According to Joy Hakim, science began with the attempt to construct a lunar calendar. It really took off, however, with Aristotle's endless attempts at systematic categorization of everything. This colorful narrative covers the highlights and dispels some common myths—like the popular but erroneous idea that Christopher Columbus was the first to posit the theory of a round earth. The chapter on absolute zero is particularly interesting, revealing the daunting task Medieval mathematicians had of establishing such an abstract concept. Aristotle Leads the Way ends with the work of early cartographers and astronomers, laying the foundation for Newton's discoveries covered in the next volume, Newton at the Center.
This rich, multidisciplinary curriculum to accompany Joy Hakim’s The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way covers astronomy, physics, and chemistry from Mesopotamia to the Middle Ages. The course of study is divided into five units. Each unit includes an introduction (with background information, a materials list, and standards correlated to the narrative and teaching materials) and nine class sessions. The Teacher’s Quest Guide includes embedded reading strategies to facilitate greater comprehension, hands-on science experiments to encourage learning by discovery, timeline activities, and several review and assessment activities for each unit. Students will enjoy a time-traveling cartoon character, Professor Quest, who summarizes the main point of each lesson. Multiple cross-curricular links suggest additional activities in math, language arts, history, art, and other subjects to extend learning. The accompanying Student's Quest Guide includes all necessary student worksheets. This curriculum is ideal for traditional science classes, enrichment programs, and home-school settings.
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