UCLA Center for East Asian Studies Educational Resources

Introduction to the Chinese Abacus

Objectives:
My Language Arts/Social Studies counterpart will be teaching about early man at this time.  In order to create a bridge between the subjects the students will be learning about historic methods of counting.  This will further stem into learning how to use an abacus.  When this lesson is completed the students will have gained some cross-cultural and historical knowledge of math.

Agenda:
Students will write down notes about ancient number systems and about the modern abacus.

Warm-Up: (written on the board)
Think of any ancient math symbols that you may have come across and write them down.  If you can, tell me that each symbol stands for. (hint:  look at the back side of a dollar bill.)

Instruction:
I will lead the students through an explanation of ancient number systems and of the modern abacus.

Group work:
Students will copy the outline from the overhead and add any notes that I give them.

Supplement:
I will model for them how to use an abacus.

Evaluation: 
I will look to see if students have taken the notes given to them.  I will have a mini-quiz at the end of class for raffle tickets.