Teaching Aims:
1. Improve the students reading skills.
2. Learn something about Copernicus and his Revolutionary Theory
3. Learn how to accomplish a persuasive writing.
Difficult and Important Points:
1)Reading Comprehension
2)Persuasive writing.
Teaching Methods:
Comparative method
Teaching Procedures:
Step I Warming up
1.Do you know what is the center of the solar system?
2.Can you name the nine planets in the solar system?
Mnemonics (记忆术)
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto
Can you use a good method to memorize them ?My Very Easy Method: Just Set Up Nine Planets.
Step II. Reading
Title of the passage: Copernicus’ Revolutionary TheoryFast reading
Listen to the tape, and find out the answers to the questions.
1. What did Copernicus think was the center of the solar system?
2.When did Copernicus publish his theory?Careful reading
Why didn’t Copernicus publish his theory before he died?
Step III. Reading comprehension
P7. 1.Use the reading to help you draw the two theories of the universe.
Before Copernicus’ theory
A diagram showing the solar system with the earth at its centre
Showing Copernicus’ theory
A diagram showing the solar system with the sun at its centre
Step IV. Persuasive writing (Please refer to P8 Learning Tip)
Writing Task: P7.3.Now writing a short letter asking Copernicus to publish his ideas so everyone can read them.
First you need to collect your ideas. For example:
He believes his new theory is true.
There are problems with the present theory.
He has done many years of observations to prove his new theory is true.
Science can’t develop unless people publish their ideas.
Time will show if his theory is true or not.
Here is a plan:
Beginning: Tell Copernicus who you are and why you want him to publish his ideas.
Paragraph 1: Reason 1 and evidence.
Paragraph 2: Reason 2 and evidence.
Summing up: Ask him to think again about publishing his ideas.
One possible version:
Dear Nicolaus Copernicus,
I am a student studying astronomy and I would very much like to read your new theory about the solar system. I hope you will publish it for several reasons.
I understand the problems with the present theory. The way the planets move is not what you would expect if the earth was the centre of the universe. It is also odd that the brightness of some stars seems to change. So I agree with you that we need a new theory.
I know your observations have been very carefully carried out over many years. Now you must have the courage to publish them. Science can never advance unless people have the courage of their beliefs. I know you worry about what will happen if you publish your new theory. No matter how people oppose it, time will show if your ideas are right or wrong.
So I hope you will feel you can publish your new theory.
Yours sincerely,
Zhang Hua
Step V. Summary
Step VI. Homework assignment
1. Surf the Internet and get more information about Copernicus.
http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Science/Copernicus.htm2. Revision
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer (1473-1543). Born in Torun, he began his university studies in Krakow in 1491, where he studied canon law and Latin and Greek classics. However he also had an interest in mathematics and astronomy. After obtaining his degree of Doctor of Canon Law (教会法规博士学位)in Italy in 1503, Copernicus returned home to Warmia in Poland to serve as Canon (=priest) .
In 1530, Copernicus completed his great work De Revolutionibus (《天体运行论》).Copernicus knew that these findings would lead him into trouble with the Roman Catholic Church (罗马天主教教徒), so he wasin no hurry to publish his theory. He only published it as he lay dying in 1543.
Though Copernicus did not live to hear of its extraordinary impact, the book which first suggested that the Sun, not the Earth, is the centre of the universe is now recognized as one of the most influential scientific works of all time. Adapted from http://www.library.rdg.ac.uk/colls/special/featureditem/copernicus