Syllabus Astronomy 001– WLAC – FALL 2017 – Section #26550

Professor Seung Ji

CLASS MEETINGS: Tu from 6:45pm – 9:55pm in MSA 307

SEMESTER DURATION:

Class - Starts 8/28/2017, Ends 12/11/2017

OFFICE:MSB science conference room

HOURS:by appointment

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • TEXT -OpenStax AstronomyYou can download it from
  • Optional Text: The Cosmic Perspective: Fundamentals, 2nd edition
  • SCANTRONS – Four scantrons 886-E
  • PENCILS/PENS / HIGHLIGHTERS
  • TEXT
  • CALCULATOR – an inexpensive four-function calculator is required for the course. Phone calculators may not be used on exams.

PREREQUISITE:None

ADVISORIES:English 021 (English Fundamentals), and Math 105(A,B,C) Arithmetic

Student Learning Outcomes

INSTITUTIONAL OUTCOMES (SLOs):
A.CRITICAL THINKING:Analyze problems by differentiating fact from opinions, using evidence, and using sound reasoning to specify multiple solutions and their consequences.
G.CULTURAL DIVERSITY:Respectfully engage with other cultures in an effort
to understand them.
F.TECHNICAL COMPETENCE:Utilize the appropriate technology effectivelyfor informational, academic, personal, and professional needs.
ASTRONOMY COURSE OUTCOMES (SLOs):
1.Students will be able to appropriately utilize the equipment and skills needed to make observations of solar systems, stars and galaxies, and universe processes and analyze this data by techniques used by astronomers and other scientists.

2. Students will be able to utilize communications skills (written/oral/web based, etc) to effectively describe and report on conclusions, conceptually and through real data collection, based on these results.

Grades will be based on the following:

Post lecture quiz 100 points Homework 100 points each

Midterm(1) 100 points

Midterm(1) 100 points

Final (1) 100 points

Grading Scale: A (90 – 100)%, B (80-89)%, C (60-79)%, D (55-60)%, F(0-55)%

Conceptual Quizzes

Short answer questions will be given to students only at the first 15 minutes of lecture period and students need to take the quiz at the end of lecture. No make-up short-answer quiz will be given and missed short answer quizzes will be recorded as zero. However, the two lowest grades will be dropped at the end of the semester.

Homework

Projects or Homework will be assigned each week.Each one week latewill be marked down by 10%.At the end of the semester the two lowest homework grades will be dropped, in order to allow for personal circumstances.

Midterm and Final Exam

There are three one-hour tests. The exams are closed book, closed notes. No make-up test will be given. However, the single lowest test grade will be dropped at the end of the semester.(Not including the final examination.)

No early or late exams will be given under any circumstances. Please arrange your schedule accordingly.

The final examination is comprehensive: it will cover the entire course and it is closed book but one page (front and back) of note is allowed to use.

No make-up assignments! Final must be taken to receive credit for the course. Only the lowest midterm will be dropped.

*Extra Credit

You may earn up to 3% (of total grade) extra credit for the course). Attendance: 3% (perfect attendance), 2% (1 absence), 1%(2 absences). Tardy counts as an absence in extra credit calculation. You will also be marked tardy if you forget to sign in, even if you are present that day.

TentativeSchedule

Note: some activities may be assigned as homework if there is not enough time during class.

8/29 / Introduction /Ch1 Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour / Ch2 Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy
9/5 / Ch2 Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy/Ch3 Orbits and Gravity / Ch4 Earth, Moon, and Sky
9/12 / Ch5 Radiation and Spectra / *REVIEW FOR TEST #1*
9/19 / Ch6 Astronomical Instruments / TEST #1(Ch1 -Ch5)
9/26 / Ch15 The Sun: A Garden-Variety Star/ / Ch 16 The Sun: A Nuclear Powerhouse
10/3 / Ch 17 Analyzing Starlight/Ch18 The Stars: A Celestial Census / Ch 19 Celestial Distances/ Ch20 Between the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space
10/10 / Ch21 The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets outside the
Solar System/Ch22Stars from Adolescence to Old Age / *REVIEW FOR TEST #2*
10/17 / Ch 23 The Death of Stars / TEST #2 (Ch6, Ch15-21)
10/24 / Ch 24 Black Holes and Curved Spacetime/ / Ch 25 The Milky Way Galaxy
11/31 / Ch 26 Galaxies / Ch 27 Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes
11/7 / Ch 28 The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies / Ch 29 The Big Bang
11/14 / Ch 7 Other Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System/Ch 8 Earth as a Planet/Ch 9 Cratered Worlds / *REVIEW FOR TEST #3*
11/28 / Ch 10 Earthlike Planets: Venus and Mars / TEST #3 (Ch22-29)
12/5 / Ch 11 The Giant Planets/Ch 12 Rings, Moons, and Pluto / Ch 13 Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System/ Ch 14 Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System
12/12 / Final Exam (Tuesday) / 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Important Dates:

Drop a Class with a refund/no fee owed / Sep 8,2017
Drop a Class without a "W" / Sep 8 ,2017
Drop a Class with a "W" / Nov 17, 2017

RECOMMENDED STEPS:

  1. Skim the chapter before presented in class
  2. Read the illustrations and tables
  3. Make note of main topics
  4. Take any board notes in class
  5. Have the lecture open and the book available, and fill out the study guide for the chapter
  6. Do the chapter homework
  7. Repeat for each chapter
  8. Make sure you complete the homework and study guide to study for midterms and final

TO SUCCEED AND OBTAIN A GOOD GRADE IN THIS CLASS – YOU MUST:

1. Attend class regularly, attending all class sessions. Get to class on time, every time, and stay the whole time. You are responsible for information, test announcements, date changes, etc. – whether or not you are present.

2. No make ups! DON’T SHOW UP SICK (speak to me individually in case of emergency).

3.You are responsible for credit and enrollment status. You are responsible to drop the class – if you choose not to continue. (Note: you may be excluded if you are consistently absent or tardy).Students failing to follow the correct procedure for withdrawal will receive a grade “F” for the course, which will affect your GPA. Ask your program coordinator about drop days.

4. Each student is expected to do his/her own work on all tests/quizzes/midterms/finals. Academic dishonesty, or cheating, will result in a zero grade on that assignment (which will not be dropped), plus (in cases of continued academic dishonesty) a filing of a report with the Science Chairperson or Dean of Students giving your name and describing the incident. You may work in groups of up to three students for homework, study guides, and activities.

5. Expect to work hard. Plan to read and study about 5 hours per week and attend all classes. Do not wait until the last minute to start assignments or study. This will result in incomplete assignments and you will not have sufficient time to absorb the material.

6. Please turn off your cell phone before entering the class. You may use them during short class breaks.

7. In taking this class, you are agreeing to abide by all the rules and regulations stated above – including dates of tests and final. This means that you do not schedule anything else on test days or ask for an extension if you plan an extended weekend vacation.

8. Welcome to Astronomy 100!

** If you are a DSPS student requiring special accommodation for this class, please contact me after class during the first week.*

GRADE CALCULATOR

ASSIGNMENT / POINTS POSSIBLE / POINTS EARNED / TO FIND CURRENT GRADE:
1. Add total points earned.
2. Add total points possible.
3. Divide total points earned by total points possible and multiply by 100.
EXAMPLE