About This Lesson
Students will watch a video clip of Italian physicist Galileo Galilei’s use of the newly invented telescope to view astronomical objects. A telescope improves the naked eye in two ways: since its lens is larger than the eye, it collects more light and can help us see dimmer objects. It also magnifies viewed objects, so we can see finer details. After building their own telescope, students will use it to make observations of familiar objects, including the moon. They will also learn about the physics of lenses and telescopes and reflect on the significance of Galileo’s findings.
