NOTE: I am at home today with a sick daughter. I have pushed the original lesson (and beginning of the trial) back to tomorrow. I have moved this lesson on the Scientific Revolution to today's class with your substitute teacher. (You will be reading about the "Scientific Revolution" tonight.)
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After the reading quiz, you'll turn your attention to this events referred to as the "Scientific Revolution." You and some classmates are going to do some historical "experiments" to get us started looking at the topic... If you read these instructions carefully, this lesson should be pretty self-explanatory.
HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, September 7th:
Please start your reading in Chapter 22. Read Section 1, "The Scientific Revolution." (pp. 623 - 628) We'll keep doing the quizzes, and we are back to fill-in-the-blank.
We will begin our Absolute Monarchs on Trial simulation tomorrow with the testimony from the prosecution witnesses.
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>>>>>>>>>>
After the reading quiz, you'll turn your attention to this events referred to as the "Scientific Revolution." You and some classmates are going to do some historical "experiments" to get us started looking at the topic... If you read these instructions carefully, this lesson should be pretty self-explanatory.
"Experiments" in the history of science: We're
going to have you work in groups on a series of tasks here. Please work
in groups of at least three and no more than five. I'd recommend everyone
take some notes, or get a copy of the group's notes. I will expect each
group to give/email me a copy of your notes. (They can be in list form or whatever. They do not need to be formally written up in paragraphs or anything. Just make it clear you were working...)
Each group will need a copy of the two packets of primary sources.
Each group will need a copy of the two packets of primary sources.
- "Was There Science Before the Scientific Revolution?"
- "Science Comes of Age: Was It a Revolution?"
Please return these at the end of the hour so they can be reused with the next class. You will make use of them on the fourth and fifth tasks below.
First,
I want your group to think about just what science is. Assume that you
are going to be talking to my younger daughter's kindergarten class. If you
had two minutes, what would you tell them science "is"? Make some notes
and be prepared to share them with the big group.
Second,
I want you to think about what it is that separates "science" from "not
science." Do some brainstorming here. It might help you to think in
terms of some of the following:
- subject matter
- theory and hypothesis
- methods of observation and/or investigation
Third,
considering what you know about history, I want you to think about the
historical conditions and events that you believe would either promote
or hinder the development and spread of science. (Some categories of
events and/or conditions might include: political, social, economic,
religious, technological, intellectual conditions, etc.)
Fourth,
you'll look at some documents in "Was There Science Before the
Scientific Revolution?" You'll get a collection of documents spanning
the time from the 10th to the 14th centuries. Your group should browse some of these to get a feeling for them. (You do NOT all need to read each document to discuss these questions.) They are from a variety
of Islamic and European authors.
As you take a look at these documents, consider the following:
- What kinds of support and/or evidence are used by the authors to support their conclusions?
- Based on the documents, what would you consider to the 3-5 most distinctive characteristics of the science of the medieval period?
- If you were to award a Nobel Prize to the "Outstanding Medieval Scientist," whom would you select? Why?
Fifth,
you'll look at a parallel set of documents from the 16th-18th centuries
in "Science Comes of Age: Was It a Revolution?" (You do NOT all need to read each document to discuss these questions.) These are from European
sources.
As you take a look at these documents, consider the following:
- What kinds of support and/or evidence are used by the authors to support their conclusions? In what ways is this different from the medieval period?
- Based on the documents, what would you consider to the 3-5 most distinctive characteristics of the science of 16th-18th Century Europe?
- If you were to this time award a Nobel Prize to the "Scientist Who Best Represents the Ideals of Modern Science," whom would you select? Why?
Please return the complete sets of the documents so they can be used again.
Once you complete these tasks (which may take you the whole hour), you will receive a copy of a handout I'd like you to read for tomorrow.
You should consider this question:
Related questions:
This might be of interest to some of you if time permits. (It might make more sense after you do tonight's reading.)
Once you complete these tasks (which may take you the whole hour), you will receive a copy of a handout I'd like you to read for tomorrow.
You should consider this question:
Should the term "Scientific Revolution" be replaced by the term "Scientific Evolution" to best explain the development of modern science?
Related questions:
- Have the contributions of non-European Afroeurasians been given too little credit for advancements in science? If so, was this lack of credit intentional? Why or why not?
- Do we pay too little attention to the scholars of the medieval period? Why or why not?
- Is there a European bias in the history of science? Why or why not?
This might be of interest to some of you if time permits. (It might make more sense after you do tonight's reading.)
Galileo Galilei - A Case Study: As you will read, Galileo's observations published in Starry Messenger seemed
to refute the theories of Aristotle while confirming the theories of
Copernicus. The Catholic Church, defending Ptolemy's view of a
geocentric system, warned Galileo not to continue these studies. In
1632, he published Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems,
clearly favoring the ideas of Copernicus over Ptolemy. Galileo was
summoned by the Pope to stand trial before the Inquisition. Under
threat of torture, Galileo renounced his own work.
You can read the original documents here: The Crime of Galileo - Indictment and Abjuration of 1633.
Galileo lived under house arrest outside Florence for the last nine
years of his life. Interestingly, in 1992, the Catholic Church
acknowledged that Galileo had been correct. You can read a New York Times account of this here: After 350 Years, Vatican Says Galileo Was Right: It Moves.
HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, September 7th:
Please start your reading in Chapter 22. Read Section 1, "The Scientific Revolution." (pp. 623 - 628) We'll keep doing the quizzes, and we are back to fill-in-the-blank.
We will begin our Absolute Monarchs on Trial simulation tomorrow with the testimony from the prosecution witnesses.
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IGNORE THIS NEXT PART: (I'm leaving it so I don't forget to put the readings back in the right order next quarter when I do the lessons differently...) Please continue in your reading on the Enlightenment with Chapter 22, Section 3, "The Enlightenment Spreads." (pp. 636 - 639) IGNORE THIS LAST PART. Your homework is Chapter 22, Section 1 as is stated above.
