COURSE DESCRIPTION
Summer
2008
Ticket
no. 3033
INSTRUCTOR: RICHARD RAINS
Voice Mail (24 hours): (818) 364-7702
email: rgrains@yahoo.com
OFFICE HOURS: M-TH 4:00 – 4:35 p.m.
TEXT: Required: "Horizons" by Michael Seeds, 10th ed
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Addresses such questions as:
What
is our place in the universe?
What
kinds of things are in the universe?
What
am I actually seeing when I look up at the sky (moon, planets, etc)?
What
is it like on other planets?
Where
did the universe come from? Where is it going?
Is
there life on other planets?
How
do we know what we know?
(For
more details, see table of contents of text.)
COURSE OUTLINE: See Table of Contents of
“Horizons”.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
2. inquire into the historical development of key astronomical concepts such as the ever-unfolding discovery of our place in the universe, including the latest developments in planetology and cosmology
3. acquire
a sense of social responsibility in areas of environmental concern such as
global warming
GRADES: The final grade will be
determined by:
Reading Quiz average: 20%
(Four of these quizzes will be
Lecture
Quiz average: 20%
dropped [two of each kind])
Test
1, June 17 20%
Test
2, June 25 20% (The one lowest test
will
be dropped)
Test
3, July 3 20%
Final
Exam, July 10 20%
(Comprehensive)
Grades
and assignments are posted on the Internet at http://rerains.freeservers.com/
A
brief Reading Quiz will be given during only the first 15 minutes of each
class meeting. This closed-book quiz will cover the reading assignment
according to the schedule below. Missed quizzes may not be made-up and will be
recorded as zero. The two lowest Reading Quiz grades, however, will be dropped
at the end of the course.
A
brief Lecture Quiz will be given during only the last 10 minutes of each class meeting. The quiz will cover
the lecture and will be an open-notes quiz. Missed quizzes may not be made-up
and will be recorded as zero. The two lowest Lecture Quiz grades, however, will
be dropped at the end of the course.
The
three tests will take about one hour each. No make-up tests will be given.
However, the single lowest test grade will be dropped at the end of the
semester. (Not including the final examination.)
No early or late examinations or quizzes will be given under any circumstances. Please arrange your life accordingly.
CELL
PHONE POLICY: Room I1015 is a
cell-phone-free area. Cell phones should be turned off, out of sight and out of
reach when entering the classroom.
ETHICS
POLICY: Any student found to be cheating on any quiz or test will receive an
immediate zero on that activity.
DATES
OF TESTS listed on this syllabus may change. Each student is responsible for
current class announcements, whether he/she is present in class or not.
EXTRA
CREDIT POLICY: No extra credit assignments will be given for this course. The
most effective way to raise your grade is to spend time learning the material.
READING
SCHEDULE:
June
9: First class meeting; no reading quiz
June
10: Reading Quiz covers Chapters 3 –
4
June
11: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 5
June
12: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 6
-----------------------------------------------------------
June
16: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 7
June
17: Test 1 Covers Chapters 1-7
June
18: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 8
June
19: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 9
-------------------------------------------------------------
June
23: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 10 –
11
June
24: Reading Quiz covers Chapters 12 –
13
June
25: Test 2 covers Chapters 8 – 13
June
26: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 14 - 15
-------------------------------------------------------------
June
30: Reading Quiz covers Chapter 16 – 17.2
July
1: Reading Quiz covers Chapters 17.3
July
2: Reading Quiz covers Chapters 17.4 – 17.5
July
3: Test 3 covers Chapters 14 – 17.5
-------------------------------------------------------------
July
7: Reading Quiz covers Chapters 18.1– 18.3
July
8: Reading Quiz covers Chapters 18.4 – 18.6
July
9: Reading Quiz covers Chapters 19 – 20
July
10: Final Exam – covers Chapters 1 – 20.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Last
Day to drop the class without a "W": June
18
Last
Day to drop the class with a "W":
July 3
It
is the student’s responsibility to drop the class, if necessary.