Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus  AST101

   

Announcements:

Mr. John DeFonzo  Science and Astronomy                                                                                                                                      Study session: Monday 2-4 pm

Assignments can be found here: Instant help: Wednesday 9-10 pm (screen name: jdefonzo)

Office:  301 If you take the main elevator up to the fourth floor, you can walk straight ahead into my office.

I. Course Overview

AST101 is a general education Science course intended for those students with little to no background in science and mathematics. We will focus on understanding (not memorizing) the physical processes at work in the Universe, developing the ability to solve problems, improving confidence and skill in quantitative expression, and building an awareness of how science influences daily life. Students are expected to write clear sentences and paragraphs using good English grammar for all assignments and exams.

All course materials (syllabus, homework, lecture notes, announcements, daily calendar, grades) are posted there and available for downloading. A separate area on Canvas can be used for specific discussion forums throughout the term.

II. Purpose and key's to success

Students who complete Astronomy courses will be able to identify, compare and contrast physical properties of astronomical objects; visualize the general structure and scale of the universe and our place within it; locate, identify and contrast prominent astronomical objects in the night sky; identify and comprehend the purpose of elementary equations used in astronomy and describe the functions; and use of basic astronomical tools.

To be most successful, each student should set a personal goal and

1. Read directions carefully.
2. Think about material instead of just memorizing it.
3. Attend every class.

Each lecture will present new material, related to the reading assignment but from a different perspective, with different images, demos, etc.

1. Start homework early by reading each assignment as soon as it is posted. Your mind will then be prepared to pickup on hints and examples presented in class.
2. Proofread your work carefully to avoid careless errors.
3. Ask questions, Mr. DeFonzo encourages questions/discussion and is available to help. Any question is valid - ask it!
4. Seek help whenever needed by asking questions, attending office hours and study sessions, or by making an appointment.

 III. Required Course Materials.

Mobile Apps

Wonders                    Redshift              Both can be downloaded on iOS and Android

   

Mobile Games:                                                                                                                                                                        GAMES!  Yes games are encouraged and will count as extra credit during your class.  Download Osmos HD  A unique physics-based gameplay: to propel yourself you must eject matter behind you, causing you to shrink.

IV. Classes & Related Policies

Location: Tu/Th, 9:30-10:45 am in room 140 of the Integrated Learning Center (ILC). There may be occasional exceptions to be announced beforehand in class and on the class Web site.

V. Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes are learning goals set by the teacher, or school and are vital to the interactive learning process. They are the knowledge, skills, activities, and attitudes that a student has attained from his or her engagement in a particular set of collegiate experiences. 

1. Describe the evolution of models of the universe based on early and the most recent astronomical observations.
2. Express how astronomical concepts and understanding are derived from observation.
3. Show how well-understood physical laws can be applied to interpret and explain astronomical observations.
4. Analyze and interpret observation data in terms of astronomical models. 

VI. Homework Assignments & Quizzes

Weekly homework assignments are a major component (45%) of this course. They are designed to involve each student in wrestling with the concepts presented in lectures and the textbooks. These assignments will also reinforce and apply concepts discussed in class. 

Assignment list:                                                                                                                                                                        

• Solar System

Quizzes will be given during class. At the end of the semester the average score of the quizzes will be equivalent to an additional homework assignment.

Quizzes List:

 

Occasional “Reaction Paper” essays are meant to engage you in specific topics and to enable you to express your opinions and interpretations once you understand the particular concept. These essays will be graded according to the rubric defined below:

Content (50%), Organization (20%), Expression (20%), Mechanics (10%).

The following rules apply to homework assignments:

1. Electronic submissions are accepted.

2. Math symbols are supported and accepted

3. Homework is due at the start of class on the specified date.

You have two opportunities to request an extension if your request is made before the deadline. If an assignment is turned in late, a late-penalty of 10% will be assessed for each class period that has elapsed since the due date. Assignments will not be accepted after

Thursday of the following week.

4. You must always SHOW or explain HOW you reached a solution by recording intermediate steps in a calculation or describing your solution logically in words. Simply listing an answer is not acceptable and will not receive any points.

5. Some problems require your opinion to be clearly stated. In these cases, your grade will be determined more by your reasoning and writing abilities than by the exact answer.

