Archimedes and the Door to Science...

O.K. I seriously did not know anything about Archimedes...and had NO idea he did so much for the human race's understanding and foundation into mathematics and science...from the pulley system to measurement to geometry to astronomy to weights to physics...seriously, he was a BAD dude :)  This month's book club book was a biography on Archimedes....The kids and I thoroughly enjoyed the book...Daddy even got into it and helped explain things like the pulley system and the screwdriver technique...machines and mechanical advantage....I don't think the kids will ever forget who invented the pulley and how Archimedes figured out how to get water from the Nile River up on land during the drought season without having to carrying it with buckets....I like the fact that when we discussed how he was a greek philosopher and liked to argue points that they broke out in song..."Greek Philosophers, Nehimiah and the Jewish Return, Alexander the Great......" which is part of the timeline they have memorized for their Classical Conversations work...so they were able to put his life on their mental timeline!!!!  They also realized that we have a pulley in our backyard and a pulley that works our camper top.  Emily also understands how Geometry is helpful in art...curved lines, angle lines, basic lines, circles, etc.....all things she uses when she does her art!  John Daniel thought it was awesome how Archimedes invented so many war machines and when it came time to use them, he had to teach everyone how to work them...even caught ships on fire using the sun and a huge mirror!  And how he helped King Heiro figure out that a goldsmith had cheated him and put silver in the Golden Crown and disguised it be solid gold and look Gold...all by weights and measurements!  It really was interesting!  Below are pictures from our book club meeting...Mr. P did a visual lesson on the pulley system and our friends dressed up as Archimedes and an interviewer!