Greeks to Geeks

Course Description:

Greeks to Geeks: Astronomy (9-12: Science credit)
Ancient civilizations made sense of the celestial bodies involved in daily, monthly, and seasonal transitions in very different ways. The Chinese banged pots and pans to scare away the eclipses while the Aztecs sacrificed villagers. To predict and acknowledge the solstices the English built Stone Hedge, Native Americans built medicine wheels, and one Egyptian set up an experiment that allowed him to measure the circumference of the Earth. In this class we will start with Greek mythology, astronomical advances, and learn how the cultural climates in different global regions supported or refuted scientific advances in astronomy. Each student will pick a topic, phenomenon, or astronomical advancement to research and present. Example, the moons of Jupiter. Labs will be conducted to demonstrate the principles we will study.