---
title: "HTTP requests and responses"
course: "BE101 · What runs behind a website"
unit: "How the web works"
lesson: 4 of 39
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/what-runs-behind-a-website/http-requests-and-responses
publisher: Maestro College
---

# HTTP requests and responses

Lesson 4 of 39 in **What runs behind a website** (BE101), unit "How the web works". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Recognize that HTTP is the protocol used to send requests and receive responses between a client and a server.
- Identify the key parts of an HTTP request (method, URL, headers) and an HTTP response (status code, headers, data).
- Predict the type of HTTP method (GET vs. POST) for a given user action.

## Teaching notes
Show an illustration that shows an animated HTTP exchange: a request flying from browser to server with labeled parts (method, URL, headers), then a response returning with labeled parts (status code, headers, data).

## 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 4 complete: HTTP requests and responses."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Seeing requests in the browser" (lesson 5 of 39), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/what-runs-behind-a-website/seeing-requests-in-the-browser.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: URLs up close
Next lesson: Seeing requests in the browser