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A. COVER PAGE
Date of Submission (Please include Month, Day and Year): October 15, 2006 9:31 PM
1. Course Title 9. Subject Area
Astronomy ❏ a-History / Social Science
2. Transcript Title(s) / Abbreviation(s) ❏ b-English
Astronomy
❏ c-Mathematics
3. Transcript Course Code(s) / Number(s) ✔ d-Laboratory Science
1/2
❏ e-Language Other than English
4. School / Program ❏ f-Visual & Performing Arts
School Of The Arts
❏ Intro ❏ Advanced
5. District
❏ g-Elective
San Francisco Unified
Category Physics
6. City 10. Grade Level
San Francisco 12th
7. School / District / Program Web Site 11. Seeking "Honors" Distinction?
www.sfosta.org ❏ Yes ✔ No
8. School / Program Course List Contact Person 12. Unit Value
1) Name: Gordon Chalmers ❏ 0.5 (half year of semester equivalent
2) Title/Position: College Counselor ✔ 1.0 (one year equivalent)
3) Phone: (415) 695-5700
❏ 2.0 (two year equivalent)
4) E-mail: gachalmers@aol.com
❏ Other:
13. Is this internet-based course? ❏ Yes ✔ No
If yes, the provider is: ❏ UCCP ❏ PASS/Cyber High ❏ Other:
14. Complete outlines are not needed for courses that were previously approved by UC. If course was
previously approved, indicate in which category it falls.
❏ A course reinstated after removal within 3 years. Year removed from List?
Same course title? ❏ Yes ❏ No
If no, previous course title?
❏ An identical course approved at another school in same district. Which school?
Same course title? ❏ Yes ❏ No
If no, course title at other school?
❏ Year-long VPA course replacing two approved successive semester courses in the same discipline
❏ Approved Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) course
❏ Approved UC College Prep (UCCP) Initiative course
❏ Approved CDE Agricultural Education course
❏ Approved P.A.S.S. course
❏ Approved ROP/C course. Name of ROP/C?
❏ Approved A.V.I.D. course
❏ Approved C.A.R.T. course
❏ Approved Project Lead the Way course
❏ Other. Explain:
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15. Is this course modeled after an UC-approved course from another school outside your school?
❏ Yes ✔ No
If so, which school/program?
Course title at other school:
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16. Pre-Requisites
two years combined of biology, chemistry or physics; completed or concurrent advanced algebra
17. Co-Requisites
✔ Yes ❏ No
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18. Is this course a resubmission?
If yes, date(s) of previous submission? 2005
Title of previous submission: Astronomy
19. Brief Course Description
This two semester course covers the discoveries, equipment and methods of astronomy, from prehistorical
constructs, through historical instrumentation and discoveries, to current research. Students keep extensive records
of the day and night skies throughout the year, using our school scope (a 10" Dobsonian Reflector), images from
remote scopes (including NASA, Hands On Universe and online sources) and naked eye observations. Extensive
laboratory work guides students toward recreating important astronomical discoveries and using their skills to make
new discoveries (such as examining Deep Lens Survey images for asteroids).
B. COURSE CONTENT
20. Course Goals and/or Major Student Outcomes
Demonstrate conceptual and technical understanding of the objects and forces in the universe and how these objects and
forces interact.
Manipulate the instrumentation and processes that allow humans to understand and explore distant locations; this
understanding includes familiarity with astronomy, history, physics, tectonics, planet and star evolution and current
research in cosmological investigations.
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Demonstrate conceptual and technical understanding of the composition and evolution of the universe through the nature
of planets, stars, black holes, pulsars, white holes, dark matter, and dark energy.
Communicate findings effectively, economically and in scientifically appropriate ways, utilizing current research and
instrumentation as well as up-to-date understandings of astronomy and cosmology.
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21. Course Objectives
Students will demonstrate proficiency in the following state content standards:
Physics: Motion and Forces
know how to solve problems that involve constant speed and average speed.
