Astronomy

Tahquitz High School

Instructor:J. Trimm

Email:

Class:Room 510

Assigned Textbook:

Astronomy: Journey to the Cosmic Frontier, 5e, Fix, McGraw Hill, 2008

Purpose of the Course:

Students are to understand the history and development of important concepts in the field of astronomy such as the debate between the Earth-centered and Sun-centered models of the solar system and the discovery of the expansion of the Universe. You will learn about the scale, structure, and origin of the Universe from the largest scale down to the formation, structure and evolution of individual stars. We will include a brief (and mostly non-mathematical) survey of the Big Bang and Relativity theories and the role of space-time, mass-energy, and the four fundamental forces that shape the Universe we see before us. Closer to home, we will seek to understand the formation and evolution of a typical solar system including the major types of objects found in a typical solar system such as planets, moons, comets, and asteroids.

Lecture Days:

Lecture days are times for me to review, clarify, and enhance what you have read in the text prior to the lecture. Participating in class is required. You will be asked to have prepared one to four questions based upon the reading assignment.

Exams:

Exams are open-note and will follow the lecture very closely. Please note that “open-note” does not equate to “Easy A.” Each test is given at the end of a chapter and will be worth 100 points, there will be 15 to 25 multiple choice questions (worth 50 points) and 4 short answer (worth 50 points). You will need to answer the entireset of question in order to get a passing grade. There will also be a Semester final Project that will be worth 300 points.

Grading Summary:

  • Projects (normally 2 a semester) worth 25 % of your grade
  • Homework/Classwork (normally 2 a week) worth 25% of your grade
  • Notebooks (Cornell Style, graded 2 times a semester) Worth 15% of your grade
  • Test (at the end of chapters and a final) worth 25% of your grade
  • Participation is worth 10% of your grade
  • No Late work accepted after May 20th 2015!!

Classroom Expectations:

  • Late work is graded with reduced point value, full credit if completed during the chapter and a loss of 25% of points for each chapter late. (50% will be given to all work turned no matter how late)
  • I expect that everyone will read the assigned material and complete each week’s assignments in a timely manner.
  • Be on time
  • Turn your cell phone off.
  • Everyone deserves to be heard – please be quiet while others are speaking, and they will return the courtesy to you.

Chapter Covered and Homework:

  1. Chapter 10 – Mercury and Venus – Pages 207 to 232
  2. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  3. Conceptual questions
  4. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  5. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  6. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  7. Chapter 11 – Mars – Pages 233 to 266
  8. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  9. Conceptual questions
  10. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  11. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  12. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  13. Chapter 12 – Jupiter and Saturn – Pages 267 to 292
  14. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  15. Conceptual questions
  16. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  17. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  18. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  19. Chapter 13 – The Outer Planets – Pages 293 to 314
  20. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  21. Conceptual questions
  22. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  23. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  24. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  25. Chapter 14 – Satellites – Pages 315 to 344
  26. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  27. Conceptual questions
  28. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  29. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  30. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  31. Chapter 15 – Small Solar System Bodies – Pages 345 to 374
  32. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  33. Conceptual questions
  34. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  35. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  36. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  37. Chapter 17 – The Sun – Pages 399 to 424
  38. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  39. Conceptual questions
  40. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  41. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  42. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  43. Chapter 19 – The Evolution of Stars – Pages 443 to 468
  44. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  45. Conceptual questions
  46. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  47. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  48. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out
  49. Chapter 20 – White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars and Black Holes – Pages 469 to 494
  50. Vocabulary – Define and give meaning
  51. Conceptual questions
  52. Summary of chapter using vocabulary terms: underlined
  53. Full Cornell notes for each chapter
  54. Extra Credit: Figure based questions, with question written out