Rene Descartes Teacher Resources

Whether you say it in Latin (cogito ergo sum), French (je pense donc je suis), or in English (I think therefore I am), you are expressing the rationalism of French philosopher René Descartes. Learn more about Descartes's worldview and...

How do we know what we know? Examine the asker of this, and many other questions, during the 14th installment in a 15-part History of Science video series. The narrator explains the important contributions made by Galileo, Bacon, and...

In this online interactive literature quiz learning exercise, students respond to 25 multiple choice questions about Discourse on Method by Rene Descartes. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

Philosophy and religion are the topics of this presentation, though humor is what ties them together. Providing many examples of humor in different religions (Evangelism, Buddhism, Mormonism) and from different philosophers (Plato,...

In this online interactive philosophy quiz worksheet, students respond to 23 multiple choice questions about Descartes's Principles of Philosophy. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

In this online interactive philosophy worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Rene Descartes's Discourse on Method. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet.

In this online interactive philosophy activity, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Meditations on First Philosophy by Descartes. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive activity. 

Consider one of the most fundamental questions of philosophy posed by Rene Descartes in his Meditations on First Philosophy: How do we really know we exist? This animated video is accompanied by multiple-choice assessment questions,...

Before seeing this presentation, your class might not have a grasp of the contributions to art, science, and politics made by the Dutch in the 16th and 17th centuries. Comprehensive and engaging, the many images and discussion points in...

In this online interactive philosophy worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Principles of Philosophy by Rene Descartes.

For this online interactive philosophy worksheet, students respond to 30 multiple choice questions about Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

The history of our understanding of the center of the universe is explored through this film. The ideas of Aristotle, Copernicus, Bruno, Descartes, and Herschel are included, as well as the new discoveries that have helped the theories...

In this online interactive world history worksheet, students answer 22 matching questions regarding the Enlightenment. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

Learners read and discuss Scientific Revolution information sheet and the diagram concerning the causes of the Scientific Revolution. They construct a timeline including Aristotle, Democritus, Copernicus, Bacon and Descartes along with a...

What started out as a simple experiment about vacuums, turned into one of the most useful tools for predicting weather. Learn about the circumstances surrounding the invention of the barometer and the scientific principals that it...

In this online interactive philosophy worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous by George Berkeley. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive...

For this online interactive history quiz worksheet, students respond to 24 multiple choice questions about Sigmund Freud. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

Imagine if Sigmund Freud or Charles Darwin had a Facebook page. As part of a study of major historical figures in the field of psychology, class members are assigned a psychologist and design a mock Facebook page that includes such items...

In this online interactive world history worksheet, students answer 20 matching questions regarding the Scientific Revolution. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

In this online interactive history quiz worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about the life and accomplishments of Isaac Newton.

Fifth graders receive a brief history of Pascal's triangle. As a class the students construct the first few rows of the triangle. The students are then split into groups where they finish a worksheet identifying the total value of each...

What is they mystery behind the name of the x-ray? Find out in a brief informational video that tracks the etymology back to Descartes. Class members can watch the video and then interact with the additional resources. Flip the lesson to...

Students use a quotation from Einstein as a reference to categorize their descriptions as either Newtonian or Aristotelian. They discuss the idealized nature of the Newtonian approach. Students describe the events they observe when an...

Why is it important to look at the world from other species' points of view? Author Michael Pollan claims it is a way to reanimate the earth, realize Darwinian insights, and to take the food we need from the earth while healing it in the...