Astronomy Syllabus
DeniseClontz
I. Course Description and Requirements
The goal of the Astronomy course is to provide students with scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand our planet, solar system, galactic neighborhood, and universe. Astronomy is interdisciplinary; it embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Yet there are several major unifying constructs, or themes, that cut across the many topics included in the study of astronomy. The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of the course.
1. Astronomy. a. In Astronomy, students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific methods, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study the following topics: astronomy in civilization, patterns and objects in the sky, our place in space, the moon, reasons for the seasons, planets, the sun, stars, galaxies, cosmology, and space exploration. Students who successfully complete Astronomy will acquire knowledge within a conceptual framework, conduct observations of the sky, work collaboratively, and develop critical-thinking skills.
2. Nature of science. a. Science, as defined by the National Academy of Sciences, is the "use of evidence to construct testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena, as well as the knowledge generated through this process." This vast body of changing and increasing knowledge is described by physical, mathematical, and conceptual models. Students should know that some questions are outside the realm of science because they deal with phenomena that are not scientifically testable.
3. Scientific inquiry. a. Scientific inquiry is the planned and deliberate investigation of the natural world. Scientific methods of investigation can be experimental, descriptive, or comparative. The method chosen should be appropriate to the question being asked.
4. Science and social ethics. a. Scientific decision making is a way of answering questions about the natural world. Students should be able to distinguish between scientific decision-making methods and ethical and social decisions that involve the application of scientific information.
5. Scientific systems. a. A system is a collection of cycles, structures, and processes that interact. All systems have basic properties that can be described in terms of space, time, energy, and matter. Change and constancy occur in systems as patterns and can be observed, measured, and modeled. These patterns help to make predictions that can be scientifically tested. Students should analyze a system in terms of its components and how these components relate to each other, to the whole, and to the external environment.
Students can expect to start each day with a bell ringer assignment followed by learning activities and/or lecture. At times students will work independently from the teacher in order to achieve student autonomy that will be expected of upper school students. Classes are structured to utilize every minute for learning and assessing understanding. Real world application is a daily objective. Higher-level thinking will be incorporated into each lesson as well as use of technology when applicable to increase student achievement. Students are expected to participate in all activities and actively engage and ask questions during teacher-led lecture. Students are also expected to review and study the content covered in class outside of school on a daily basis.
II. Class Expectations
Students are expected to be present and active members of the classroom each and every day.
Students are expected to come to class prepared with all necessary materials and completed assignments to learn and participate in all lectures and activities.
Students are expected to be respectful of the teacher, the classroom, and their peers.
III. Class Discipline
Students who are not acting present, coming prepared, and being respectful will earn one of the following consequences:
Warning in class
Removal from class activity AND parent contact
Teacher/Student conference during or after class AND parent contact
After school detention AND parent contact
Written referral and removal from class AND parent contact
Any student caught cheating on an assignment will receive a zero and be referred to the Principal.
IV. Required Materials
All students must come to class each day with the following materials:
A 2-inch three-ringed binder with dividers, paper and EACH UNIT PACKET!!!
Pencil
Colored pencils
V. Assessment and Grading Plan
We will cover nine units over the course of the one semester. Each unit consists of 1-4 major assessments. The amount of minor assessments varies per unit. Students will have a daily open-note quiz each day that will add up to a weekly grade. All unit tests include both multiple choice and open response questions. Note: Assignments checked for completion will not be accepted late. Assignments collected and graded for accuracy will be accepted late with a penalty of 10% off every day late. **Under absolutely NO circumstances will late work be accepted after the completion of the unit the work is from, unless the student had an excused absence in which case they receive only 5 days to turn in the work.
Minor Assessments
Classwork/Informal labs: Each unit is packed with engaging activities and practice to help master the content. These assignments range from 15-100 points, depending on the length and depth of material.
Daily quizzes: At the start of each day the students will complete a small quiz over content covered during the previous class period. Students who were absent the previous class period will not be expected to complete the Prime Time the day they return, if it is over content they missed. Their grade on each day’s quiz will be added up for one weekly Prime Time grade of 25 points each week.
Homework: Students will often be given time at the end of class to begin working on homework. Projects and independent work will be given.
Major Assessments
Will be given at the end of every unit.
