5°) Cross-curricular links

In my French high school, the projection of the May 7, 2003 transit of Mercury provided a high point for pupils in the playground and generated a rich exchange of ideas. In addition to asking relevant questions on the spot, they wanted to continue the discussion in class. Another interesting fact we noted was the reaction of colleagues from humanities departments. Some of them had only learned for the first time of this phenomenon, that morning, on the radio on the way to work. They were just as amused and surprised as the pupils. This provided us with a perfect opportunity to prepare the ground for an inter-disciplinary project on the forthcoming transit of Venus.

Indeed, the historical context of the previous transits of Venus (particularly those in the Eighteenth Century) is something of great interest to history teachers. Events such as this give them a chance to establish a link between their own discipline and science, looking at, for example, the connection between astronomy and navigation (two very closely related sciences). This would lead on, naturally, to examining colonial expansion, the manufacture of clocks for establishing longitude at sea, the drawing of geographical maps by the Paris Observatory, the great sea-faring expeditions across the world (Cook, Bougainville etc.), many wars in Europe, etc.

It would be perfect if the project for collecting the observations of the transit of Venus in 2004 were carried out in a way inspired by Halley’s recommendations, that is, the young from Europe organizing joint projects with the young from the southern hemisphere. Modern means of electronic communication make this possible. Such exchanges should interest modern languages teachers (detailed proposals for educational use of the transit by physics teachers are set out in Vénus devant le Soleil. See ‘Further readings’.)

Thus, surveying, observing and measuring the transit of Venus across the face of Sun could draw together a number of different school disciplines, as well as providing an ideal opportunity for international cooperation amongst young people.