Students refine their ideas of what science is and how it works. Next, they study the lives and achievements of great scientists of the Scientific Revolution, including Copernicus, Galileo, and Isaac Newton. Then they investigate what the scientific method is and how the Scientific Revolution helped bring it about. Finally, they give their own views of the scientists they have studied, by rating them in importance.
Students are introduced to the Scientific Revolution as part of the broader history of science and review the lesson objectives. They examine an image of Galileo and respond individually in a shared table by writing their own definition of science. Then, on a collaborative wall, they describe practical ways that scientific discoveries affect their daily lives.
Teacher MovesReview the lesson objectives and connect the introduction to students’ prior knowledge about science. Facilitate a discussion of student definitions to develop a shared class definition of science, and draw out examples from the wall posts to highlight how scientific advances shape everyday life.
Students read background text explaining the long global history of scientific inquiry and the rapid advances in physics, optics, astronomy, and biology during the Scientific Revolution. They watch short videos on Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac Newton to learn about their major discoveries. Using this information and brief online research on Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe, students create a timeline of key Scientific Revolution scientists and their contributions on a shared drawing canvas or on paper and upload a photo.
Teacher MovesSelect and project two or more strong student timelines and discuss them with the class, ensuring that all five scientists and their major achievements are represented. Use the discussion to reinforce chronological order and the connections among the scientists’ ideas.
Students read The Scientific Method and How The Scientific Method Transformed Society And Built The Modern World to understand the steps of the scientific method and how it emerged during the Scientific Revolution. Imagining they are speaking to a curious medieval scientist, they post on a collaborative wall explaining the scientific method in their own words and why it is valuable. They then review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesUse students’ wall posts as a springboard for whole-class discussion, asking them to compare explanations and identify which parts of their classmates’ descriptions they agree or disagree with, while clarifying key features and benefits of the scientific method.
Students consider the relative importance of five Renaissance scientists—Brahe, Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. On a collaborative wall, they rank the scientists from 1 (least important) to 5 (most important) and justify their rankings with clear reasons. They then read classmates’ rankings and respond to at least two posts with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesUse students’ rankings and explanations to launch a discussion about the scientists’ contributions. Tally the points each scientist receives, share the totals with the class, and explore whether there is a class consensus or differing perspectives on which figures were most influential.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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