Museum of Ancient Inventions

URL: http://www.smith.edu/hsc/museum/ancient_inventions/home.htm

Review date: 8 April, 2003

Description: This section of the college's site is aimed at showcasing ancient inventions, models of which have been made by students as part of their course 'Ancient Inventions', run at the college since 1997.Over forty models of ancient inventions are depicted in colour photographs, with a short description of the object and the student maker's name/s. Some models, for example, the Aztec calendar wheels, are accompanied by a description of how to make the model and other details, such as a list of the objects figuring in the decoration of the wheels. Many of the ideas will be useful for helping students understand basic scientific principles, such as force, leverage, gravity and friction, especially if students are required to build models themselves to illustrate specific concepts.

Ideas come from spinning, weaving, fabric making, time measuring, warfare, stagecraft and electroplating (a suggested use for the Bagdad battery of 2000 years ago).

Useful for Science and society, level 4, level 5, the development of scientific knowledge. Site requirements: Flat html pages - no dynamic features

Source: Marjorie Senechal: Smith College History of Science, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA Curriculum areas: Science Curriculum levels: Upper primary; Lower secondary; Middle secondary Audiences:

Student; Teacher Keywords: Inventions; Military science - Models; Naval science