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know that when forces are balanced, no acceleration occurs; thus an object continues to move at a constant speed or
stays at rest (Newton's first law).
know how to apply F=ma to solve 1-dimensional motion problems that involve constant forces (Newton's second law).
know that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object always exerts a force of equal magnitude
and in the opposite direction (Newton's third law).
know the relationship between the universal law of gravitation and the effect of gravity on an object at the surface of Earth.
know applying a force to an object perpendicular to the direction of its motion causes the object to change direction but
not speed.
know circular motion requires the application of a constant force directed toward the center of the circle.
* know Newton's laws are not exact if an object is moving close to the speed of light or is small enough that quantum
effects are important.
* know how to solve 2-dimensional trajectory problems.
* know how to resolve 2-dimensional vectors into their components and calculate the magnitude and direction of a vector
from its components.
* know how to solve 2-dimensional problems involving balanced forces (statics).
* know how to solve problems in circular motion by using a=v2/r for centripetal acceleration.
* know how to solve problems involving the forces between two electric charges at a distance (Coulomb's law) or the
forces between two masses at a distance (universal gravitation).
Physics: Conservation of Energy and Momentum
know how to calculate kinetic energy using E=(1/2)mv2 .
know how to calculate changes in gravitational potential energy near Earth by using (change in potential energy) =mgh.
know how to solve problems involving conservation of energy in simple systems, such as falling objects.
know how to calculate momentum as the product mv.
know momentum is a separately conserved quantity different from energy.
know an unbalanced force on an object produces a change in its momentum.
know how to solve problems involving elastic and inelastic collisions in one dimension by using the principles of
conservation of momentum and energy.
Physics: Heat and Thermodynamics
know heat flow and work are two forms of energy transfer between systems.
know the internal energy of an object includes the energy of random motion of the object's atoms and molecules, often
referred to as thermal energy. The greater the temperature of the object, the greater the energy of motion of the atoms
and molecules that make up the object.
know that most processes tend to decrease the order of a system over time and that energy levels are eventually
distributed uniformly.
know that entropy is a quantity that measures the order or disorder of a system and that this quantity is larger for a more
disordered system.
* know the statement "Entropy tends to increase" is a law of statistical probability that governs all closed systems (second
law of thermodynamics).
Physics: Waves
know waves carry energy from one place to another.
know how to identify transverse and longitudinal waves in mechanical media, such as springs and ropes, and on the earth
(seismic waves).
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know how to solve problems involving wavelength, frequency, and wave speed.
know sound is a longitudinal wave whose speed depends on the properties of the medium in which it propagates.
know radio waves, light, and X-rays are different wavelength bands in the spectrum of e-m waves whose speed in a
vacuum is approximately 3×108 m/s.
know how to identify the characteristic properties of waves: interference (beats), diffraction, refraction, Doppler effect, and
polarization.
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Physics: Electric and Magnetic Phenomena
know charged particles are sources of electric fields and are subject to the forces of the electric fields from other charges.
know magnetic materials and electric currents (moving electric charges) are sources of magnetic fields and are subject to
forces arising from the magnetic fields of other sources.
know how to determine the direction of a magnetic field produced by a current flowing in a straight wire or in a coil.
know changing magnetic fields produce electric fields, thereby inducing currents in nearby conductors.
know plasmas, the fourth state of matter, contain ions or free electrons or both and conduct electricity.
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* know electric and magnetic fields contain energy and act as vector force fields.
* know the force on a charged particle in an electric field is qE, where E is the electric field at the position of the particle
and q is the charge of the particle.
* know static electric fields have as their source some arrangement of electric charges.
* know the magnitude of the force on a moving particle (with charge q) in a magnetic field is qvB sin(a), where a is the
angle between v and B (v and B are the magnitudes of vectors v and B, respectively), and students use the right-hand
rule to find the direction of this force.
* know how to apply the concepts of electrical and gravitational potential energy to solve problems involving conservation
of energy.
Chemistry: Atomic and Molecular Structure
know how to use the periodic table to determine the number of electrons available for bonding.
* know how to relate the position of an element in the periodic table to its quantum electron configuration and to its
reactivity with other elements in the table.
* know the experimental basis for Einstein's explanation of the photoelectric effect.
