History of Science
Teach a more complete history of science and technology. These resources outline the big-picture innovations that reshaped the world as well as introduce students to lesser-known non-Western innovators that will make them rethink stereotypes about who can be a scientist.
Featured Materials
Unit 1 Overview: What Is Big History?
Video
Unit 1 Overview: What Is Big History?
What is Big History? Rachel Hansen will be your guide as you travel through the Universe’s 13.8-billion-year history, or what we like to call Big History.
Dr. Wu and the Left-Handed Universe: Chien-Shiung Wu – Graphic Biography
Article
Dr. Wu and the Left-Handed Universe: Chien-Shiung Wu – Graphic Biography
Chien-Shiung Wu is today known as the “First Lady of Physics.” Yet, many people don’t know her name. She broke barriers and disproved one of the fundamental laws of physics.
Scale – Changing Views Timeline
Activity
Scale – Changing Views Timeline
As technology improved, so did our understanding of the Universe. Create a timeline to depict how our views of the Universe have changed over time.
Claudius Ptolemy
Article
Claudius Ptolemy
An Earth-centered view of the Universe from an ancient astronomer.
Nicolaus Copernicus
Article
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus set off a scientific revolution with his Sun-centered view of the Universe.
Isaac Newton
Article
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton laid the foundation of our current understanding of physics and the Universe.
Henrietta Leavitt
Article
Henrietta Leavitt
Henrietta Leavitt discovered a fascinating relationship that allowed her to measure distance in the Universe.
Edwin Hubble
Article
Edwin Hubble
Thousands of years of thinking and evidence culminate in Hubble's discovery of a vast and expanding Universe.
Standing on the Shoulders of Invisible Giants
Article
Standing on the Shoulders of Invisible Giants
The history of science is a history of our collective learning. Historians piece together different conversations to tell a story that crosses centuries and continents.
Views of the Universe Debate
Activity
Views of the Universe Debate
So, what do you think was the most influential model of the Universe? Conduct research and prepare for debate!
The Missing Link?: The Maragha Observatory
Article
The Missing Link?: The Maragha Observatory
From Ptolemy to Copernicus and Galileo, thinkers have debated what the Universe looked like for centuries. Ultimately, scholars moved from an Earth-centered model to a Sun-centered model. How did we get there?