IM online Canvas Homework Help Session: On Wednesday evenings (9-10 pm) Dr. DeFonzo is available online via text, FaceTime, gMail IM jmdefonzo 

VII. Examinations

There will be two in-class exams (Feb 25; Apr 1) and a final exam (May 11, 8-10 am). The twohour final exam will emphasize the final third of the course. The last two exams will provide "Resurrection Points" for students to earn back points lost in previous exams. The format of all exams will emphasize multiple choice questions.

An informal review session will be held one or more days ahead of each exam to provide you an opportunity to ask questions and to practice concepts presented during the course. Sample questions from past courses are available at the same locations as the lecture notes as listed above.

VIII. Grading

Students have two options for determining the calculation of grades, one of which requires significant project to be completed with the approval of the instructor. You must choose the option best for you by March 1. Grades will be derived from the following categories with the indicated percentage weights.

OPTION #1:

• Weekly homework, counting 35%;
• Interactive questions in class using “clickers,” counting 10%;
• Three exams, including the final exam, counting 45%;
• Participation, counting 10%.

OPTION #2:

• Weekly homework, counting 35%;
• Interactive questions in class using “clickers,” counting 10%;
• Three exams, including the final exam, counting 25%;
• Optional project to be approved in advance by Dr. DeFonzo, counting 20%;
• Participation, counting 10%.
• “Participation” includes attending class regularly, completing, asking relevant questions during
• class, seeking help during study sessions and office hours, helping to lead discussions, etc.
• Final course grades will be assigned as follows: A (90-100%); B (80-89%); C (70-79%); D (60-
• 69%); E (<60%).

Current grades will be posted bi-weekly on the class Web site throughout the semester.

IX Extra-Credit

Excellent work on two extra credit activities can increment your semester grade by as much as one-half a letter grade. For example, a B+ will become an A; however, a B becoming a B+ will still be registered as B in the University's grading system. No extra-credit activities will be accepted after May 4. A maximum of two extra-credit activities is allowed.

Extra-credit may be obtained by participating in activities such as:

public lectures, observing projects, field trips, etc.

A description of such opportunities is posted on our class Web site.

X. Optional Project

Each student may undertake one project that will comprise 20% of the final grade. The expected amount of work for this project should be at the level of ten page report. However, the project can take many different forms as described below. The topic must be approved in advance by Mr. DeFonzo. Typical class projects might include reports on topics in cosmology, hands-on projects, and special opportunities for interviews (e.g., Vatican Observatory; NASA Projects, etc.). Possible opportunities will be discussed in class. It is my desire that you choose a project of benefit to you - either because it has interested you for a long time or because it relates to your talents and future career (engineering, business, art, poetry, teaching, journalism, etc.).

Each project should cover a topic of interest to you personally. It will be based on research and reading beyond the level of a textbook, encyclopedia, or simple Internet pages. Projects must be focused on a specific topic. For example, a report on "galaxies" is too broad but a thorough study of the Local Group or the Virgo Cluster is appropriate. A bibliography of at least five references is required. At least two must be more recent than 1996. You must thoroughly cite material or ideas you borrow from other sources. As stated in Section IX, your writing skills will count in assigning a grade. Please proofread your report very carefully!

On or before March 1, you must discuss your ideas with Dr. DeFonzo, receive approval, and

submit the following:

1. A suggested title.
2. A 100 word typewritten abstract outlining the goals of your project and what you intend to accomplish.
3. A four page rough draft is due at the beginning of class on March 25. 

Editorial comments will be returned to you and you are expected to follow these suggestions to improve your final version. The completed project is due at the beginning of class on May 4.

Possible projects might include but are not limited to the following ideas:

1. Detailed interviews with people associated with real cosmological observations. Many local scientists, engineers, administrators, etc. are available and willing.
2. Historical reports, such as:
1. the role of a particular astronomer in cosmology (past, present, future);
2. discoveries of certain phenomena (pulsars, cosmic microwave background, dark energy,...).

3. Specific and detailed follow-ups to lecture and text presentations.

4. Creative writing relating to cosmology.

5. Hands-on construction projects such as scale models of the solar neighborhood, Local Group, Local Supercluster, etc.

There may be some aspect of astronomy which interests you but is not covered in the above discussion. Perhaps you have a talent you would like to utilize in an astronomical context. Should this be the case, create your own project, have it approved by Mr. DeFonzo and do it!