Calculators through Time

 

Grade Level:                        Four or Five    

 

Subject Integration:                        Math, Social Studies (History), Science

 

ISTE Objective(s):      1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

 

Instruction:

 

1.                  Students are invited to visit the website http://www.webcom.com/calc There, they spend 10 - 15 minutes visiting some of the links to other parts of the website on the history of calculators. 

 

2.                   Students are asked to get into groups of 3s or 4s and create a project that shows how one of the older calculators works.   Some choices include: 1885 adding machine, de Vinci adding machine, abacus, slide rule,  and others.

 

3.                  Students are allowed to create a multimedia slide show, a physical model, or whatever model they can create, but they must use the web to gather most of their information. 

 

4.                  Then student will present these projects in front of the class. To help the others learn about their calculator.

 

5.                  Students, in their groups, will be expected to create a hand out that explains their calculator, while giving a picture, and a description of how the calculator worked.

 

 


Alternative Instruction:

 

·        As an alternative, students can go out to other websites about their particular type of calculator.  Give this to others as a link or use this information to develop a better project.

 

·        sfsf