1. Please take one card of each color as you enter the classroom.
at the front of the classroom are red, blue, yellow, green, and orange cards
Please take one card of each color as you enter the classroom.

2. prepare to participate!!!
This will be an interactive class,
prepare to participate!!!

3. Astronomy, A105
Stars, Galaxies
&
Cosmology

4. introductory course in astronomy
emphasis on our own Sun, Stars & Galaxies
intended for non-science majors
no college-level prerequisites
mathematics: high-school algebra is assumed.
Math content – simple but not ignored

5. Instructor:
Dr. Tom Steiman-Cameron
(a.k.a., Dr. Dash) /
Swain West 414
Office Hours:
12:30 - 1:30 pm Mon
10: :30 am Weds
or by appointment
AI:
Emily Richards
Swain West 417
Office Hours:
1:00 - 2:00 pm Tues
1:00 – 2:00 pm Thurs
or by appointment

6. Website associated with textbook:
Class web page:
Homework assignments, announcements, reading assignments, etc. Consult this site on a regular basis.
Website associated with textbook:

7. Text Book Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies & Cosmology 6th Edition
J. Bennett, M. Donahue, N. Schneider & M. Voit
It is important that you read the assigned work prior to attending class and participate in group activities.
Do not be concerned about the “missing” pages and chapters. This book is a portion of a larger book.

8. A typical class session will include:
1) two or three mini-lectures
2) peer instruction activities.
The class will be divided into numerous groups that will participate in collaborative learning exercises tied to the mini-lectures.

9. Colored sheets of paper, please keep and bring to class!
FEEDBACK
Critical for class!
Colored sheets of paper, please keep and bring to class!

10. Grades
Based upon number of points earned over the semester from exams, homework and activities(scale provided in syllabus)

11. Exams: Exam 1: Weds, Feb. 15 Exam 2: Monday, Apr. 2
Final Exam: Wednesday, May 2, 12:30 – 2:30 pm
Each exam worth 120 points
Lowest exam worth 60 points
Final exam is cumulative, but heavily weighted towards material not yet tested.

12. Homework
Eleven short homework assignments.
Each worth 15 points.
Lowest of the eleven grades dropped
(150 points max)

13. Activities
There will be a number of in-class and out-of-class exercises for which you can earn “activity points”.
The purpose is to encourage active participation in the learning process.
Up to 150 activity points can be counted towards the final grade (more than 200 points available throughout the semester)

14. Some rules
(I REALLY hate rules!!)

15. Classroom etiquette: common courtesy
Move conversations out of classroom
Cell phones off
Headphones & Earbuds off
No surfing, checking Facebook, etc.
Also, no sitting on the floor in the back of the classroom or on the steps.

16. Academic Honesty
Except when told otherwise, be solely responsible for your work. No exceptions!
If you do not known what constitutes plagiarism, find out or ask!

17. Most important issue -
HAVE FUN!!
ENJOY THE PROCESS!!!

18. Semester in three parts;
Human’s place in the Universe, Astronomy as science, how is science defined & performed, tools to understand the rest of the semester
Stars & the Sun: Formation of stars and planetary system, types of stars, evolution & death of stars, fundamental importance to life
Galaxies & Cosmology: The Milky Way – the Home galaxy, the galactic zoo, formation and evolution of galaxies, dark matter & dark energy, the formation, evolution and fate of the universe.

19. Assignment for next class:
Read Chapter 1
Visit class website
Read the syllabus
Attach (glue/paste/tape/weld) a white sheet of paper to the back of each colored sheet of paper

20. Images and Concepts: We tend to use images when we think.
Scientists use pictures and images often (we are always drawing simple figures and diagrams).
Learn to do this yourself.
This will be stressed in class!

21. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
We will commonly start each class looking at the
Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)

23. is the primary goal of this class!
Thinking,
not memorizing,
is the primary goal of this class!

24. Astronomy is a physical SCIENCE
Astronomy is a physical SCIENCE. In order to make progress in understanding astronomy, we need to understand science: what is it and how does it work?
Memorizing ≠ Science

25. There are many definitions of science
There are many definitions of science. They all have in common the view that
science encompasses those human endeavors that seek to understand how nature works.

26. questioning hypothesizing testing
All fields of science have in common the attempt to systemized knowledge through
observation (“observed facts”)
questioning
hypothesizing
testing
Very important to this process is critical thinking

27. You will be shown dealing a sequence of full Moon’s (20 cycles, repeated) assembled into a video format.
Working with people near you, address the following:
Describe how the Moon’s appearance changes from one full moon to the next. (OBSERVED FACTS)
Come up with a physical explanation to explain what you see. (HYPOTHESIS)
The Moon cycle sequence can be found on the “Links” page of the class website

29. Why are you taking this class?
Why does the University consider it important for non-science majors to take a course in the physical sciences?

30. Science attempts to systemized knowledge through:
observing
questioning
hypothesizing
testing
Using critical & creative thinking.
Scientific thinking has applications to all fields of human endeavors, not just science.

31. Our goal is to teach you to be creative, critical thinkers that question authority, not to groom you to take exams!

32. Over the next few weeks, you will hopefully…
learn to question everything!
become aware that your thinking is guided by assumptions and prejudices you have acquired through your life experiences!
be creative, but critical, in your thinking!

33. Let’s begin now …

36. What happens next?

37. Question everything! Let’s look again at goals …
Examine your assumptions and prejudices: Realize that your thought processes are structured by your previous experiences, i.e., they are biased.
Be creative, but critical, in your thinking!

38. In some cases we need to revisit things that we “know”
Our “knowledge” can be based upon misinformation or errant assumptions consistent with our previous expereinces.
Never get too wedded to your own “knowledge”, question it as well.

39. What happens next?