Discovering History 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors Teacher s Guide

Transcription

1 Discovering History 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors Grade Level: 5 8 Curriculum Focus: Social Studies Lesson Duration: 5 class periods Program Description Marie Curie (6 min.) Examines Curie s discovery of the radioactive elements radium and polonium. Albert Einstein (5 min.) Discusses how the formula E=mc 2 served as a bridge to the modern nuclear age. Jonas Salk (5 min.) Investigates how this research scientist developed the first effective polio vaccine. Guglielmo Marconi (6 min.) Analyzes this inventor s contribution to present-day global communications. Thomas Alva Edison (6 min.) Probes Edison s legacy of breakthroughs in technology and science. Discussion Questions Why was the substance pitchblende important to Marie Curie s research? What led her to theorize that the uranium ore in pitchblende contained more than one radioactive substance? What new elements did she isolate? Why did Albert Einstein immigrate to the United States in 1933? What is the association between Einstein and the United States government s Manhattan Project? What is poliomyelitis? Why was a vaccine against polio needed in America? How effective was Jonas Salk s 1954 test vaccine? Who developed the incandescent lightbulb? How did people light dark places before the invention of the lightbulb? When and where did the first successful demonstration of Guglielmo Marconi s system of wireless telegraphy take place? When were the lifesaving possibilities of wireless telegraphy first realized? Lesson Plan Student Objectives Identify and discuss the contributions to science and technology made by Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Jonas Salk, Guglielmo Marconi, and Thomas Alva Edison. Analyze the social, political, and historical contexts of their work.

2 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 2 Explore the scientific advancements and societal changes effected by their discoveries or inventions. Research and discuss contributions to nuclear science made by women. Research and present oral reports on additional advancements in science, medicine, or technology made between 1870 and Create a timeline of events in science, medicine, and technology based on the above research and reports. Create a bulletin board that illustrates the significant advances in science, technology, and medicine made by the five individuals presented in the program. Materials 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors video Computer with Internet access Print resources about Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Jonas Salk, Guglielmo Marconi, and Thomas Alva Edison Print resources related to modern uses of radiation and radioactive materials; women in science; polio; advances in science, medicine, and technology from 1870 to 1960; the Manhattan Project Materials for creating a time line for classroom display, including construction paper and markers Materials for creating a bulletin board illustrating the advances in science, technology, and medicine made by the individuals presented in this program Procedures 1. Prior to viewing the program, ask students to discuss the following: What is scientific research? Name examples of scientific research with which you are familiar. (List responses on the board.) In each example what do the researchers hope to accomplish? What is an invention? What are some examples of inventions? (List responses on the board.) What problems did these inventions solve? Why do people invent new things? What steps might a person follow when attempting to invent something? On the board write the names of the five scientists and inventors presented in this program: Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Jonas Salk, Guglielmo Marconi, and Thomas Alva Edison. Ask students to share what they know about these people. As they watch the program, encourage students to think about how each individual s discovery or invention advanced science or technology and changed society. 2. After viewing the program, review the information presented: Who were the scientists and inventors discussed in the program? What major contributions did each make? (List responses on the board.) How did each scientific discovery or invention change the way people lived, worked, or relaxed? What would life be like without these innovations? Which discovery or

