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The World of Galileo
Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy in 1564. His interest
was in mathematics and science and he was an astronomer and
physicist who explored the skies with a telescope of his own
invention. Some of the discoveries that Galileo made using
the telescope include discovering four of the moons that orbited
the planet Jupiter, the phases of the planet Venus and sunspots
on the Sun. Closer to home, Galileo discovered that the moon
had mountains and valleys and that it was not a perfect sphere
as had been believed.
Galileo made other scientific discoveries, such as the speed
at which different objects fall and how pendulums worked. While
he did not invent the telescope, he made a better version of
one, which enabled him to make his astronomical discoveries.
Like Copernicus before him, Galileo realized that the Earth revolved
around the Sun. His belief in a heliocentric (sun-centered) theory
caused Galileo trouble with the Catholic Church, who felt that
his views were in conflict with biblical views that held that
the Earth was the center of the universe, around which all other
bodies revolved. Galileo was put on trial and found guilty of
heresy. He was not allowed to teach this Copernican viewpoint
and was put under house arrest for the rest of his life.
Galileo died in 1642, leaving behind two daughters who were
both nuns, and a son, Vincenzo, who was a musician. Galileo's
eldest daughter, Virginia, who became Sister Maria Celeste, frequently
corresponded with her father, and one hundred and twenty letters
from 1623-1634 written from her to Galileo have survived.
In this mini unit, you can: Learn about Galileo's life, discover
his experiments and inventions, read about his trial by the church,
read letters from the daughter of Galileo and discover how telescopes
and microscopes work.
Reading
Galileo’s Biography and Inventions
Letters from Galileo’s Daughter
The Trial of Galileo:
Timeline
Galileo Timeline
Projects
& Activities
Explore Galileo’s Experiments
Learn About the Microscope
Learn About the Telescope
Recommended
Resource
Tools of Timekeeping: A Kids Guide to the History and Science of Telling Time
What would it have been like to be Marco Polo, John Harrison, or
Christopher Columbus, who didn't know that parts of the world existed,
or sailed off into unknown waters, unsure of what they would find?
In Tools of Navigation: A Kids Guide to the History and Science
of Finding Your Way, readers will trace the journeys of adventurers
and other intrepid explorers throughout history, going back into
the past to discover how people have found their way around the
world through the ages.
Readers will track the evolution of navigational methods and tools,
meet explorers and inventors who changed the way we look at the
world, and learn interesting facts and trivia. Fifteen hands-on
projects and activities throughout the text help readers understand
how civilization's vague attempts to avoid getting lost have transformed
over centuries into a sophisticated ability to know exactly where
we are on the planet at any given moment.
Purchase here: Our Price: $11.90
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