Inquiry term 2- 'Movers and Shakers'

Last term’s inquiry topic was 'Movers and Shakers', the inventions and discoveries which have had a significant impact on society and possibly transformed civilisation. The group of Chloe B, Rebecca, Eva, Lily W, Sophie and Cassia decided the abacus had revolutionised our ability to count or subtract increasingly complex amounts and, therefore, simplified the mathematical process for greater numbers in society. It was our first calculator, able to be used by anyone.  

In the group's own words, "We decided to create a giant abacus because the abacus was one of the first forms of calculators ever invented. To make this we used ten thin wooden poles, four blocks of wood and one hundred foam balls. Once we had the resources we had to paint the foam balls in four different colours. We chose red, black, green and yellow. We then had to make the frame for the abacus by drilling ten holes in one of the wooden blocks for the side of the frame. After that we then put the thin wooden poles which have the the foam balls on them into the holes. Then we finished putting the rest of the frame together by nailing the rest of the wooden blocks  around it. Along with our invention we had to make a video. This is our video that we made for our giant abacus."