3 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 3 invention do the students feel was the most significant? Why? If they were inventors, what problems would they work to solve? What tools, devices, or machines might they create? 3. Uses of radiation and radioactive materials: Since their discovery just over a century ago, radiation and radioactive materials have benefited our daily lives. Radiation technology has led to innovations and advances in areas of health care, industry, agriculture and food production, astronomy, archaeology, oil and gas exploration, and consumer goods and services. Have students work in small groups to research this topic. Assign each group one of the following fields: energy, medical research, diagnosis and treatment of disease, agriculture, science, consumer products, and industry. Ask students to compile a list of at least five uses for radiation or radioactive materials in their assigned field and then share their findings with the rest of the class. Presentations should include visuals when possible, a clear explanation of how radiation or radioactive materials are applied, and the resulting benefits. Students may begin their research at the following Web sites: We Live in a Radioactive World Radiation in Everyday Life Modern Uses of Radioactive Isotopes 4. Women in science: The achievements of Marie Curie often eclipse those of other women in the nuclear sciences. These notables include Harriet Brooks, Irene Joliot-Curie, Edith Quimby, Florence Rena Sabin, Lise Meitner, Rosalind Franklin, Chien-Shiung Wu, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, Marie G. Mayer, Mildred Dresselhaus, Rosalyn Yalow, and Helen T. Edwards. Have students select a female nuclear scientist from either the above list or another source, conduct research, and write a report. Allow time for students to share completed reports with the rest of the class. Students may begin their research at the following Web site: Women-Related Web Sites in Science/Technology 5. Polio: The fear of polio was a fear of something you had no defense against, something that hit without logic or reason. Yesterday, it was the man down the block. Today it could be you or your children (Larry Alexander, polio survivor, 1954). To help students better understand the importance of Jonas Salk s polio vaccine, ask them to explore the following Web site in preparation for a general discussion of the topic: What are the symptoms of polio? How does it damage the body? When was the first known outbreak of polio? During which months did outbreaks of the disease occur most frequently? What were the possible outcomes of contracting the disease? How did people and towns try to protect themselves? Which U.S. president contracted the disease? What types of rehabilitation and equipment were used to help polio victims? How did the iron lung assist victims? What was the March of Dimes? During what year was Jonas Salk s vaccine first publicly administered? When was the last recorded case of polio (caused by a wild virus) in the United States?

4 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 4 What Ever Happened to Polio? 6. Divide students into small research groups to investigate other advances in science and technology from 1870 to 1960 besides those presented in the program. Each group should cover one decade. Each student within a group should select one advance for research and prepare a brief oral report. Students oral reports should include visuals when possible, background information on the scientist or inventor responsible, how the innovation is used, and how it has benefited society. 7. Class project: Once students have completed the above research and reports, help them construct a classroom time line of the collected advances in science and technology. Include those presented in the program. 8. Extra credit: The Manhattan Project: Albert Einstein was instrumental in convincing President Franklin D. Roosevelt that Nazi Germany was creating a new type of bomb. Roosevelt authorized a scientific mission called the Manhattan Project, which was to produce an atomic bomb. On July 16, 1945, the world entered the nuclear age with the detonation of the first atomic bomb. Using print and Web resources, have student volunteers research the project and summarize their findings in a presentation of their own design, such as a written report, short story, poem, oral report, or multimedia presentation. 9. Bulletin board: As a culminating class project, help students create a bulletin board that illustrates the significant advances in science, technology, and medicine made by the five individuals presented in the program. Bulletin boards should feature descriptive words, headlines, quotes, drawings, images cut from magazines, and other items students choose to incorporate. Assessment Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson. 3 points: Students clearly demonstrated knowledge of the subject in class discussions, conducting all required research in preparation for the oral reports and general discussions; produced a complete report about a female nuclear scientist, including all of the requested information; made constructive contributions to the bulletin board project that demonstrated clear understanding of the topic. 2 points: Students demonstrated knowledge of the subject in class discussions, conducting most required research in preparation for the oral reports and general discussions; produced a satisfactory report about a female nuclear scientist, including most of the requested information; made contributions to the bulletin board project that demonstrated satisfactory understanding of the topic. 1 point: Students demonstrated minimal knowledge of the subject in class discussions, conducting little of the required research in preparation for the oral reports or general discussions; produced an unsatisfactory report about a female nuclear scientist; made inadequate contributions to the bulletin board project.