* know the experimental basis for the development of the quantum theory of atomic structure and the historical importance
of the Bohr model of the atom.
* know that spectral lines are the result of transitions of electrons between energy levels and that these lines correspond
to photons with a frequency related to the energy spacing between levels by using Planck's relationship (E = hv).
Chemistry: Chemical Bonds
know atoms combine to form molecules by sharing electrons to form covalent or metallic bonds or by exchanging
electrons to form ionic bonds.
* know how electronegativity and ionization energy relate to bond formation.
* know how to identify solids and liquids held together by van der Waals forces or hydrogen bonding and relate these
forces to volatility and boiling/ melting point temperatures.
Chemistry: Gases and Their Properties
know how to convert between the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales.
know there is no temperature lower than 0 Kelvin.
* know the kinetic theory of gases relates the absolute temperature of a gas to the average kinetic energy of its molecules
or atoms.
Chemistry: Chemical Thermodynamics
know how to describe temperature and heat flow in terms of the motion of molecules (or atoms).
Students know chemical processes can either release (exothermic) or absorb (endothermic) thermal energy.
know energy is released when a material condenses or freezes and is absorbed when a material evaporates or melts.
know how to solve problems involving heat flow and temperature changes, using known values of specific heat and latent
heat of phase change.
Chemistry: Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
know large molecules (polymers), such as proteins, nucleic acids, and starch, are formed by repetitive combinations of
simple subunits.
know amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
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Chemistry: Nuclear Processes
know protons and neutrons in the nucleus are held together by nuclear forces that overcome the e-m repulsion between
the protons.
know the energy release per gram of material is much larger in nuclear fusion or fission reactions than in chemical
reactions. The change in mass (E = mc2 ) is small but significant in nuclear reactions.
know some naturally occurring isotopes of elements are radioactive, as are isotopes formed in nuclear reactions.
know the three most common forms of radioactive decay (alpha, beta, and gamma) and know how the nucleus changes in
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each type of decay.
know alpha, beta, and gamma radiation produce different amounts and kinds of damage in matter and have different
penetrations.
* know how to calculate the amount of a radioactive substance remaining after an integral number of half- lives have
passed.
* know protons and neutrons have substructures and consist of particles called quarks.
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Earth Sciences: Earth's Place in the Universe
Students know how the differences and similarities among the sun, the terrestrial planets, and the gas planets may have
been established during the formation of the solar system.
Students know the evidence from Earth and moon rocks indicates that the solar system was formed from a nebular cloud
of dust and gas approximately 4.6 billion years ago.
Students know the evidence from geological studies of Earth and other planets suggest that the early Earth was very
different from Earth today.
Students know the evidence indicating that the planets are much closer to Earth than the stars are.
Students know the Sun is a typical star and is powered by nuclear reactions, primarily the fusion of hydrogen to form
helium.
Students know the evidence for the dramatic effects that asteroid impacts have had in shaping the surface of planets and
their moons and in mass extinctions of life on Earth.
* Students know the evidence for the existence of planets orbiting other stars.
Students know the solar system is located in an outer edge of the disc-shaped Milky Way galaxy, which spans 100,000
light years.
Students know galaxies are made of billions of stars and comprise most of the visible mass of the universe.
Students know the evidence indicating that all elements with an atomic number greater than that of lithium have been
formed by nuclear fusion in stars.
Students know that stars differ in their life cycles and that visual, radio, and X-ray telescopes may be used to collect data
that reveal those differences.
* Students know accelerators boost subatomic particles to energy levels that simulate conditions in the stars and in the
early history of the universe before stars formed.
* Students know the evidence indicating that the color, brightness, and evolution of a star are determined by a balance
between gravitational collapse and nuclear fusion.
* Students know how the red-shift from distant galaxies and the cosmic background radiation provide evidence for the "big
bang" model that suggests that the universe has been expanding for 10 to 20 billion years.
Earth Sciences: Dynamic Earth Processes
know features of the ocean floor (magnetic patterns, age, and sea-floor topography) provide evidence of plate tectonics.
know the principal structures that form at the 3 different kinds of plate boundaries.
know why and how earthquakes occur and the scales used to measure their intensity and magnitude.
