Unit 2: Moon.(Brief Article)

Background Information

The following anecdotes illustrate how lunar eclipses have greatly affected historic events.

A Battle Is Lost

The archrival Greek city-states Athens and Sparta battled continuously in the fifth century B.C. for control of land, commerce, and overall power. When a reversal of fortune forced Athens to retreat from the Battle of Syracuse in 431 B.C., the lunar eclipse that occurred on the eve of the Athenians' departure was seen as a bad omen. Paralyzed by fear, the Athenian leader delayed the withdrawal for a whole month, giving the Spartans time to destroy the Athenian fleet and any hope of escape.

Columbus in the New World

On his fourth voyage, Columbus suffered several setbacks. His leaky boats had to stay in port for repairs for six months, and relations with the natives deteriorated to the point where they stopped supplying Columbus and his men with food. Columbus was desperate. Capitalizing on the natives' lack of knowledge about lunar eclipses, and knowing that one would occur in three days, Columbus told the Indians that the Christian god would be angry with this situation and would soon give a sign in the sky. Three days later, on eclipse night, the sky showed an "angry" moon. This sight so terrified the Indians that they rushed to Columbus and his men with food.

 
                  Unit Concepts: Students learn that 
                  the moon's patterns affect Earth's tides 
                  and weather. 
 
                  The activities listed below suggest ways of 
                  presenting and enriching the content and 
                  skills in Unit 2. The activities correspond 
                  to days 7 through 10 on the page 2 calendar 
                  matrix. 
 
                  MOON BLAMED IN FLOOD 
 
                  Have students read and discuss pages 10 and 11. 
Letter Writing    Enrichment. Ask students to write a class 
                  letter to the National Weather Service, Warning 
                  and Forecast Branch, 1325 East-West Highway, 
                  Room 14370, Silver Spring, MD 20910, requesting 
                  information about hurricanes and floods. 
Current Events/   Enrichment. Encourage students to bring in ...