SYLLABUSES

Explorations an Introduction to Astronomy Thomas T. Arny

Instructor Resources

SYLLABUSES

The syllabus below is the one I use. I distribute it the first day of class and use it to introduce myself, the text, and the course. On the back of the syllabus I put the material titled "Things You Should Know". I tell the class that I use that material to make up exams and that their first task in studying is to be able to WRITE OUT descriptions of the things mentioned on it. I also urge them to write out answers to all review questions and a few of the numerical problems.

Although I have never taught in the quarter system, I have made up a syllabus for both a one and two quarter course.

SAMPLE SYLLABUS FOR A ONE-SEMESTER COURSE - INSIDE OUT

Astronomy ________ Semester_________, 199_

Instructor________________ Office___________________ Phone _______________

Text: Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy, by T. Arny

Office Hours: and by appointment.

Topics Readings

Week 1 Overview, The Night Sky Introduction and Chapter 1

Week 2 Naked Eye Astronomical Phenomena,

Historical Development, Gravity and Motion Chapters 1 and 2

Week 3 Light and Atoms Chapter 3

Week 4 The Earth Chapter 4

Week 5 The Moon, Tides and Eclipses Chapter 6

(Hourly Exam I )

Week 6 Basic Features and Origin of the Solar System Chapter 7

Week 7 The Terrestrial and Jovian Planets Chapters 8 and 9.

Week 8 Asteroids, Comets and Meteors Chapter 10

Week 9 The Sun Chapter 11

Week 10 Properties of Stars Chapter 12

(Hourly Exam II)

Week 11 Evolution of Stars and the Death of Stars Chapters 13 and 14

Week 12 The Milky Way Chapter 15

Week 13 Other Galaxies Chapter 16

Week 14 Cosmology Chapter 17

(Hourly Exam III)

Hourlies are 50 multiple choice questions. Bring pencil & ID card.

Each exam will include several numerical problems.

Exam Dates Exam I =

Exam II =

Exam III =

SAMPLE SYLLABUS FOR A ONE-SEMESTER COURSE - TOPIC ORIENTED

Astronomy ________ Semester_________, 199_

Instructor________________ Office___________________ Phone _______________

Text: Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy, by T. Arny

Office Hours: and by appointment.

Topics Readings

Lecture 1 Overview, Introduction

Lecture 2 The Night Sky Chapter 1

Lecture 3 Motions of Earth and Moon (Seasons and Eclipses) Chapter 1

Lecture 4 Gravity, orbits, and Planetary motion (Kepler's Laws) Chapter 1 and 2

Lecture 5 Light Chapter 3

Lecture 6 Atoms Chapter 4

Lecture 7 The Moon and Tides Chapter 6

Lecture 8 Overview of Solar System and its Formation Chapter 7

Lecture 9 The Inner Planets Chapters 8

Lecture 10 Comparison of the Inner Planets Chapter 8 (Hourly Exam III)

Lecture 11 The Outer Planets Chapter 9

Lecture 12 Meteors and Asteroids Chapter 10

Lecture 13 Comets and Impacts Chapter 10

Lecture 14 The Sun Chapter 11

Lecture 15 The Sun - continued Chapter 11

Lecture 16 Observing other Stars Chapter 12

Lecture 17 The H-R Diagram Chapter 12

Lecture 18 Star Formation and Evolution Chapter 13

Lecture 19 Nucleosynthesis and Star Death Chapter 13

Lecture 20 Dead Stars Chapter 14

Lecture 21 Exploring the Milky Way Chapter 15

Lecture 22 The Milky Way - continued Chapter 15

Lecture 23 Other Galaxies Chapter 16

Lecture 24 Peculiar Galaxies Chapter 16

Lecture 25 Cosmology Chapter 17

Lecture 26 Cosmology - continued Chapter 17

Hourlies are 50 multiple choice questions. Bring pencil & ID card.

Each exam will include several numerical problems.

Exam Dates Exam I =

Exam II =

Exam III =

(NOTE: This syllabus assumes a 13 week semester with two 75 minute classes/week. I have not tried this myself, so I can't swear it works. It is what I would do to organize a course this way.)

SAMPLE SYLLABUS FOR A ONE-SEMESTER COURSE - OUTSIDE IN

NOTE: I have not tried this myself, so I can't swear it works. It is what I would do if I wanted to present the material in this order.

Astronomy ________ Semester_________, 199_

Instructor________________ Office___________________ Phone _______________

Text: Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy, by T. Arny

Office Hours: and by appointment.

