South Carolina ETV

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Beat the Greeks (Grade 10-12)

Master Teacher

Kinsler B. Mack

Time Allotment

45 minutes

Overview

The history of atomic theory is presented from Democritus and Aristotle to the early Renaissance using the Internet and video.

Subject Matter

Chemistry and Physics

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

State the atomist view of matter;
List the objections to the atomist view of matter;
Explain the ideas of atomism still used today.

South Carolina Standards

Visit SC Standards Web site

IV. Physical Science (CHEMISTRY)

A. Structure of Atoms

1. Matter is made of minute particles called atoms, and atoms are composed of even smaller components. These components have measurable properties, such as mass and electrical charge. Each atom has a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons. The electric force between the nucleus and electrons holds the atom together.

Media Components

Video

Structure of the Atom; Lesson 1: "The Earliest Models."

Web Sites

Leucippus and Democritius. This Web site looks at Democritus' ideas. It can be used as reference source for the Assessment and Cross-Curricular Extensions.

The Four Causes. This site looks at the "four causes" developed by Aristotle-material cause, formal cause, efficient cause and final cause.

Democritus This Web site will be used in the Culminating Activity. Direct students to this site and tell them to scroll down to the paragraph that begins "Certainly Democritus was not the first to propose an atomic theory." They should read the next seven paragraphs. The last sentence reads, "He wanted to remove the belief in gods which were, he believed, only introduced to explain the phenomena for which no scientific explanation was then available."

Materials

Per student:

Activity Sheet 1: Aristotle's View

Equipment

TV
VCR
computer with Internet access

Prep for Teachers

Make copies of Activity Sheet 1 for each student.
Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson.
When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video elements, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Insert the videotape, Lesson 1: "The Earliest Models," into the VCR. START the video when "Senior Physics" appears on the screen and the theme music is playing. STOP at "Atomism." You will see a picture of a suspended block with the word "indivisible" on it. You will hear "This concept became known as atomism."

Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to look for the answer to the question-"What was Democritus' idea on the smallness of matter?"

Step 2: Let the students share their answers.

Learning Activities

Step 1: The videotape now has a series of five questions about Democritus' theory. RESTART the tape and continue to PLAY the tape and STOP after each question and before the answer. The questions are-

1) "All reality is made of particles of space."

2) "Atoms have motion."

3) "Atoms are indivisible."

4) "Existing things differ from each other because of the shape, arrangement, and position of their atoms."

5) "Every event results form a collision of atoms and in theory can be predicted."

The students' Focus for Media Interaction is to decide what the answer is to each question before they see it on the screen. PAUSE before each answer to give them a chance to come up with their ideas. STOP tape after the fifth and final answer is given. You will see statues of Plato and Aristotle. You will hear "Plato and Aristotle pooh poohed the idea."

Culminating Activity

The Great Debate.

Step 1: Have students go online and read the selected paragraphs on Democritus found at http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/Mathematicians/ Democritus.html. Then distribute Activity Sheet 1 and have them read "Aristole's Views."

Step 2: After students have read the information, give them the following questions to answer:

1) On what did each philosopher base his description of life?

2) What would each philosopher use to challenge the other?

3) What ideas would you support from each philosopher?

4) With which philosopher do you most agree?

Step 3: Divide students into "Atomists" and "Aristotleans."

(Note to Teacher: Appoint a group if there are not enough supporters of both philosophers.)

Step 4: Have each group select a member to represent their philosopher at a "Press Conference." Each philosopher's representative will have three minutes to present his or her philosophy. The representative will then answer questions from the "populace."

(Note to Teacher: If necessary, interject leading questions-i.e., What about the gods? What about life after death?, etc.)

Assessment

Have students write a brief paper on which philosopher they support and why.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

English, History, Philosophy: Write a paper on the lives of these philosophers.

Community Connections

Contact a local college or university and invite a history, chemistry, physics or philosophy instructor to be a guest lecturer on the atomist debate.

Activity Sheets (PDF)

Activity Sheet 1: Aristotle's View