Recognizing Ancient Greek Achievements in the Modern World

Assignment to hand in:    Notes About Ancient Greek Achievements

Step 1: Introduction - Look at the picture below and read the following text:

The ancient Greeks made important contributions in many fields of learning, including astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. Greek scholars were extraordinarily successful in scientific fields for several reasons. First, Greek culture encouraged the pursuit of knowledge. Secondly, many citizens in the Greek city-states were wealthy. They had money to support academies and other centers of learning, and free time to pursue academic interests. In addition, Greeks who lived along the Aegean Sea traveled to and traded with other countries, such as Egypt and Babylonia. Through contact with other ancient cultures, they discovered and then built upon the scientific works of scholars from other parts of the ancient world.
Discoveries made by the ancient Greeks have influenced many aspects of modern life. Due to the work of ancient Greek astronomers, we have knowledge of the universe that enables us to explore distant planets. Several of the concepts we learn in mathematics rest upon their discoveries. Many of our everyday items employ scientific principles that Greek scholars first explained. For example, the cord mechanism we use to open and close curtains applies principles that Greeks discovered about the operation of a pulley. Seesaws, scissors, and fishing rods are just a few of many common objects that employ principles of the lever, also first explained by the Greeks. Indeed, the world has benefited greatly from the scientific discoveries made by the ancient Greeks.

Step 2: Fill out the Notes About Ancient Greek Achievements Chart following the directions on the Information Handouts and below. The first column in the chart, "Major Achievements" can be answered from the text in the Information Handouts, the second column of the chart, "Station Findings" can be answered from the Information Handouts and below. The third column, "Modern Applications" can be answered by looking at the corresponding picture and text that follows - read and answer the question at the end of each in green.

Architecture

Here we see historical buildings along the waterfront in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The buildings in the upper left corner, which sits on a hill, is the Philadelphia Museum of Art. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of architecture are shown in this modern image?

Information Handout            Greek Columns

Geography

Here we see a sailboat crew checking a nautical map in Prince William Sound, Alaska. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of geography are shown in this modern image?

Information Handout            Map of USA

Medicine

Here we see a doctor examining a young boy in a leg cast at a children's hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of medicine are shown in this modern image?

Information Handout            Hippocratic Oath

Astronomy

Here we see flight controllers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, celebrating the safe return of Apollo 13 from its mission to the moon in 1970. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of astronomy are shown in this modern image?

Informational Handout       

Zoology

Here we see a zoologist examining the thighbones of animal specimens. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of zoology are shown in this modern image?

Informational Handout    Evolution of Horse

Engineering

Here we see two people playing on a seesaw in a village near Seoul, South Korea. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of engineering are shown in this modern image?

Informational Handout        Video 1 - Levers        Video 2 - Levers (Answer the question: Why are levers so important to us today?)

Mathematics

Here we see a math teacher explaining geometry concepts to students with the aid of three-dimensional models. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of mathematics are shown in this modern image?

Informational Handout        Video: Pythagorean Theorem (Draw a diagram on how the Pythagorean Theorem is used)

Physics

Here we see a gigantic column of water rising from the explosion of an atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll, an island in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. What ancient Greek achievements in the field of physics are shown in this modern image?

Informational Handout        Website: PBS - Electricity (Answer the question: What is the difference between AC and DC current?)

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