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Galileo Contributions

Students will be inspired by the wisdom and inventions of Galileo and design posters that highlight some of his words and works.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Index Cards

Steps

  • Step 1

    Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an astronomer, physicist, and engineer from Pisa, Italy. Have students research his contributions to the field of science. For example he devised a high-powered telescope and discovered four moons revolving around Jupiter, he introduced the law of inertia - a body in motion stays in motion and a body at rest remains at rest, and he invented a rudimentary thermometer.

  • Step 2

    Galileo also wrote many words of wisdom about the pursuit of scientific truth. Ask students to look up some of his inspiring quotes. Then have them create a info card of one of his inventions or laws and perhaps find a quote to pair it with.

  • Step 3

    Have students share their info cards and discuss the similarities and differences in Galileo's inventions that they and their classmates portrayed and how this inventor helped advance the field of science.

Standards

SCI: Design pictorial or graphic representations/models that are useful in communicating ideas.

SCI: Convey designs through sketches, detailed drawings, or physical models to communicate ideas and solutions.

Adaptations

Galileo said, "I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Have students discuss its meaning and intent. Ask them to reflect on Galileo's

Galileo proved that gravity pulls objects at the same rate even if they have different weights. Students can recreate this by standing safely on a chair or at the top of an open staircase (making sure the lower level is clear). They would hold objects of different weights (such as a ball and a pencil) in each hand and then let them drop to the floor. Did they reach the ground at the same time?