Earth Science Projects

Historical Perspectives

Summary:

The history of astronomy is long and widespread. Virtually all cultures have stories, theories, and practical uses for the celestial bodies in the night sky.

Your job is to do some research about the history of astronomy. Now, be careful, because this is a pretty big topic!

Project Timing:

Will vary depending on the topic and method chosen for presentation.

Materials:

  • Computer and Internet Access
  • Power Point or a web based presentation tool such as Google Slides or Prezzie if this is the method of presentation

Procedure:

Think about focusing on one historical figure or cultural group. You will be finding information about how that person or group contributed to our understanding of space.

You might choose to develop a biography of a famous astronomer. Or, you might be more interested in how a certain cultural group used the sky to guide their lives.

Once you have begun to gather information, choose a format to present this information. You may want to make a pamphlet, poster, web page, research paper, or another format that you can think of. (Be sure to check with your teacher for acceptable formats.)

Your Historical Perspectives assignment must include:

  • a brief description of the person or cultural group you have selected

  • a description of how that person or group influenced or was influenced by the celestial bodies

  • a list of the resources you used to gather your information

Some topics you might consider researching include:

  • any one of the many scientists, astronomers, or mathematicians who studied the skies

  • any one of the many cultural groups who used the movements in the skies to guide their farming, hunting, and gathering processes—you can look as far away as Egypt or China, or you can examine one of the aboriginal groups right here in British Columbia

  • any one of the many cultural or religious groups who related the movements of the planets and stars with the actions of the gods—describe how this understanding of space affected their daily lives

  • any other related topics that you come up with (be sure to get your teacher's approval)

You will require at least two resources, which must be included in a bibliography.

Project Submission:

Upload your project to the project dropbox or submit a hard copy to your instructor for evaluation.