* know the explanation for the location and properties of volcanoes that are due to hot spots and the explanation for those
that are due to subduction.
Earth Sciences: Energy in the Earth System
know the relative amount of incoming solar energy compared with Earth's internal energy.
know the fate of incoming solar radiation in terms of reflection, absorption, and photosynthesis.
know the different atmospheric gases that absorb the Earth's thermal radiation and the mechanism and significance of the
greenhouse effect.
* know the differing greenhouse conditions on Earth, Mars, and Venus; the origins of those conditions; and the climatic
consequences of each.
know how differential heating of Earth results in circulation patterns in the atmosphere and oceans that globally distribute
the heat.
know weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run) involve the transfer of energy into and out of the atmosphere.
know the effects on climate of latitude, elevation, topography, and proximity to large bodies of water and cold or warm
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ocean currents.
know how Earth's climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in Earth's geography, atmospheric
composition, and other factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement.
* know how computer models are used to predict the effects of the increase in greenhouse gases on climate for the planet
as a whole and for specific regions.
Earth Sciences: Biogeochemical Cycles
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know the global carbon cycle: the different physical and chemical forms of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, biomass,
fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs.
know the movement of matter among reservoirs is driven by Earth's internal and external sources of
energy.
* know the relative residence times and flow characteristics of carbon in and out of its different reservoirs.
Earth Sciences: Structure and Composition of the Atmosphere
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know the thermal structure and chemical composition of the atmosphere.
know how the composition of Earth's atmosphere has evolved over geologic time and know the effect of outgassing, the
variations of carbon dioxide concentration, and the origin of atmospheric oxygen.
know the location of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, its role in absorbing ultraviolet radiation, and the way in
which this layer varies both naturally and in response to human activities.
Biology: Ecology
Stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects:
know biodiversity is the sum total of different kinds of organisms and is affected by alterations of habitats.
know how to analyze changes in an ecosystem resulting from changes in climate or bio activity.
know how fluctuations in population size in an ecosystem are determined by the relative rates of birth, immigration,
emigration, and death.
know how water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle between abiotic resources and organic matter in the ecosystem and how
oxygen cycles through photosynthesis and respiration.
know at each link in a food web some energy is stored in newly made structures but much energy is dissipated into the
environment as heat. This dissipation may be represented in an energy pyramid.
* know how to distinguish between the accommodation of an individual organism to its environment and the gradual
adaptation of a lineage of organisms through genetic change.
Students will demonstrate proficiency in the following:
Keeping accurate laboratory records of work and observations and prepare written reports documenting their ability to
apply the scientific method.
Operating a modern computer controlled GPS telescope to make observations of celestial objects.
Developing a fundamental understanding of the forces that led to the formation and motion of the planet, solar system,
galaxy and universe.
Developing an understanding of interstellar and intergalactic distances and the technologies used to compute them.
Using astronomical coordinate systems to locate and track objects in the sky or on a sky map and visually identifying
major objects in the sky based on first-hand observations.
Measuring the focal length of lenses and explaining the design and properties of major classes of refracting, reflecting and
complex telescopes.
Understanding how observations of motion and background radiation have changed modern theories of cosmological
motion and behavior.
Using Kepler’s laws to describe the orbits and motions of planets around stars.
Using emission spectra to determine the composition of stars.
Using radiation outside of the visual range for laboratory work.
Understanding the biological requirements for life and probability of finding extraterrestrial planets that could support living
organisms as we understand them.
Using the Drake or Sagan Equation and the Fermi paradox relative to SETI.
Making contact with other astronomers, locally and via the web.
