see the results

A key feature of this lesson is the use of a free online HTML viewer with a default web page provided. This allows:

• Instant visual feedback for students
• No software installation required
• Easy self-checking and teacher marking
• Perfect support for non-specialists

The lesson is designed to be highly scaffolded:

• Clear instructions for each task
• Short, manageable coding steps
• Suitable for mixed-ability and lower-ability groups
• Ideal for students new to programming or web design

Students will:

• Understand where the web came from
• Learn how HTML controls text on a webpage
• Use <br>, <strong>, and <em> tags correctly
• Experiment safely with code and see immediate results

Perfect for:

• KS3 Computing
• Introductory web design lessons
• Cover lessons or non-specialist teachers
• A foundation lesson before algorithms, CSS, or JavaScript

No prior HTML knowledge required.