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Science In Ancient Greece

Level 2 Science – Year 1

This year’s science study is based around the science of Ancient Greece, focusing on topics studied by Greek scientists. The main scientific themes covered are optics (light), the solar system, magnetism*, and simple machines. Alongside these your child will be reading about the history of science in Ancient Greece, including biographies of Eratosthenes and Archimedes.

*Magnetism is not covered in the history of science reading, but was certainly known to the Greeks.

Time requirement: Two weekly lessons of approximately 30 minutes. One lesson will be for reading and narration; the other will be for a hands-on activity or experiment.

SOLAR SYSTEM AND LIGHT

Key Texts:
Science in Ancient Greece (Kathlyn Gay)
Our Solar System (Seymour Simon)
Home Science Adventures: Light

MEASUREMENT, MAGNETISM, ARCHIMEDES, AND ERATOSTHENES

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

SIMPLE MACHINE AND ARCHIMEDES

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

SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding: A Science Curriculum for K-8 and Older Beginning Science Learners by Bernard J. Nebel, Ph.D.
This book offers further activities and guidance for educators in developing scientific inquiry regarding these concepts with students. If followed closely, the activities can take the place of the scheduled activity kits. An inexpensive non-printable PDF is available on the official website.

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.
  • Our 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. Our 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. Our 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. Our 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. Our 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. Our 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. Our 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. Our 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)
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