JESUIT MEMORIAL COLLEGE, MBODO ALUU

LESSON NOTE PLAN

WEEK: 3 TERM: First

DATE: SUBJECT: ICT PERIOD: 5&5

NAME: Ntah Kelvin CLASS: JSS 1 AVERAGE AGE: 11 Years
DURATION OF LESSON: 40 Minutes
TOPIC: History development of computers
BEHAVIOURAL OBJECTIVES: (cognitive, affective and Psychomotor)
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to;
1. Define early counting devices.
2. List and explain the early counting devices.
3. Advantages of early counting devices.
3. State the problem of using these devices in counting large numbers.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
PC, internet, computer studies text book, and projector.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE:
Students are familiar with the evolution of information and communication technology.
CONTENT:
1. Definition of early counting devices.
2. Explanation of early counting devices.
3. Advantages of early counting devices.
4. State the problem of using these devices in counting large numbers.
INTRODUCTION

The history of computers could be traced to the early days with the use of various counting
devices for counting and computational purposes. The counting devices includes:
 Early counting devices.
 Mechanical counting and calculating devices.
 Electro-mechanical counting devices.
 Electronic counting devices and modern computers.

PRESENTATION: (step by step exposition of the material)

STEP 1: EARLY COUNTING DEVICES
Early counting devices could be defined as devices used to perform arithmetic operations
before the advent of modern civilization. People learned how to count and perform arithmetic
operations well back in the Stone Age. During this period, there were no complex commercial
activities. People would but add, subtract, multiply and divide simple numbers. Hence,
numerical operations were not as complex as it is today.
STEP 2: List of early counting devices.
 Fingers
 Stones
 Wooden sticks
 Pebbles
 Cowries
 Notch sticks
1. Fingers: The very earliest counting devices were human hands, with the fingers used as
digits. There were limitations to this device, though, especially since each hand has only
five fingers. To count more items, some cultures assigned even larger counts to other parts of
the body.
2. Stones: In the beginning, the abacus was just a board with stones or sticks. On the surface
of the abacus, there were parallel notches or grooves. People made calculations by
moving stones, sticks, bones. If numbers are to be added, stones were added, if subtraction is
to be made, stones were taken off.
3. Wooden sticks: In the beginning, the abacus was just a board with stones or sticks. On the
surface of the abacus, there were parallel notches or grooves. People made calculations by
moving stones, sticks, bones. If numbers are to be added, stones were added, if subtraction is
to be made, stones were taken off.
4. Pebbles: In the beginning, the abacus was just a board with stones or sticks. On the surface
of the abacus, there were parallel notches or grooves. People made calculations by
moving stones, sticks, bones. If numbers are to be added, stones were added, if subtraction is
to be made, stones were taken off.
5. Cowries: These are the highly polished, usually brightly colored shell of small snail found
in warm.
6. Notch sticks: Some of the earliest evidence of humans counting involve notched sticks and
bones, used by people living tens of thousands of years ago. These pieces of evidence show
that early humans did in fact use simple notations to symbolize quantity.

STEP 3: Advantages or Benefits of early counting devices

They can be used to teach basic arithmetic operations such as addition and subtractions
They are simple to use, hence suitable for teaching children in their early years of education
They help build up children’s intelligent quotient and memory retention capacity. Unlike the
modern counting devices that store everything electronically, the ability of a child to master
basic additions helps him/ her throughout life. This means that he/she can comfortably work in
the absence of electronic devices.
They are means of introducing a practical learning system in the education system. Learning
by doing helps understanding and retention.
STEP 4: Problem of using these devices in counting large numbers.

1. They cannot be used to count large numbers. Think of using a pebble stone to perform the
following addition: [2500 + 3765]. You may run out of stock. In fact, modern counting sticks
and boxes are limited to a certain number.

2. They are bulky. You may not be able to carry them from one place to another. Consider a
situation where you need to carry 10000 pebble stones because of a business transaction. It is
awkward. Even in our modern education system where sticks and boxes are used, students do
not carry them up and down. They are kept in classes or store for the students to use when
they come to school.
3. Using them consumes a lot of time. Let us assume that you need to add up the following
two numbers [379 + 578]. How long do you think it will take you to count each number before
joining them together? 10mins, 15mins or 20mins? Do the same with a calculator. Can you
see how terrible these devices can be in consuming your time?
4. As a follow up to the above, it is prone to errors. If you can use it to count large numbers,
how sure are you that what you get is what it is? Imagine when you are counting up to 200
pebble stones, it is easy for you to make mistakes when distracted. Hence, it might not give us
accurate results.
5. They are limited in scope and cannot go beyond certain numbers. As have explained above,
there is a limited number of such devices you can carry at a point in time.
6. Finally, they are not suitable for carrying out arithmetic operations. This is because they are
very slow to use when performing operations such as additions, etc.

CONTEXTUALIZATION (of the material of the classroom situation)

The teacher uses the computer system, projector and e-board to display pictures and describe
the early counting devices.
STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN THE LESSON
The students are engaged with identifying the different inventions and also engaged with a
video about the evolution of technology.
REVIEW (by teachers and students of familiar materials):
1. What is used in the early days to keep track of days?
2. which counting device was also used for purchase of goods in the early days?
EVALUATION (in three learning domains…. Cognitive, affective, psychomotor)
QUESTIONS:
1. What do you understand by early counting devices?
2. Name and describe three early counting devices. 
3. Mention three (3) limitations of early counting devices.

CONCLUSION: Early counting devices (Definition and Examples) The history and
development of computer can be traced back to the studies of Mathematics which started with
counting. The history of Mathematics is the history of civilization. The problems posted by
these early counting and data processing method were enormous. The major problem with
these devices was that they could not be used for counting large numbers efficiently. These
has led to various computing inventions in search for a tool that could enable man meet his
computational and data processing needs until we have the computer today. It was in the
process of finding solutions to the problem of counting that early counting devices emerged.
These devices includes fingers, toes, stones, sticks, pebbles, cowries etc. Examples of fingers
and toes method of calculation is seen below; As time went on, fingers and toes method
became ineffective, especially for large numbers, hence, the emergence of counting and
solving basic arithmetic problems with the use of stones and sticks.