Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants
From Devine Entertainment Specials · 1997
Summary
In early-1600s Italy, the scientist Galileo is short of money and short of patience when he is saddled with a bored young apprentice. But as the boy watches Galileo build and aim his new telescope, he catches the same fever for discovery -- and the two study the moons of Jupiter and Galileo's daring idea that the Earth is not the center of the universe. The film shows both the wonder of Galileo's findings and the real danger of teaching ideas the authorities forbade.
Viewer safety
The film explains that Galileo risked punishment for teaching that the Earth moves around the sun, and refers to how authorities treated people who disagreed with the Church. The tone is serious, not graphic — preview if your class needs help with the history.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A great scientist and his young apprentice use a new telescope to study the sky -- and risk trouble for what they find.
- Galileo built a telescope to see farther than anyone had. How can a new tool let scientists discover things they couldn't before?
- Galileo taught that the Earth moves around the sun, which upset powerful people. Why do new ideas sometimes make people uncomfortable?
- The apprentice starts out bored and ends up fascinated. What is something that grew on you once you gave it a real chance?
- Galileo said he stood "on the shoulders of giants" -- earlier thinkers. Who are people whose work you build on when you learn?
Quick work-a-long
Words to know: telescope, astronomer, observe, evidence
- Galileo watched the same sky night after night to find patterns. Name one thing you'd have to observe many times to be sure of a pattern.
- A telescope makes far things look close. List one other tool that lets us see something our eyes can't see on their own.