22. Course Outline
1. How much can we prove without instrumentation?
a. rocky planet -- sampling (sand collection), mine information, sea floor experiences
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b. round -- horizon line, eclipses, shadows at different latitudes experiment, symmetry with moon, travel, hot wax in water
example
c. orbits a star -- cyclical changes in night sky and in seasons, light and heat source the same direction, north and south
pole observations, turntable model, Mars retrograde motion
d. spins on axis -- airplane flights, sun's motion in reference to orbit proof, Foucault pendulum
e. axis tilted -- the reason for the seasons, seasons opposite in opposite hemispheres, modeling activities
f. different time patterns in movements of objects in sky -- sun v. moon, moon v. stars, stars v. planets, constellations
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v. moon and planets, transient and seasonal sky objects (meteor showers, shooting stars, comets), naked eye satellites
g. nature and importance of gravity in understanding the above
2. Models -- uses and limits
a. reference to topics covered above and past models that students have changed (i.e. atomic model, model for parental
actions, etc.)
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3. Astrology and astronomy history
a. astrological systems and their origins, functions, records
b. inverse square law and gravitational influences of the planets v. communications satellites and jets
c. precession
d. cultural v. scientifically verifiable qualities and quantities
e. how is communication possible with other life?
f. Aztec, Babylonian and Chinese astrologers and their findings (inc. July 4, 1066 supernova)
g. navigation, lunar v. solar calendars
4. The importance of a common frame of reference
a. instrumentation introduction
b. metric system (SI) and development of the metric system (French Revolutionary mandate)
c. significant figures
d. scientific notation
e. graphing, data communication and data analysis
f. presentations, posters, write-ups
g. four forces (how three are unified and the search for GUT, WIMPs and strings)
h. Newton
5. What can we know about the rocky planets?
a. density -- planetary condensation, layers of planet (spheres), convection cycles, tectonics
b. picture data -- remote sensing, CCD v. lenses and mirrors, different wavelength telescopes
c. appearance of impacts (angle, size, density, relative speed, surface area, ejecta, color, etc.)
d. albeido, color as an indication of composition, heat, atmospheric transparency
e. signs of erosion: wind, water, ice, other possibilities
f. signs of life: regular patterns (not a guarantee), non-natural constructions, biochemistry, etc. -- the difficulty of spotting
life remotely, with reference to the Viking experiments, the Rover missions, and other considerations
g. signs of tectonics (plate, lump or other)
h. what are rocky planets? what are secondary planets? what differentiates a gas giant from a rocky planet from a star?
6. Waves
a. wave equations, energy
b. transverse and longitudinal waves, vocabulary, examples
c. reflection, refraction, diffraction, propagation
d. e-m spectrum -- photons (and quantum), color, vision, blackbody radiation, emission/absorption spectra, spectra
fingerprinting
e. Doppler effect
7. What can we know about the solar system?
a. scale model of the solar system
b. analyze speed of rotation, speed of revolution, and density information (Kepler discovery)
c. determine rotations of Jupiter and Saturn by doppler data
d. plot planets and moons by densities and types -- prove Pluto is out of place (as planet)
e. the mass of the planets
f. determine length of day and year per planet and explain
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g. compute and analyze degree of tilt on planets and seasons
h. solstices and equinoxes -- what are they, how do they differ, what do they look like (dioramas), explore how these
sunpaths block possible migration due to climate change, how the sunpaths are connected to climate, how
sunpaths/climate connections influence planetary exploration (such as Rover landing sites)
i. the missing planet (Kepler and the asteroid belt)
j. history of exploration and data from rocks
k. age of the solar system (individual bodies and the unit as a whole)
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l. orbits and Kepler -- explore the three laws in detail
m. define limits of the solar system
8. What do we know about stars?
a. spectra data
b. H-R diagram, hence age and likely life cycle
c. mass calculations
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d. distance (standard candles -- variables and supernova)
e. layers, temperatures, chemical composition
f. fusion, nucleosynthesis, Fe and supernova
g. Messier catalog objects and other categorizing systems
h. double star systems, groups of stars, globular clusters, galaxies, groups of galaxies, and up in scale
i. strange objects in detail (quasars, galactic core black holes, neutron stars, pulsars, etc.) and other implications of
Einstein's physics
j. giant clouds or gas and dust as star remnants and stellar nurseries
k. use current data to figure out the sky in the past (Crab Nebula), and apply this concept to the universe as a whole
(cosmic background radiation, universe temperature and color data, universe geography)
l. red shift and the Hubble constant calculations, plus implications for the fate of the universe
m. areas of ongoing research: gravitons, dark matter, dark energy, the shape of the universe, etc.
