Astronomy 101 - 3M, 9:40-10:35 Am, Beauregard 107

Syllabus Astronomy 101 - 3M, 9:40-10:35 am, Beauregard 107

Professor: Dr. Kaisa Young Office: 137 Beauregard Hall Office hours: 8:30-9:30 M,W,F; 8:30-11 T,R; 10:45-11:45 M,W Phone: 985-449-7070 (work) E-mail: [email protected]

Catalog Description: ASTR 101. Introductory Astronomy I. 3-3-0. A study in the history of astronomy; motions of the stars, planets, and moons; the birth, lives, and deaths of stars; and the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy. Fa only. (40.0201)

Prerequisite: None

Required Text: Understanding Our Universe by Palen, Kay, Smith & Blumenthal Ebook and loose leaf version of the text available from the publisher: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/978-0-393-91210-4/

Class Materials: Documents discussed in class will periodically be placed on the Moodle site for download. Study resources and animations are available on the StudySpace website: http://wwnorton.com/college/astronomy/understanding-our-universe/

Clickers: You are required to purchase an Iclicker remote for in-class participation. Iclicker is a response system that allows you to respond to questions I pose during class, and you will be graded on that feedback and/or your in-class participation. You will register your clickers in class.

Student Outcome Objectives:  The student will demonstrate understanding of the history of astronomy.  … be able to describe the motions of the Sun, planets, moons, and other stars.  … be able to describe the behavior and detection of light.  … be able to describe and differentiate between the planets of the Solar System.  … be able to describe how stars and planets form.  ASTR 101, as a Core Curriculum course, fulfills three hours of general education requirements in the area of the natural sciences and is thus designed to enable students to meet the following broad outcomes for all the natural sciences: o Upon completion of the undergraduate curriculum, students will be able to comprehend and to apply the basic principles of science and methods of scientific inquiry. o Graduates will be able to comprehend and to use quantitative concepts and methods to interpret and to critically evaluate data and to effectively problem- solve in a variety of contexts demanding quantitative literacy. o For further explanation of the learning objectives associated with these goals, visit http://www.nicholls.edu/gened/goals_objectives.html.

Outline of Topics:

I. Introduction to Astronomy a. Our Place in the Universe b. Patterns in the Sky – Motions of the Earth c. Laws of Motion d. Light and Telescopes

II. The Solar System a. The Formation of Stars and Planets b. Terrestrial Worlds in the Inner Solar System c. Atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars d. The Giant Planets e. Small Bodies in the Solar System

Testing: All examinations will be closed book. Data and constants will be provided. There will be three exams. The third exam will be during the Final Exam period. Tentative Dates for Exam1: Friday Sept. 21, Exam 2: Friday Oct. 26, Exam 3: Thursday, Dec 6, 1pm Quizzes: There will be 6 quizzes, 5 points each. Quizzes will be announced at least one class before the quiz date.

Class Participation: Students will be given many opportunities for class participation, including short in- class writing, clicker questions, in-class and on-line surveys. Class participation assignments will not be graded. If you participate, you will receive 2 points per activity. The maximum number of class participation points is 20 (10 activities). There will be at least 13 activities during the semester, so some may be missed and full credit still given.

Project: Students will be complete an individual or group project due at the end of the semester. A complete description of the project will be given separately.

Grading: There are a total of 250 points. Each exam counts 50 points (150 points). Quiz grades combine to a total of 30 points. Class participation will combine to a total of 20 points. The project will be worth 50 points. The grading scale is percentage-based with A (90-100%), B (80-89%), C (70-79%), D (60-69%), and F (0-59%) grades being assigned at the end of the semester.

Extra Credit: Extra credit will be given for extraordinary work on the projects. Projects that go above and beyond the requirements may receive between 1 and 5 points extra credit.

Make-up Policy: Make-ups for quizzes and examinations will be determined by the instructor on a case- by-case basis; there are no make-ups for class participation. Excused absences include illness, university- sponsored activities, or other adverse situations; the student must have written documentation justifying their absence. For unexcused absences, I will deduct five points from your exam grade for the first missed day and 1 point for every subsequent weekday until you contact me to arrange a make-up. For example, if you miss the exam on Monday and contact me on the following Tuesday, ten points will be deducted from your exam grade.

Academic Honesty Policy: Dishonesty in taking examinations will follow the guidelines set in the “Code of Student Conduct” manual. Consequences for academic dishonesty span from a failing grade on the assignment to suspension from the university.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is essential and mandatory. There will be no class participation credit for in class activities that are missed.

Drop Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2012 is the final date to receive an automatic “W” when dropping a course or resigning from Nicholls State University.

Disabled Students: If you have a disability that requires assistance, please let me know. Also, you will need to register with the Office of Disability Services for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Office of Disability Services is located in Peltier Hall, Room 100-A. The phone number is 985-448- 4430 (TDD 449-7002).

Academic Grievances: The proper procedure for filing grade appeals or grievances related to academic matters is listed in Section 5 of the Code of Student Conduct and at the following link: http://www.nicholls.edu/documents/student_life/code_of_conduct.pdf.

Continued Learning following an Extreme Emergency: In order to make continued learning possible following an extreme emergency, students are responsible for: ● reading regular emergency notifications on the NSU website ● knowing how to use and access Moodle (or university designated electronic delivery system) ● being familiar with emergency guidelines ● evacuating textbooks and other course materials ● knowing their Moodle (or designated system) student login and password ● contacting faculty regarding their intentions for completing the course Faculty are responsible for: ● their development in the use of the Moodle (or designated) software ● having a plan for continuing their courses using only Moodle and email ● continuing their course in whatever way suits the completion of the course best, and being creative in the continuation of these courses ● making adjustments or compensations to a student’s progress in special programs with labs, clinical sequences or the like only in the immediate semester following the emergency.