edHelper.com
Explorers
Space and Stars
 Copernicus

Copernicus
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 7
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   7.75

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    astronomer, merely, economist, astronomy, diplomat, homeland, monetary, wealthy, basis, canon, physician, reform, mathematics, advisor, immediately, theory
     content words:    Astronomer Copernicus, Jan Matejko, Nicolaus Copernicus, Frombork Cathedral, Magnus Opus, Celestial Spheres

Print Copernicus
     Print Copernicus  (font options, pick words for additional puzzles, and more)

Quickly Print - PDF format
     Quickly Print: PDF (2 columns per page)
     Quickly Print: PDF (full page)

Quickly Print - HTML format
     Quickly Print: HTML

Proofreading Activity
     Print a proofreading activity

Feedback on Copernicus
     Leave your feedback on Copernicus  (use this link if you found an error in the story)

Copernicus
By Mary Lynn Bushong 		  
1     Caption: "Astronomer Copernicus: Conversation with God" painted by Jan Matejko (1872).
 
2     If you looked at a map of Europe from 600 years ago, how would it appear to you? Well, it might look a little bit funny. The names and borders of many countries would be different than they are today. One country that did not appear was Poland, the homeland of Nicolaus Copernicus.
 
3     Copernicus was born in 1473 in Torun but educated in Krakow. His father was wealthy but died when Nicolaus was only ten. He was raised by his mother's brother, a church canon.
 
4     He helped young Copernicus with his education. At first the young scientist wanted to be a cleric. As his education progressed, many subjects interested his mind. In addition to his church studies, he also pursued studies to become a physician, a lawyer, an economist, a governor, and a diplomat. He also studied mathematics and astronomy.
 
5     Much of his later education was received in Italy where he studied in Bologna, Padua, and Ferrara. He learned about some of the greatest astronomers in the past, the Arabs and Indians. They were so good at it because of the time they spent studying the skies. Copernicus read their writings and the heliocentric (sun-centered) theory they had formed.

Paragraphs 6 to 11:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
Copyright © 2009 edHelper