Heliocentric Thought in the Middle Ages: Lesson Plan

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Table of Contents

Objectives
Standards Addressed & Expectations of the Student
Anticipatory Set
Instructional Input
Guided Practice/Monitoring
Closure
Independent Practice
Reference List

Objectives

The students will learn basic information (not very detailed) about the development of heliocentric thought in the Middle Ages and its significance on the later development of science and culture.

Materials Used: textbook, pictures depicting Theocentric universe and Heliocentric universe, an extract from the video about middle ages (first minute and a half to be shown).

Standards Addressed & Expectations of the Student

Hunter and Russell (2005) point out that it is important to make students aware of the objectives of the lesson to make it more effective. Thus, the lesson will start with short discussion about students’ ideas about the place of the Sun and the Earth, and other planets. At this point it is necessary to introduce the term “Heliocentric”. Then the teacher asks whether the students know what people thought about it in the Middle Ages and hint (if necessary) that medieval people thought that Sun was moving around the Earth. After this the teacher articulates that the lesson will deal with medieval superstitions and the dawn of Heliocentric thought, and its significance on the development of the societies.

Anticipatory Set

The teacher asks such questions as: How do you think what role the Church played in the development of Heliocentric ideas? Why? Was it important to prove that the Earth was moving around the world?

Instructional Input

According to Willingham (2005) it is important to evoke students’ meaningful thinking, so that they could memorize facts and draw cause-effect connections between them. Thus, to make the students plunge into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, the video about the Church power will be shown. The students will acknowledge that the church was very powerful, and this is one of the reasons why it could not let people free from superstitions. Then the work of Copernicus (and display of pictures illustrating his theory) will be discussed and juxtaposed with Theocentric ideas and the reaction of the Church. It will be also pointed out that a bit later Galileo published a work where he considered and supported Copernicus’s theory, because of that there was a trial over him.

Guided Practice/Monitoring

The students will be divided into two groups. Representatives of one group will go to the blackboard and write one argument supporting Theocentric theory, and the other group will write down arguments for Heliocentric theory.

Closure

In the end of the lesson the students will discuss the reasons why the Church opposed the new theories, and how this discovery could and did influence the development of humanity.

Independent Practice

The student will be asked to implement a research. They will be divided into two groups which are to be the two parties on the trial over Galileo which is to take place during the next lesson. One group will be prosecutors and the other – lawyers, providing scientific background for each theory.

On my mind, the present lesson can encourage students to think critically. They will need to think why the Church was against progress, or why it was important to implement research and start scientific revolution. The students will not only learn facts about Copernicus and Galileo, but will also touch upon the issue of interests and power. The students will critically think of forces which try to stop progress because of the fear to lose power. Besides, the format of discussion will encourage students to articulate their points of view and defend them.

Reference List

Hunter, M. A., Russell, D. (2005). Planning for Effective Instruction: Lesson Design. In B. C. Marlowe and Canestrari, A.S. (Eds.), Educational Psychology in Context: Readings for Future Teachers (pp. 3-13). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Medieval Europe: Religion in Medieval Europe. (2010). YouTube. Web.

Willingham, D.T. (2005). Students Remember… What They Think about. In B. C. Marlowe and Canestrari, A.S. (Eds.), Educational Psychology in Context: Readings for Future Teachers (pp. 68-75). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

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