Topics Readings

Week 1 Overview, The Night Sky Introduction and Chapter 1

Week 2 Naked Eye Astronomical Phenomena,

Historical Development, Gravity and Motion Chapters 1 and 2

Week 3 Light and Atoms Chapter 3

Week 4 Cosmology Chapter 17

Week 5 Other Galaxies Chapter 16

(Hourly Exam I)

Week 6 The Milky Way Chapter 15

Week 7 The Sun Chapter 11

Week 8 Properties of Stars Chapter 12

Week 9 Evolution of Stars and the Death of Stars Chapters 13 and 14

Week 10 The Earth Chapter 4 (Hourly Exam III)

(Hourly Exam II)

Week 11 The Moon, Tides and Eclipses Chapter 6

Week 12 Basic Features and Origin of the Solar System Chapter 7

Week 13 The Terrestrial and Jovian Planets Chapters 8 and 9.

Week 14 Asteroids, Comets and Meteors Chapter 10

(Hourly Exam III )

Hourlies are 50 multiple choice questions. Bring pencil & ID card.

Each exam will include several numerical problems.

Exam Dates Exam I =

Exam II =

Exam III =

SAMPLE SYLLABUS FOR A ONE-QUARTER COURSE

Astronomy__________ ________ Quarter, 199_

Instructor________________ Office___________________ Phone _______________

Text: Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy, by T. Arny

Office Hours: and by appointment.

Topics Readings

Week 1 Overview, The Night Sky Introduction and Chapter 1

Week 2 Naked Eye Astronomical Phenomena Chapter 1

Week 3 Light and Atoms Chapter 3

Week 4 Basic Features and Origin of the Solar System Chapter 6

Week 5 The Terrestrial and Jovian Planets Chapters 8 and 9.

Week 6 Asteroids, Comets and Meteors Chapter 10

Week 7 The Sun Chapter 11

Week 8 Evolution of Stars and the Death of Stars Chapters 13 and 14

Week 9 The Milky Way and Other Galaxies Chapter 15 and 16

Week 10 Cosmology Chapter 17

SAMPLE SYLLABUS FOR A TWO-QUARTER COURSE

Astronomy__________ ______________Quarters, 199_

Instructor________________ Office___________________ Phone _______________

Text: Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy, by T. Arny

Office Hours: and by appointment.

Topics Readings

Week 1 Overview, The Night Sky Introduction and Chapter 1

Week 2 History of Astronomy Chapter 1

Week 3 Gravity and Motion Chapter 2

Week 4 Light Chapter 3

Week 5 The Earth Chapter 4

Week 6 The Moon Chapter 6

Week 7 Time Essay 2

Week 8 Origin of the Solar System Chapter 7

Week 9 The Terrestrial Planets Chapter 8

Week 10 The Jovian Planets Chapter 9

Week 1 Review of Basic ideas (Light, gravity, etc)

Week 2 Asteroids, Comets and Meteors Chapter 10

Week 3 The Sun Chapter 11

Week 4 Measuring Properties of Stars Chapter 12

Week 5 Evolution of Stars Chapter 13

Week 6 Death of Stars Chapters 14

Week 7 The Milky Way Chapter 15

Week 8 Other Galaxies Chapter 16

Week 9 Cosmology Chapter 17

Week 10 Cosmology and Life in the Universe Chapter 17 and Essay 3

Problems will be assigned bi-weekly. Similar problems will occur on the exams.

Exams: Your grade is calculated by taking the best two of the three hourly exam scores and then adding the final exam which counts the same as an hourly. You must take the final. If you miss an hourly, that counts as the one hourly you may drop.

In general, you must pass at least two exams to pass the course. Having only one passing exam grade will essentially never get you through. Exams missed for valid reasons may be made up with an essay question exam. Please let me know in writing at the time of the missed exam if you will be taking a make-up. One final point: do not make inflexible plans on leaving before the final exam period is over. I don't know when the final will be and I normally can't get it ready before the scheduled time.

P.S. If you find that you're having trouble in the course, please, please come to see me. Usually an hour or so of going over material can help you understand what you need to do to learn the material and do much better. It really works. Come see me during office hours, but I'm also happy to see you at other times at your convenience.

P.P.S. Cheating on exams is not only against student regulations, but is sleazy. It also will get you an F in the course. Spare us both an unpleasant experience by maintaining your personal honor.

Study Hint: Read the chapter summary first to get some sense of what you ought to be absorbing. At the end of each paragraph, put into your own words what that paragraph said. Answer review questions at chapter ends. Write out answers. It will help fix the material in your mind.