5 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 5 Vocabulary element Definition: A simple substance that cannot be reduced to smaller chemical parts Context: Marie Curie s research led to the discovery of the elements radium and polonium. immunize Definition: To give humans or animals protection against a particular disease by introducing a preparation called a vaccine into their bodies, usually by injection Context: Jonas Salk never patented or earned money from the vaccine he developed to immunize people against polio. incandescent Definition: Emitting light as a result of being heated Context: Invention of the incandescent lightbulb revolutionized how people lived. kinetoscope Definition: A device invented by Thomas Edison that displayed a series of illuminated images on a loop of film, giving the illusion of movement Context: Edison s invention of the kinetoscope paved the way for modern motion pictures. nuclear energy Definition: The energy released by nuclear fission or fusion, also called atomic energy Context: Einstein s formula E=mc 2 became the foundation for the development of nuclear energy. photoelectric effect Definition: Emission of electrons by substances, especially metals, when light falls on their surfaces Context: In 1887 H.R. Hertz discovered the photoelectric effect, and in 1905 Albert Einstein published a theory that successfully explained it. pitchblende Definition: A form of the mineral uraninite occurring in brown or black pitch-like masses and containing radium; mineral source of uranium Context: Marie Curie studied the ore in pitchblende and eventually isolated two new radioactive elements radium and polonium.

6 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 6 polio Definition: An acute viral disease marked by inflammation of nerve cells of the brain stem and spinal cord; poliomyelitis Context: Polio is a serious infectious disease that often causes permanent paralysis (the inability to move the body). quantum theory Definition: Modern physical theory concerned with the emission and absorption of energy by matter and with the motion of material particles Context: In 1921 Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize for his quantum theory. radar Definition: A system that uses reflected radio waves to determine the presence, location, and speed of distant objects; the system has military, law enforcement, and navigational applications Context: The work of Guglielmo Marconi laid the foundation for the development of radar and the first air defense radar network. radioactivity Definition: Spontaneous disintegration or decay of the nucleus of an atom by emission of particles Context: Pioneering research by Marie Curie vastly expanded the world s knowledge of radioactivity. theoretical physics Definition: Physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions rather than experimental processes Context: Albert Einstein was awarded the Franklin Medal for his work in theoretical physics. virus Definition: A submicroscopic parasitic particle of a nucleic acid surrounded by protein that replicates within a host cell; not considered to be an independent living organism Context: In the 1950s Jonas Salk developed an effective vaccine against the polio virus. Academic Standards Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) McREL s Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K 12 Education addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit

7 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 7 This lesson plan addresses the following national standards: History Historical Understanding: Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns; Understands the historical perspective United States History: Era 6 The Development of the Industrial United States ( ): Understands how the rise of corporations, heavy industry, and mechanized farming transformed American society United States History: Era 7 The Emergence of Modern America ( ): Understands how the United States changed between the post World War I years and the eve of the Great Depression United States History: Era 8 The Great Depression and World War II ( ): Understands the causes and course of World War II, the character of the war at home and abroad, and its reshaping of the U.S. role in world affairs World History: Era 8 A Half-Century of Crisis and Achievement, : Understands major global trends from 1900 to the end of World War II World History Across the Eras: Understands long-term changes and recurring patterns in world history Science: Nature of Science: Understands the nature of scientific knowledge; Understands the nature of scientific inquiry; Understands the scientific enterprise Technology: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual; Understands the nature of technological design; Understands the nature and operation of systems; Understands the nature and uses of different forms of technology Mathematics: Understands the general nature and uses of mathematics National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) NCSS has developed national guidelines for teaching social studies. To become a member of NCSS or to view the standards online, go to This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards: Culture Time, Continuity, and Change People, Places, and Environments Production, Distribution, and Consumption Science, Technology, and Society

8 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 8 Support Materials Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools offered on the DiscoverySchool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more visit DVD Content This program is available in an interactive DVD format. The following information and activities are specific to the DVD version. How to Use the DVD The DVD starting screen has the following options: Play Video This plays the video from start to finish. There are no programmed stops, except by using a remote control. With a computer, depending on the particular software player, a pause button is included with the other video controls. Video Index Here the video is divided into sections indicated by video thumbnail icons; brief descriptions are noted for each one. Watching all parts in sequence is similar to watching the video from start to finish. To play a particular segment, press Enter on the remote for TV playback; on a computer, click once to highlight a thumbnail and read the accompanying text description and click again to start the video. Standards Link Selecting this option displays a single screen that lists the national academic standards the video addresses. Teacher Resources This screen gives the technical support number and Web site address. Video Index I. Marie Curie (6 min.) Marie Curie vastly expanded the world s knowledge of radioactivity. Discover how she and her husband isolated two new radioactive elements radium and polonium then applied these findings to advance scientific technology. Pre-viewing question Q: Ask students to discuss the term radioactive and provide examples of radioactive substances. A: Radioactive means emitting radiation and describes a substance, such as uranium or plutonium, that emits energy in the form of streams of particles due to the decaying of its unstable atoms. Student examples will vary.

