Science In Ancient Greece

TERM 1: Solar System and Light

Key Texts:

• Science in Ancient Greece (Kathlyn Gay)
  Many topics are covered in a short space in this book. Even if your child is a strong reader, this book is might work better as a read aloud, so that you can add explanations as necessary.
  
• Solar System (Seymour Simon)
  
• Home Science Adventures: Light
  Two activities are scheduled for certain weeks: these lessons may take a little longer.

Weeks 1 to 4: History of Science

Week 1: 

1. Science in Ancient Greece Chapter 1: The Story of Ancient Greece

2. “Through the Looking Glass” – Explore how mirrors reverse images
   “Carnival Mirrors” – Discover how curved mirrors change your reflection.

Week 2:

1. Science in Ancient Greece Chapter 2: Greek Ideas About Earth and the Universe, pp.12-16

2. “Two Mirror Magic” – Construct a mirror that will NOT reverse your image!

Week 3:

1. Science in Ancient Greece Chapter 3: Greek Ideas About Earth and the Universe, pp.16-21

2. “Mirror Maze” – Use mirrors to direct light through a maze.

Week 4:

1. Science in Ancient Greece Chapter 3: Bringing Ideas Together

2. “The Mysterious Light-Bending box” – Explore intriguing light-bending effects.
   “Now You See It . . . Now You Don’t!” – More amazing refraction experiments.
   
   BFSU C-15 – Light I: Basics of Light and Seeing
   • Part 1 “Basic Ideas Concerning Light”

Weeks 5 to 12: Solar System

Week 5:

1. Solar System Our Solar System, pp.5-7

2. “Water Drops and Other Lenses” – Find out what makes a lens a lens.

Week 6:

1. Solar System pp.8-12

2. “Moving Pictures” – Make a projector with a simple lens.
   
   BFSU2 C-15 – Light I: Basics of Light and Seeing
   • Part 2 “Absorption, Reflection, or Transmission of Light Rays”

Week 7:

1. Solar System pp.14-19

2. “Fire from the Sun” – Focus rays of sunlight to do a small wood burning project.
   
   BFSU2 C-15 – Light I: Basics of Light and Seeing
   • Part 6 “What Happens to Light That is Absorbed?”

Week 8:

1. Solar System pp. 21-27

2. “Catch a Rainbow” – Use a water prism to make many rainbows.
   “Rainbow Glasses”- Discover the beauty hidden in ordinary lights.
   
   BFSU2 C-15 – Light I: Basics of Light and Seeing
   • Part 3 “Colors: Where Do They Come From?”

Week 9:

1. Solar System pp.28-33

2. “Bubble Colors” – Where do the colors in soap bubbles come from?
   “Invisible Colors” – See the effects of ultraviolet light.
   
   BFSU2 C-15 – Light I: Basics of Light and Seeing
   • Part 4 “Colors: How We See Them”
   • Part 5 “White, Black, and Shades of Gray”

Week 10:

1. Solar System pp.35-39

2. “Polarized Light” – Use amazing filters to investigate polarized light.
   “Amazing Polarization Experiments” – Create fascinating, changing designs and pictures.

Week 11:

1. Solar System pp. 40-44

2. The Eerie Glow of Phosphorescence – Investigate glow-in-the-dark effects.

Week 12:

Catch-up/Exams

Optional Extras:

Can You Feel the Force? (Richard Hammond)

TERM 2

Key Texts:

• Science in Ancient Greece (Kathlyn Gay)
  
• Archimedes and the Door of Science (Jeanne Bendick)
  
• The Librarian Who Measured the Earth (Kathryn Lasky)
  
• Home Science Adventures: Magnetism

Weeks 13 to 15: Measurement

Week 13:

1. Science in Ancient Greece – Ch.4: Mathematicians in Ancient Greece

2. “Attraction and Repulsion” – Investigate the poles of a mystery magnet.

Week 14:

1. The Librarian Who Measured the Earth: first half

2. “Magnetic Levitation” – Two experiments that seem to defy gravity.

Week 15:

1. The Librarian Who Measured the Earth: second half

2. “What is Magnetic?” – Test a variety of objects for magnetic properties.

Weeks 16 to 18: History of Science

Week 16:

1. Science in Ancient Greece – Chapter 5: How Ancient Greeks Healed the Sick

2. “Our Magnetic Earth” – Learn how a compass works as you explore the shape of the Earth’s magnetic field.

Week 17:

1. Science in Ancient Greece – Chapter 6: Applying Science, pp.46-51

2. “Making a Compass” – from a needle and a piece of cork.
   “The Treasure Map” – Use your compass to pace off the directions in a treasure map.

Week 18:

1. Science in Ancient Greece – Chapter 6: Applying Science, pp.52-55; Chapter 7: The Ancient Greek Heritage

2. “A Magnet’s Reach” – Chart and graph how the effect of a magnet changes with distance.

