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Natural Science - Year I

Chat times for 2026-2027
Thursday
11:00a-12:30p ET/8:00a-9:30 PT

Dr. Christe Ann McMenomy

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Scholars Online Natural Science
Units for the First Year

2026 Natural Science Year I Syllabus
Chat Sessions, Lecture Topics, Lab Exercises

Week Date
Thursdays
Unit History Topic Science Topic Lab
19/3/20260Preparing for chatDoing written assignmentsLab reports
29/10/20261What is ScienceThe divisio scientiarumBasic Observation
39/17/20262Scientific Observation and the Experimental MethodWeather: The Movement of AirWeather Observations
49/24/20263Requirements for ScienceWeather: Fronts and StormsHumidity
510/1/20264Creation Stories and NatureNaked-Eye Astronomy 1: Days, Years, SeasonsThe Motions of the Sun
610/8/20265Ancient ObservationsNaked-Eye Astronomy 2: Sun, Moon, PlanetsPlanetary Observations
710/15/20266Basic Algebra, NumeralsCounting, Measuring, AccuracyMeasurement and Error
810/22/20267Greek Mathematics: Pythagoras, Euclid, ApolloniusProportion and PeriodicitySound
910/29/20268Ionian and Eleatic Monistic MaterialistsMatter: Volume, Density, and other basic characteristicsMeasuring Density
1011/5/20269Greek Theories of MotionDisplacement, Velocity, and AccelerationMeasuring Velocity and Acceleration
1111/12/202610Eudoxus and Aristotle: Model of the UniversePtolemy: Model of the UniverseNaked Eye Observations of the Planets
1211/19/202611Aristotle and ClassificationClassification Systems and Vertebrate Life FormsField Lab #2A
1311/26/2026Thanksgiving
1412/3/202612Aristotle and Invertebrate LifeThe Classification of InvertebratesField Lab #2B
1512/10/202613Theophrastus and Plant LifeThe Classification of PlantsField Lab #3
1612/17/202614Archimedes and HeroMachinesBuilding a Simple Machine
1712/24/2026Christmas
1812/31/2026New Years
191/7/202715Roman EngineeringStatic EquilibriumResisting Forces
201/14/202716Thinking about HistoryThinking about ScienceScientific Methods
211/21/202717Review: The End of the Ancient WorldReview Review
221/28/202718Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance History of ScienceHistory: a timeline of events, 400AD - 1700 ADTBD
232/4/202719Early Christian Fathers and ScienceSound and MusicVibrating Strings
242/11/202720Arab ScienceOpticsLenses
252/18/202721Medieval CosmosMathematics of MotionTBD
262/25/202722Leonardo and Scientific IllustrationHuman Anatomy 1: Bones and MusclesDissection of an Earthworm
273/4/202723Andreas VesaliusHuman Anatomy 2: The Nervous System Taste
283/11/202724William HarveyHuman Anatomy 3: CirculationCapillaries
293/18/202725Robert Hook and the MicroscopeHuman Anatomy 4: CellsMicroscope Basics
303/25/2027Holy Week
314/1/202735Francis BaconThe Idea of NatureInduction and Deduction in experiments
324/8/202726The Copernican RevolutionThe Solar SystemObserving Planets
334/15/202727Brahe, Kepler, and the Early Followers of CopernicusIndividual PlanetsGalilean Observations of Venus and Jupiter
344/22/202728Galileo Galilei and Heliocentric TheoriesParallax and Pendulum EvidenceGalilean Observations of the Sun and Moon
354/29/202729Galileo Galilei and MechanicsFalling Bodies: Under constant accelerationGalilean Pendulum Experiment
365/6/202730Isaac Newton and the Laws of MotionNewton's Laws of MotionFalling Bodies II
375/13/202731William GilbertMagnetismMapping Magnetic Fields
385/20/202732Isaac Newton and Universal LawsThe Law of GravityTBD
395/27/202733The Accomplishments of the Scientific RevolutionThe Renaissance World ModelNone