---
title: "How HTML works"
course: "BE101 · What runs behind a website"
unit: "Building with HTML and CSS"
lesson: 10 of 39
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/what-runs-behind-a-website/how-html-works
publisher: Maestro College
---

# How HTML works

Lesson 10 of 39 in **What runs behind a website** (BE101), unit "Building with HTML and CSS". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Identify the difference between an HTML element and a tag, including opening tags, closing tags, and void elements that do not require a closing tag (e.g., <img>, <br>).
- Use attributes (href, alt) to configure HTML elements and identify the name="value" pattern.

## Teaching notes
Start by defining HTML as the language that gives a page its structure — not its appearance. Introduce the concept of a tag (<p>), an element (opening tag + content + closing tag), and self-closing tags (<img>, <br>). Then introduce attributes as name="value" pairs that configure elements. Use href, src, and alt as examples.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 10 complete: How HTML works."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Your first real HTML page" (lesson 11 of 39), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/what-runs-behind-a-website/your-first-real-html-page.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: The life of a web request
Next lesson: Your first real HTML page