Weeks 19 to 24: Archimedes

Week 19:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science – Ch.1: Who was Archimedes

2. “Invisible Force Fields” – Observe and draw magnetic fields, created by iron filings.
   “Magnetic Sculpture” – Use the 3D nature of magnetic fields to create arches and other works of art.

Week 20:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science – Ch.2: The World of Archimedes, pp.9-15
2. “A Different Way to Get Magnetism” – Use electricity to create magnetic fields.
   
   BFSU C-13 – Electricity I: Electric Circuits, Switches, Conductors, and Non-Conductors 
   • Part 1 “Electric Circuits and Switches”

Week 21:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science – Ch.2: The World of Archimedes, pp.16-23

2. “A Homemade Motor” – Create a simple electric motor from a battery, a magnet, some paper clips and wire.
   
   BFSU C-13 – Electricity I: Electric Circuits, Switches, Conductors, and Non-Conductors 
   • Part 1 “Electric Circuits and Switches”

Week 22:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science – Ch.3: Alexandria, pp.23-30

2. “Experiments with your Motor” – Find out what role magnets play in a motor.
   
   BFSU C-13 – Electricity I: Electric Circuits, Switches, Conductors, and Non-Conductors 
   • Part 2 “Materials That Will or Won’t Conduct Electricity”

Week 23:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science – Ch.3: Alexandria, pp.30-38

2. “The Electromagnet” – Turn a nail into a magnet that can be turned on and off
   
   BFSU C-13 – Electricity I: Electric Circuits, Switches, Conductors, and Non-Conductors 
   • Part 3 “Volts and Insulation; The Hazard of High Voltage”

Week 24:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science – Ch.4: Archimedes and his Level, pp.39-44 (But what is a level anyway?)

Optional Extras:

Can You Feel the Force? (Richard Hammond)

TERM 3: Simple Machines; Archimedes

Key Texts:

• Archimedes and the Door of Science (Jeanne Bendick)
  
• Simple Machines: Starting With Science (Adrienne Mason and Deborah Hodge)

Weeks 25 to 36: Archimedes

Week 25:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.4: Archimedes and his lever, pp.44-53

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Table trick (lever) p.4, and Balancing act (lever) p.6
   
   BFSU C-11 – Mechanics I: Levers and Discovery of the Underlying Principle 
   • Part 1 “The Concept and Examples of Levers”

Week 26:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.5: Archimedes and King Heiro’s Crown, pp.54-60 (to “The goldsmith had cheated him!”)

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Wacky wheels (wheel and axle) p.8
   
   BFSU C-9 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 1 “Center of Gravity and Balance”

Week 27:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.5: Archimedes and King Heiro’s Crown, pp.60-69

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Candy collector (wheel and axle) p.10
   
   BFSU C-9 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 2 “Center of Gravity and Rotation”

Week 28:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.6: Archimedes and Astronomy

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Bubble race (wheel and axle – gears) p.12
   
   BFSU C-9 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 3 “Center of Gravity and the Human Body”

Week 29:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.7: Archimedes and Mathematics

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Going up! (fixed pulley) p.14
   
   BFSU C-12 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 1 “Inclined Planes”

Week 30:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.8: The Measurement of a Circle

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Pulling power (moveable pulley) p.16
   
   BFSU C-12 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 2 “Pulleys”

Week 31:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.9: Archimedes and Numbers

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Egg drop (inclined plane) p.18
   
   BFSU C-13 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 3 “Gears”

Week 32:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.10: Archimedes and the Centres of Gravity

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Penny lift (inclined plane) p.20
   
   BFSU C-13 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 4 “Hydraulic Lifts”

Week 33:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.11: The Sphere and the Cylinder

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Screwy water (screw) p.22
   
   BFSU C-13 – Center of Gravity Balance, and Wobbling Wheels  
   • Part 4 “Hydraulic Lifts”

Week 34:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.12: The War Machines of Archimedes

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Twirling toy (screw) p.24
   
   BFSU C10 – Movement, Energy, and Momentum  
   • Part 1 “Review of Inertia”

Week 35:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.13: The End of Archimedes

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Funny face (wedge) p.26
   
   BFSU C10 – Movement, Energy, and Momentum  
   1. Part 2 “Movement Energy and Momentum”

Week 36:

1. Archimedes and the Door of Science Ch.14: No End to Archimedes

2. Simple Machines: Starting With Science – Mystery machine (complex machine – wedge and wheel & axle) p.28

Optional Extras:

• K’Nex Education Levers and Pulleys; Wheels, Axles, and Inclined Planes
  
  • OR K’Nex Stem Exploration Levers and Pulleys (a smaller set than above)
    
• How Machines Work: Zoo Break! (David Macaulay)
  
• Can You Feel the Force? (Richard Hammond)