9 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 9 Post-viewing question Q: What substance did Marie Curie select for study in her search for new radioactive elements? Why? A: Marie Curie selected the substance called pitchblende. It was known to be a source of radioactive uranium, and Curie observed that, after the uranium was removed from the pitchblende, the remaining ore was more radioactive than the original. This indicated the presence of other radioactive elements. II. Albert Einstein (5 min.) Albert Einstein rocked the foundations of science with revolutionary concepts of time, space, mass, motion, and gravitation. Discover the link between his formula E=mc 2 and the modern nuclear age. Pre-viewing question Q: In what ways has the harnessing of nuclear energy changed the world? A: Answers will vary. Post-viewing question Q: In 1939 why did Albert Einstein urge President Franklin D. Roosevelt to build the atomic bomb? A: In 1939 there was strong evidence that Nazi Germany was working to develop its own atomic bomb. Although the United States was not yet at war with Germany, it was clear that acquisition of such a devastating weapon would ensure victory for the aggressive German regime, with its goals of European domination and annihilation of its enemies. III. Jonas Salk (5 min.) Polio once struck thousands of children each year. Find out how scientist Jonas Salk developed the first effective polio vaccine and eventually freed the Western Hemisphere of this crippling, often fatal, disease. Pre-viewing question Q: What is a vaccine? What are some common vaccines people receive today? A: A vaccine is a preparation that contains an antigen consisting of whole disease-causing organisms (killed or weakened) or parts of such organisms. The disease antigen stimulates the body to produce an antibody reaction but is not strong enough to produce the disease s harmful effects. Common vaccines include those against tetanus, influenza, hepatitis B, measles, and polio. Post-viewing question Q: During what year did mass immunizations against polio using Jonas Salk s vaccine begin? By 1962 what effect had mass immunizations had on the yearly number of polio cases in the United States?

10 20th Century Biographies: Scientists and Inventors 10 A: The first mass immunization took place in By 1962 the number of polio cases in the United States had dropped from 45,000 to only 910. IV. Guglielmo Marconi (6 min.) Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi gave the world its first practical system for long-distance wireless communication. Discover how his revolutionary advances made present-day global communications possible. Pre-viewing question Q: What does the term wireless mean? What are some examples of wireless technology? A: Wireless refers to a radio-based system that allows transmission of information without a physical connection as opposed to transmission systems that require a physical connection, such as copper wire or optical fiber. Student examples of wireless technology may include cellular phones, pagers, Global Positioning Systems, cordless telephones, remote control devices, the cordless mouse, and satellite television transmissions. Post-viewing question Q: What was the beam system? A: The beam system was the shortwave directional transmission perfected by Guglielmo Marconi in It made shortwave radio an effective and reliable method of communication. V. Thomas Alva Edison (6 min.) Through his hundreds of groundbreaking inventions, Thomas Edison played a key role in creating the modern world of today. Meet this innovative genius and explore his legacy of technological breakthroughs. Pre-viewing question Q: How would your daily life change if we had no electric lighting and relied on candles and oil lamps for illumination? A: Answers will vary. Post-viewing question Q: Why was Edison s invention of the kinetoscope significant? A: The kinetoscope was a device that gave an impression of movement as an endless loop of film moved continuously over a light source with a rapid shutter. Its invention paved the way for modern motion pictures. Credit Patricia A. Peirson, freelance writer; former elementary school and adult ESL educator