9. How do we get data?
a. the history of extra-planetary exploration (and remote exploration on earth -- deep sea)
b. the framework of astronomical discoveries chronologically and by scientist (including the female calculators)
c. construct or model telescopes, spectroscopes, gravity telescopes, cosmic ray telescopes, CCD chip light gathering
devices, radio antennae
d. non-em telescopes and data
10. How do we use data?
a. the killer asteroid problem, and hunting for possible suspects
b. solar events and electronics, radiation considerations for humans in space
c. figuring the Hubble constant and the age of the universe (the history of the problem)
d. future possibilities -- problems and areas of inquiry
23. Texts & Supplemental Instructional Materials
Textbook: Physics of Everyday Phenomena, Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2007
Supplemental: Conceptual Physics (Hewitt),
Hands-On Universe (http://www.handsonuniverse.org/),
The Universe At Your
Fingertips (Astronomical Society of the Pacific), Project STAR (Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics),
Voyages Through Time (Cosmic Evolution, Planetary Evolution, Origins of Life and Technological Evolution units --
information at http://www.voyagesthroughtime.org/),
Craters (NSTA),
Earth Science (Tarbuck and Lutgens),
Laboratory Manual for Introductory Astronomy (Hagar),
History of Astronomy (Peters),
Laboratory Astronomy (Nicastro),
Physical Geography (McKnight),
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Applications & Investigations in Earth Science (Tarbuck, Lutgens and Pinzke),
Seismic Sleuths (FEMA),
Nine Planets (http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/nineplanets.html),
Ceres (http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/EdActivities.html),
NASA (http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html?skipIntro=1),
Project CLEA (http://www.gettysburg.edu/academics/physics/clea/CLEAhome.html),
Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy (http://www.badastronomy.com/),
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The European Space Agency (such as at http://www.astroex.org/english/index),
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (http://www.astrosociety.org/education/activities/handson.html),
the USGS (such as http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/historical.php),
TerraMar,
and the US Naval Observatory (http://aa.usno.navy.mil/).
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24. Key Assignments
lab -- earth sampling
model/lab -- prove planet is a sphere, it rotates and revolves
model/lab -- demonstrate an explanation for the seasons on earth
lab -- prove the earth spins on an axis
lab -- Foucault pendulum
model/lab -- model possible movements until find one that explains changing night sky from earth
lab -- gravity exploration
lab -- determining g (using one of 3 methods)
2. Astrology and some astronomy history
lab -- make a western-style natal chart with inaccurate information to compare with astrology
lab -- investigate precession and the change in zodiac constellation locations
lab -- use the inverse square law to determine the relative pulls of distant planets compared to overhead satellites or jet
planes on a human on the ground
lab -- Darmok: figure out how to communicate with non-human life
lab -- compare historical astrology records to current sky data
lab -- navigate using the sky, at day and at night
3. The importance of a common frame of reference
lab -- create measuring units and analyze their usefulness in a variety of tasks
lab -- intro to e-m (as the second most recognizable of the four forces) -- GUT, and why scientists are looking for it
labs -- many activities on Newton's laws and how we see them realized on the planet and in space
lab -- using parallax and triangulation to determine size/distance
lab -- using angular size and angular distance
4. What can we know about the rocky planets?
labs -- density intro, densities of the earth's layers
lab -- planetary condensation and density
lab -- convection
lab -- mapping earthquakes to determine plate boundaries
lab -- mapping hot spots to determine plate movement direction
lab -- using plate data, plate density information and rock age data to determine outcomes at plate boundaries
model -- CCD v. lenses in terms of light-gathering and data presentation
lab -- how much can we see using our scope (looking at moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus)
lab -- how to interpret remote sensing data
model -- telescopes and seeing the entire e-m spectrum
5. Waves
lab -- investigating the e-m spectrum
lab -- emission and absorption spectra and element fingerprinting
lab -- making waves and collecting information
model -- quantum realities re. the photon and electron (it's a dance)
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lab -- reflection, refraction and diffraction; arriving at a quantative statement about each
lab -- using the Doppler effect to determine the rotational speeds of Jupiter and Saturn
lab -- eyes and vision, lenses and vision, problems in sensing as they relate to sensors
