![]() The goal is not simply to measure the length of the stick and its shadow, but to understand Eratosthenes’ logic behind these simple measurements, and thus, highlight his ingenuity, since almost 2300 years ago he calculated the circumference of the Earth with relatively great accuracy. Optional introductory activity: Who was Eratosthenes? Why is his experiment so important nowadays?Īlthough it seems a simple and easy experiment, it takes time for students to really understand geometry, the direction of the Sun towards Earth on specific days, and the logical sequence of Eratosthenes’ thoughts. Collaborate with other schools on the same longitude.Explain measurement errors and suggest ways to minimize them.Describe how Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the Earth.Realize the geographic coordinate system of Earth: latitude and longitude.Understand that equinoxes and solstices are due to the Earth’s movement.Describe the geometry of sunlight towards Earth (sunrays are parallel when falling to Earth).Before starting to measure the Earth’s circumference, students should learn about Eratosthenes, his life, work, and the way he calculated the circumference of the Earth. Ideally, the experiment should take place on the March or September equinoxes on a sunny, or almost sunny, day. Even though there is a high probability that the measurement will not approximate the true value of the Earth’s circumference, like we know it today, the measuring itself provides a basis for simple mathematical reasoning and scientific thinking. Students can measure the Earth’s circumference like Eratosthenes did approximately 2300 years ago using simple materials and a stick’s shadow made by the Sun. Moreover, it can also be adjusted for primary school students not familiar with trigonometry: they can make measurements like Eratosthenes did and leave advanced calculations for the teacher. The following learning scenario is made for secondary school students that are familiar with the concepts of equal angles, from geometry, and tangents, from trigonometry. On the shoulders of giants: follow in the footsteps of Eratosthenes and measure the circumference of the Earth like he did 2300 years ago. ![]() Author(s): Sevasti Malamou, Vasileios Kitsakis
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