Astronomy Course Description - This is both a lecture and hands on/project based course which covers the Universe and all its contents. Astronomy, in short, is the study of the sun, moon, stars, planets, comets, gas, galaxies, and other phenomena. In my class, after a discussion of the basics of astronomy and the tools used to observe the world beyond earth, the Solar System will be covered in detail, as it exists now, and as it formed and evolved over time. I will cover the nature of the Sun, moon and stars, their current characteristics, birth, life and death, and their distribution throughout space. The galaxies are explored in depth, including a discussion of its origin, and evolution. We will dive into other planets discussing their properties and other outstanding characteristics. Lastly, as a class we will discuss influential scientists in the field of astronomy and important space travel expeditions. During the school year you will be required to memorize some definitions, some values of constants that will help to bring alive our solar system and relationship to planet earth. My goal is to help you to be the very best that you can be as you set high standards and work hard consistently to achieve them.
Earth and Environmental Course Description- Earth and Environmental Science is a Required Science course at The Greater Johnstown High School. This class is designed to prepare you to become a scientifically literate citizen, and prepare you for state standardized tests. The list below outlines the topics to be completed in this course.
As you can see, this course is covering a broad spectrum of topics. We will be required to maintain a steady pace. In order to achieve this, we have several resources to assist you in succeeding. These may include: electronic textbooks with audio support and printable classroom materials. For all topics, we will provide notes, outlines, practice activities, review materials and standardized test practice in addition to traditional assessments. We will be exploring the various ways in which the earth is constantly evolving.