Teacher: Ms. Krista Siren
Ms. Siren's E-mail: ksiren at IGNORETHIS gdrsd dot org
Room: 107
Text: Chaisson, Eric and McMillan, Steve, Astronomy Today Fifth Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2005
Grades 11-12 Level CP1 Semester 1 Credit
Astronomy is the study of stars and planets. This course focuses on the logic an methods used in the past and present to learn about these distant objects. From its beginnings in ancient times through the present we will learn what and how we know about the solar system. We will examine the makeup of stars and galaxies, what they tell us about the structure of the universe, where the universe is going and where it's been. Students will engage in some classroom labs as well as a research project. As astronomy relies on a dark sky, students will also make naked eye nighttime observations at home. No telescopes are required. As math is a language of science, Algebra I and Geometry skills will be used during the course.
Prerequisite: Integrated Biology
Unit 1: Scaling, Measuring Distance with Parallax, and Scientific Methods
Unit 2: Celestial Coordinates; Sun-Earth-Moon and Sun-Earth-Planet Geometry
Unit 3: Ancient astronomy, the Copernican Revolution and Kepler's orbits
To learn about the basic laws of nature through an introduction to motion, forces, and energy.
To learn about how we can apply those laws to everyday life as well as more extreme situations such as the evolution of the solar system.
To learn about how scientific knowledge is acquired by designing and carrying out experiments
To gain laboratory skills - making measurements, using various lab equipment, keeping a science lab book, setting up and cleaning up experiments
To gain valuable problem-solving skills through the process of designing experiments and analyzing data
Covered textbook
Pens/pencils and scientific calculator
3-ring binder with section dividers
Completed Homework, Assignments, Projects, and Lab Reports
Lined paper and graph paper for notes, labs and quizzes.
Each student is expected to have a 3-ring binder exclusively for science. This binder should be organized into the following sections:
List of Assignments
Notes and handouts
Completed Homework
Quizzes and Tests
Labs
Project Work
Miscellaneous
By having all your papers and by keeping them organized throughout the year, you will be much more effective in preparing for quizzes and exams. To encourage the habit of organization, your notebook may be checked by me at any time. Some pop quizzes will also be designated as open notebook.
Both announced and pop quizzes will be given frequently throughout the year to help me evaluate your understanding of new material, lab preparation, reading comprehension, and homework completion.
You will have tests at the end of each chapter.
You will usually have at least one lab per unit. Some of these labs will be formal labs, requiring a formal lab report. Others will be mini-labs, requiring a less extensive write-up.
If understanding a concept is challenging, if completing assignments in less than 2.5 hours a week is a struggle, addressing those challenges earlier rather than later is key. If you can't have concepts clarified or questions answered satisfactorily during class, then I am always available during break and during the office hours listed above. In addition, the pages for each unit list practice resources including problems from our and other text books and elsewhere. Getting together with other students outside of class to work through the homework together or to practice in advance of tests is helpful. You may consider organizing an online study group. The National Honor Society also offers tutoring after school on some weekdays and includes students who have already taken this class.
Please learn the difference between collaborative learning and academic dishonesty! Collaborative learning is positive and involves constructive discussion of homework problems and labs with your classmates. However, what you write down for homework or in you lab notebook must be in your own words in order to reflect your effort and understanding of the material. Students who hand in identical work, or work that is too similar, will experience serious disciplinary consequences! Note that all quizzes and exams are considered strictly independent work. While lab partners may share data and discuss how to address the analysis questions, their final words should be their own.
The publishers of our textbook have a page dedicated to support Chaison's Astronomy Today, 5th edition Their support page includes annotations, and images, web links, practice problems and a study guide with interactive practice quizzes sorted by chapter.
Astronomy Simulations and Animations from UNL - uses flash