Spring 2001 |
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We studied beginning to intermediate astronomy through lectures, discussions, quantitative reasoning, workshops, and observation, using naked eyes, binoculars and telescopes. Usually in pairs, students were to research in some depth a topic of interest (in the library and through observations), and present their research to classmates, integrating astronomy and cosmologies. Extensive interactive workshops were a major part of our learning activities. Many were hands-on: for example, students built and used learning tools such as celestial spheres, simple sextants, and spectrometers. Others were more theoretical: for example, students derived Kepler's 3d law from Newton's 2d law and used it first to find the mass of Jupiter from orbits of its moons, then applied it to the orbits of stars to find the amount of dark matter in our galaxy. Details can be found at http://192.211.16.13/curricular/astro2001/home.htm. We studied the following chapters and material in Kaufmann and Freedman's text, "Universe". 1. Astronomy and the Universe (scientific method and basic math); 2. Knowing the Heavens (constellations, seasons, time): 3. Eclipses and the motion of the Moon; 4.Gravitation and the motions of the Planets; 5. The Nature of Light and Matter; 6. Optics and Telescopes; 18. The Sun; 19. The Nature of Stars; 25. Our Galaxy; 28. Cosmology: the Creation and Fate of the Universe. Students were also expected to independently work through six exercises using the planetarium software "Starry Night". We also seminared on cosmologies: how people across cultures and throughout history have understood, modeled and ordered their universe. We studied creation stories and world views, from those of ancient peoples to modern astrophysicists. In addition to "Universe", our primary text was E.C. Krupp's "Echoes of the Ancient Skies". Students helped organize and participated in a field trip to Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. They were expected to design, carry out, and report on research projects in astronomy and cosmologies there, in addition to cooperating on logistics such as driving vans, camping, and making food. Our primary field trip texts were "Prehistoric Astronomy in the Southwest" by J. McKim Malville and Claudia Putnam and "The Professor's House" by Willa Cather. Texts supporting observations and workshops included: "Out of the Classroom" by Dennis W. Dawson; "Introductory Astronomy Excercises" by Dale C. Ferguson; "Exploring the night sky with binoculars" by Patrick Moore; National Audubon Society "Field Guide to the Night Sky." Student work was evaluated based on participation in twice-weekly classes and workshops, daily online postings, and weekly seminars, quizzes, observing activities, and group work, including a major research project. Credit equivalencies (16 - lower division) 8: Introductory astronomy and physics (pre-calculus) |
Maintained by: E.J. Zita