6. What can we know about the solar system?
model -- scale the solar system down to size
lab -- slide rules and exponential scales
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lab -- determine distance to planets by two different methods (suggest light bounce and angular distance methods)
lab -- determine the lengths of day and year for each of the planets
project -- create a sunpath diorama showing the proper angle and length of day for the solstices and equinoxes for a
specific location on earth
lab -- based on the tilt of each planet, distance from the sun, atmosphere, etc. determine whether or not it has seasons,
i.e. what a typical day or year would be like on the planet
lab -- look at planetary information for patterns (Kepler laws)
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lab -- based on Kepler's laws and derived data, find the missing planet and speculate as to why it never formed
lab -- determine where Pluto belongs and why
lab -- determine the mass of Jupiter (based on Kepler and the moons)
lab -- determine the age of the solar system
lab -- find an object in its orbit
7. What do we know about stars?
lab -- stellar spectra
lab -- H-R diagram
lab -- sun's brightness and luminescence units
lab -- Cepheid variables
lab -- supernovas as standard candles
lab -- star composition and fusion
model -- the births, lives, deaths and recycling of stars
lab -- finding Messier objects (sky navigation)
model -- gravity in a multiple star system or group
lab -- IDing stellar nurseries
lab -- backtracking to the source of the Crab Nebula
lab -- background cosmic radiation and an almost universal red shift
lab -- calculating the Hubble Constant
8. How do we get data?
lab -- robots
lab -- make a telescope
lab -- make and calibrate a spectroscope
lab -- make something that can collect radio waves
9. How do we use data?
lab -- hunting for asteroids in deep field photos
lab -- constructing radiation-proof spaceships
25. Instructional Methods and/or Strategies
All activities use inductive and/or deductive guided reasoning to assist students in gaining a foundation in astronomy.
Laboratory experiences comprise half of the class and homework time. Included in laboratory work is model construction,
as a large amount of science is understood through models. Lectures will incorporate web-based NASA and site specific
resources, Hands On Universe software, and will rely a great deal on information obtained in prior lab experiences. Our
10" telescope will be used for multiple direct observations as well as calibration exercises. Laboratory work includes optics
experiments, solar astronomy, telescope construction, spectroscopy, creation and study of star maps, and more. Labs
(including a practical lab component in each semester final) comprise 50% of the grade. Videos and DVDs are used to fill
in areas of historical interest (such as the Apollo missions).
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26. Assessment Methods and/or Tools
Lab write-ups, research posters and presentations of experimental work count for 50% of a student’s grade each of the
three grading periods. Tests, quizzes, individual and group projects, paper work and board work count for 50% the grade
each grading period. Each grading period is approximately 6 weeks long. These components make up ¾ of each
semester’s grade.
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Additionally, every semester, students take two finals that together count for the final ¼ of their semester grade. They
have a written final (covering content in an investigative way in the fall, applying content knowledge to analyzing
astronomical data in the spring) and a lab final (where they use knowledge from the semester to work through a problem).
The grading scale is 90% and above = an A, 80-89% = a B, 70-79% = a C, 60-69% = a D, and <60% = an F.
ONLY C. HONORS COURSES ONLY
27. Indicate how this honors course is different from the standard course.
Not applicable for this course.
D. OPTIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION
28. Context for Course (optional)
After changing out science course offerings to physics in 9th grade (Physics First), chemistry in 10th grade and biology in
11th grade in order to better prepare our students for their studies, we realized we needed to instate new advanced level
courses for our seniors. Astronomy was the area of greatest interest for our first course offering. As the population of our
seniors taking science grows (due to their greater familiarity with and interest in science), we plan to add another
advanced course, probably AP Environmental Science.
29. History of Course Development (optional)
