Before the abacus was devised, the ancients used their fingers, toes, twigs or counting table to count numbers. As the era goes, a counting device called abacus was created to count large numbers. Abacus, also known as ‘Suan Pan’ in Chinese, is an ancient Chinese educational implement used for fast and accurate calculations. The word ‘Abacus’ is derived from the Greek work ‘abax’, which means calculating board or calculating table (UCMAS, n.d., para. 1). The first Chinese abacus was invented around 500 B.C and it has over 1300 years of documented use (UCMAS, n.d., para. 1). The abacus is a tool that usually made out by wood and having a frame that holds rods with freely-sliding beads mounted on them (“The abacus”, n.d., para. 5). Hence, the
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On the side, the frame has two beads on each rod of the upper part and five beads on each rod of the lower part. Other than the Chinese abacus, there also are Japanese abacus (figure 3) and Russian abacus (figure …show more content…
Hence, the educator can develop three lessons including how people count before the abacus was invented, the history of abacus, and discussion about the calculating tools to help the students improve their historical skills and realize the abacus. During the first lesson, the teacher will ask the students to discuss how the ancients count before the Chinese abacus was created. After the discussion, the educator will present the history of the calculating devices that used before the Chinese abacus. Educators will then ask students to do a hands-on activity in small groups to experience how the ancients used the devices to reckon. Students in different groups will need to share their experiences after they experienced the old count way. Therefore, children will develop a sense of belonging to groups (DEEWR, 2009, p. 26) through the discussion and hands-on activity in groups. Also, students can explore a range of sources about the old calculating devices from the past (ACHHS050)(ACARA, 2016). During the second lesson, the educator will introduce the history of the Chinese abacus and explain the basic usage of the Chinese abacus. The educator will then ask the student to work with a partner to solve questions based on the calculating skills they just learned and tell
On the side, the frame has two beads on each rod of the upper part and five beads on each rod of the lower part. Other than the Chinese abacus, there also are Japanese abacus (figure 3) and Russian abacus (figure …show more content…
Hence, the educator can develop three lessons including how people count before the abacus was invented, the history of abacus, and discussion about the calculating tools to help the students improve their historical skills and realize the abacus. During the first lesson, the teacher will ask the students to discuss how the ancients count before the Chinese abacus was created. After the discussion, the educator will present the history of the calculating devices that used before the Chinese abacus. Educators will then ask students to do a hands-on activity in small groups to experience how the ancients used the devices to reckon. Students in different groups will need to share their experiences after they experienced the old count way. Therefore, children will develop a sense of belonging to groups (DEEWR, 2009, p. 26) through the discussion and hands-on activity in groups. Also, students can explore a range of sources about the old calculating devices from the past (ACHHS050)(ACARA, 2016). During the second lesson, the educator will introduce the history of the Chinese abacus and explain the basic usage of the Chinese abacus. The educator will then ask the student to work with a partner to solve questions based on the calculating skills they just learned and tell