KS2 Science - Nicolaus Copernicus

This film is from the series Scientists and the Scientific Method available on BBC Teach.

This film shows how Nicolaus Copernicus - an early astronomer, scientist and priest in Poland - discovered that the sun was at the centre of the solar system.

This theory is known as the heliocentric model of the solar system. It was controversial at the time because the accepted wisdom (supported by the church) was that the Earth was at the centre of the universe.

In this vlog style film, Nicolas Copernicus compares his ideas with those of Aristotle and Ptolemy, whose celestial model placed a stationary Earth at the centre of the solar system, with the sun and other planets in its orbit.

Teacher Notes

As a starter to introduce a practical science activity, you could write a simple quiz to encourage pupils to capture the keywords shown in the video.

Pupils can write their own definitions from these words using the internet or science dictionaries to improve their scientific vocabulary.

To consolidate their knowledge, pupils could make booklets that include key information about the work of Nicolaus Copernicus.

They could define the keywords featured in the film, and find five or more pieces of additional pieces of information about the work of the Nicolas Copernicus using books, encyclopedias or the internet.

Curriculum Notes

Suitable for teaching Science at Key Stage 2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and at 2nd Level in Scotland.

The film also has cross-curricular links with History and Literacy.

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