Activity Overview
While students are learning about the discoveries that led to the current heliocentric model of the solar system, have them focus on the story of Galileo Galilei. In this activity, students will create a narrative of Galileo's discovery of Jupiter's moon. You can also encourage students to research other important discoveries related to the solar system and create narratives for the scientists involved.
For an alternative to this assignment, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. Students can focus on one narrative or several discoveries that came led to the current model. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options and adjust the instructions accordingly.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a narrative storyboard explaining how Galileo’s observations of the moons of Jupiter changed the way we think about the solar system.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Add as many cells and rows are you need.
- Use a series of characters, scenes and props to tell the story of how Galileo changed the way we think about the universe.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vizualisations | All the visualizations are easy to understand and help in telling the story. | Some of the visualizations are easy to understand. | Not many of the visualizations are easy to understand. |
| Writing | The written work tells the story accurately. It is clear and easy to understand. | The written work tells the story, however, some parts and muddled and not easy to understand. | The written work doesn't tell the story accurately. It is not clear and easy to understand. |
| Creativity | The work is highly creative. It could be used as an exemplary model. | Creativity is evident. | Creativity is not evident. |
| Conventions | There are only minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage, if any. | There are few errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage. | There are many errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
Activity Overview
While students are learning about the discoveries that led to the current heliocentric model of the solar system, have them focus on the story of Galileo Galilei. In this activity, students will create a narrative of Galileo's discovery of Jupiter's moon. You can also encourage students to research other important discoveries related to the solar system and create narratives for the scientists involved.
For an alternative to this assignment, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. Students can focus on one narrative or several discoveries that came led to the current model. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options and adjust the instructions accordingly.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a narrative storyboard explaining how Galileo’s observations of the moons of Jupiter changed the way we think about the solar system.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Add as many cells and rows are you need.
- Use a series of characters, scenes and props to tell the story of how Galileo changed the way we think about the universe.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vizualisations | All the visualizations are easy to understand and help in telling the story. | Some of the visualizations are easy to understand. | Not many of the visualizations are easy to understand. |
| Writing | The written work tells the story accurately. It is clear and easy to understand. | The written work tells the story, however, some parts and muddled and not easy to understand. | The written work doesn't tell the story accurately. It is not clear and easy to understand. |
| Creativity | The work is highly creative. It could be used as an exemplary model. | Creativity is evident. | Creativity is not evident. |
| Conventions | There are only minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage, if any. | There are few errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage. | There are many errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
How Tos about Historical Narrative of Galileo Galilei
Incorporate primary source analysis into your Galileo lesson
Enhance your lesson by adding primary source documents—such as Galileo’s own letters or telescope sketches—so students see history through Galileo’s eyes. This brings authenticity and deepens engagement with the scientific process.
Select age-appropriate primary sources for your class
Choose excerpts or images that are manageable and interesting for your students. For grades 2–8, use short translated passages, labeled diagrams, or images of Galileo’s notes to make content accessible.
Guide students to analyze and discuss the sources
Prompt students with guiding questions like, “What do you notice?” or “How did Galileo record his findings?” so they think critically about the document and connect it to their narrative.
Facilitate student connections between sources and their storyboards
Encourage students to reference details from the sources in their storyboards, such as Galileo’s telescope design or his descriptions of Jupiter’s moons, to add historical accuracy and enrich their narratives.
Wrap up with a class discussion on the value of primary sources
Lead a brief conversation on what students learned from working with original documents, emphasizing how primary sources help us understand real scientific breakthroughs and bring history to life.
Frequently Asked Questions about Historical Narrative of Galileo Galilei
How did Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s moons change our understanding of the solar system?
Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s moons in 1610 provided evidence that not everything orbits the Earth, supporting the heliocentric model and changing our understanding of the solar system’s structure.
What is a historical narrative lesson about Galileo Galilei for middle school?
A historical narrative lesson about Galileo has students create a story or storyboard describing how his observations of Jupiter’s moons challenged old beliefs and advanced our view of the universe.
How can students create a timeline poster about Galileo’s discoveries?
Students can research Galileo’s key discoveries, then organize events on a poster in chronological order, using visuals and short descriptions to illustrate how each step led to our modern solar system model.
Why is Galileo Galilei important in the history of astronomy?
Galileo is important because he used a telescope to make groundbreaking observations, such as discovering Jupiter’s moons, which provided strong evidence for the heliocentric model of the solar system.
What are some creative ways to teach about Galileo and the heliocentric model?
Creative approaches include making storyboards, timeline posters, or gallery walks where students illustrate and present Galileo’s discoveries and their impact on astronomy.
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