Here are the basics:
The History of Astronomy
Driving Question:
What is our solar system’s past, present and future?
Topic Ideas/Suggestions
Heliocentric vs. Geocentric
Isaac Newton
Galileo
Copernicus
Kepler
Tycho Brahe
Maya, Inca, Aztec Astronomy
Chinese Astronomy
Medieval Islamic Scholars
Ptolemy and Aristotle
Instruments for astronomy
Telescope
Astrolabe
Calendars
Identify the following for your topic:
1. Name of your astronomer
2. Date of birth and death
3. Where was he/she was born and where he/she lived/lives while making discoveries?
4. What was his/her world-view including church view (such as relationship with the
pope)? Does he/she support the geocentric or heliocentric model?
5. What was he/she is famous for (why does he/she deserve to be a famous
astronomer)?
6. Provide an explanation (teach the class) about his/her discovery
Do not plagiarize – use your own words!!!
• Include a variety of images: Include one image of your astronomer and at least one
image relating to their discover(ies) in your presentation. You may want to include a
short (less than 2 minute) video clip as well to enhance your presentation.
• Include at least three sources and they must be cited formally in a bibliography
format. Remember that you should think about what you read on the internet; not all
of the information out there is accurate.
Project:
Create a choice board project for your topic. You will need to do a fair amount of research for this. Use the resources on Mr. Duffany’s Wiki. Rubrics can be accessed through the Wiki as well