Grades
Will be based on total number of achieved divided by total number possible
VI. Communication
VI. Astronomy Topic Outline - These topics will be completed; order may vary!
1. Overview of the Universe Intro to Earth, Moon, Sun, solar systems, stars, & galaxies, measurements in space (AU, lightyear, parsec, etc.), technology for observing (telescopes, binoculars, sextants, star maps, software/apps);
2. Constellations (covered throughout course of the year) o Northern sky stays relatively same, just rotates; southern sky changes throughout the year; zodiac constellations
3. Observing the Universe Early observers; constellations, asterisms, & navigation through time and cultures (Egyptians, Mayans, Aztecs, Europeans, Native Americans, etc.); properties of light and EM-radiation; Doppler effect; types & geometries of telescopes; light pollution & dark skies
4. The Moving Sky Apparent motion of stars; circumpolar stars; celestial sphere & perspectives; precession & the Northern sky through history; apparent motion of sun & plane of ecliptic; zodiac constellations; solstices & equinoxes; seasons; motion of moon & its phases (new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent); sidereal month & synodic month (related calendar problems= leap year); effects of latitude on day length, seasons, & angle of incidence
5. Orbits & Gravity Early ideas of cosmology & observations; retrograde planets; Ptolemy model; Copernicus model; Galileo’s observations; Tycho Brahe & Johannes Kepler; Kepler’s laws; planetary alignments & periods; parallax with planets; Newton’s laws & law of universal gravitation; free fall & weightlessness; escape velocity; interplanetary space travel; historical overview
6. The Earth-Moon System of Earth’s geology, plate tectonics; composition of atmosphere, greenhouse effect, ozone layer; conditions for life on Earth; Earth’s magnetic field, magnetosphere, magnetopause, auroras; Moon’s surface; lunar landing; impact craters; interior of moon; impact theory & origin of moon; tides- spring & neap; tidally-locked moon; eclipses- solar & lunar
7. The Planets or Terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars; Jovian planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune; Pluto: demoted 8/24/2006; exoplanets and possible new planets; comparison of planets (orbit, size, composition, rotation, atmosphere, natural satellites, geological activity)
8. Wandering Fragments Asteroids, asteroid belt, Kirkwood gaps, NEOs; comets (Mitchell), Kuiper belt, Oort cloud; meteors, meteorites, meteoroids, & meteor showers; collisions with Earth through history
9. The Sun of Composition & structure; nuclear fusion (compared to fission, fusion of hydrogen to helium); sunspots & magnetic carpet; magnetic poles, 11-yr solar cycle; chromosphere & corona (mass ejections, spicules, prominences, flares, coronal holes); effects on communication, navigation, & high-tech devices
10. Stars: Basic Properties of Brightness, luminosity, magnitude (apparent v. absolute); distance; color/temperature & size (mass/radius); motion (radial, transverse, precession, effects on constellations); companions (binary systems: visual, astrometric, spectroscopic, eclipsing); variable stars
11. Nebulas & Birth of Stars Interstellar gas clouds; spectroscopy of nebulae; star birth; planetary birth; solar nebula theory; other solar systems; exoplanets
12. Stellar Life Cycle Hertzsprung-Russell Diagrams; proto-star; main sequence (surface temp, age, relative size, composition); relationship between mass and fusion during the dying process; relationship between mass and gravity in determining end state for stars; end states of stars: white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes, etc.
13. Collapsing & Exploding Stars Supergiant; supernova v. nova; pulsar; black hole
14. The Milky Way & Other Galaxies to Milky Way info, location of our solar system, Herschel, Kapteyn, Shapley; types of galaxies; population I stars v. population II stars; local group; our neighbors
15. Cosmology of Beginning & end of universe; cepheid variable stars (Leavitt); Hubble’s discovery; Slipher & Humason, Doppler effect, red shift; Hubble’s law; Big Bang Theory; Penzias & Wilson, cosmic background radiation, cooling universe; inflationary model (correction to Big Bang Theory); observed distributions of galaxies (homogeneity v. isotropy); future of the universe (open v. closed); role of dark matter & dark energy; Einstein’s “biggest mistake”
16. Space Exploration of Space travel (past, present, & hopes for future); human space flight; robotic space flight; ground-based technology; space based technology (space telescopes & stations)
17. Wider Issues of Life elsewhere?; Goldilocks zones, Drake equation, SETI, Designed universe?; new developments & discoveries
I will regularly post on my class website updates, announcements, lecture notes, and assignments for students and parents to access. If you ever want to know something, check the website first! Students and parents are also encouraged to contact me via email. I will respond to all emails within 24 hours during the school week, and can respond in much more detail and speed than if you attempt to call. Students are also strongly encouraged to attend after school tutoring from 2:15-2:45 if they ever need help!
Email: denise.clontz@howlandschools.org Class Website: You will be invite