In the first case it was necessary to renounce the consciousness of an unreal mobility in space and to recognize a motion we did not feel; in the present case it is similarly necessary to renounce a freedom that does not exist, and to recognize a dependence of which we are not conscious." - War and Peace
Greeks to Geeks
Nina Thompson, Trillium Charter School
nina@trilliumcharterschool.org, 503-807-7179
BLOG: greekstogeeks.blogspot.com
"In the first case it was necessary to renounce the consciousness of an unreal mobility in space and to recognize a motion we did not feel; in the present case it is similarly necessary to renounce a freedom that does not exist, and to recognize a dependence of which we are not conscious." - War and Peace
Astronomy is one of the most ancient of the sciences, and was practiced in antiquity by cultures as diverse as the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Mayans. Although the sky has changed little over the past few thousand years, man’s interpretations of what he sees has changed greatly. We will explore the history of astronomy and thus the changes in mankind’s thinking about the universe.
Course description:
Greeks to Geeks: Astronomy (9-12: Science credit)
Ancient civilizations made sense of the celestial bodies involved in daily, monthly, and seasonal transitions in very different ways. The Chinese banged pots and pans to scare away the eclipses while the Aztecs sacrificed villagers. To predict and acknowledge the solstices the English built Stone Hedge, Native Americans built medicine wheels, and one Egyptian set up an experiment that allowed him to measure the circumference of the Earth. In this class we will start with Greek mythology, astronomical advances, and learn how the cultural climates in different global regions supported or refuted scientific advances in astronomy. Each student will pick a topic, phenomenon, or astronomical advancement to research and present. Example, the moons of Jupiter. Labs will be conducted to demonstrate the principles we will study.
Based on the above statements and course description we will be creating a collaborative syllabus based on student interest. On the back is a starting point of negotiation.
Proposed Syllabus:
Course Goals/Objectives: At the conclusion of the this course, students will:
• Have a basic understanding of historical models of understanding earth, moon, and solar motion.
• Have a basic understanding of modern understanding of earth, moon, and solar motion and the scientists who contributed to that understanding.
• Name major transitions of our interpretations of the earth’s place in the solar system. Explain the relationship between this transition and the resulting transition of events such as seasonal changes, eclipses, or planetary motion during the last 3000 years.
• Explain the changing appearance of the moon and how the relative motion of the earth, sun, and moon cause eclipses
• Understand the scientific method and it’s unique applications to astronomy.
• Sketch and describe the major contributions of Kepler, Galileo, and Tycho Brahe.
• Identify constellations in the night sky.
• Demonstrate skills in critical thinking.
Course materials:
PLEASE bring pencil and paper to class, and please be ready to identify the major constellations
Constellations: Use http://heavens-above.com site: login as: FightingFlower, password: Trillium
The blog is an incredible resource for you. Please use it: geekstogreeks.blogspot.com
Graded activities: And grade distribution
Project: 700 points Due April 28th, 2 days before all school project fair
Students sign up for presentation day: May 5,7,12,14,19,21,26,28, June 2,4,9,11,16,18. See list.
Observation journal: 100 points. Observation project of the night sky. Choose from below and recording:
• Moon Journal: pick one spot, draw the moon from that spot (or photograph) for 4 weeks with at least 10 observations
• Moving constellations. Draw the circumpolar constellations over a six hour period. Repeat another night.
• Draw the same spot in the sky (like hovering above a tree in your yard) 10 nights
• Write ten entries over the next 4 ½ months documenting how you hear non-astronomy people use astronomy terms and what they might be trying to accomplish by using them. (mars bars, Saturn cars, etc.)
• Write ten reflections on the topics we’re learning about or your colleagues are presenting about.
• Look at ten constellations and make up constellations for them, write a brief myth for each one.
Learning Logs ( ¼ sheet asking you what you learned, new jargon, and your feedback on the lesson): 50 points
Questions like: What scientists did we talk about, what were their contributions to astronomy, what resistance did they meet from the scientific community. What experiment did we do, what scientists work does it represent, and your feedback.
Final Reflection Log: 50 pts
A short in class essay on what we learned about the nature of scientific discovery mentioning 2 famous transitions to accept new information or technology. (In class, last week of school)
Constellation quizzes: 100 points, best 10 out of the weekly quizzes to identify 10 constellations
Weekly quizzes asking you to outline 5 given constellations on a star map.
Nina’s Grading Policies:
Tests and quizzes: can always be retaken, on your own time. You must schedule to come in before or after school or on a Friday afternoon.
Late Work: Projects turned in on time will be worth full credit, otherwise it drops down to 80%, more than 2 weeks it is worth 50% the original value. (for example the project is worth 700 points, if it were turned in within 2 weeks after the due date it would be worth 560 pts, after 4 weeks it would be worth 350 points).
Example: Project On time: 700 pts
Within 2 weeks late 560 pts
After those 2 weeks 350 pts
Progress: Grade printouts are posted in the room. Instead of your name being used you will be given a “code name” As I am not a high school advisor it is important for you to keep track of your “code” so you can see the “self service” model of checking your grade.
Extra Credit - There will be opportunities for extra credit, however, students should not depend upon extra credit to achieve their desired grade. Focus on work offered for regular credit!
Cheating- In the first instance of cheating, the student will receive an 'F' grade for the work involved. Furthermore, any student who supplies answers, in part or in whole, will receive the same discipline as the one who receives work that is falsely claimed as their own. Subsequent cheating will result in disciplinary action that may lead to suspension or expulsion and/or loss of credit for the class.
Absences: A student who is repeatedly absent misses discussions, context of the science we are learning, and it is very hard to grade and enter late work. After 3 consecutive absences a student will be asked to meet with parents, Nina, and possibly the director before they receive any make up work. After 5 consecutive absences a student will be asked to consider dropping the course, seeking out an independent study option. The “B-“ independent study option would be to do the above assignments, noting that the learning logs and quizzes could not be made up. Those students would not (based on the point values above) be able to score higher than a B-. Please understand a student who is repeatedly absent misses discussions, context of the science we are learning, and it is very hard to grade and enter late work.
POSSIBLE PROJECT TYPES: (Must be planned by March 10.)
1. During the spring and fall equinoxes and the summer and winter solstices give the relative height of the noon sun, the position of the sun on the ecliptic and the position of the earth around the sun.
2. Explain how the sun and night sky can be used to tell time. Take a picture of the night sky (with land based references) and demonstrate how the night sky in this picture can be used to tell time.
3. Describe the types of calendars used in the different types of the world. In Thailand it is the year 2552 B.E., why are some months longer? How did these cultures come about their calendars.
4. Compare and contrast the distance and tilt theories of seasonal temperature changes. (Which better explains seasons and why? Why do some planets have greater seasonal differences than others?)
5. Know the time difference between time zones, the longitude limits between time zone boundaries and how this is chosen.
6. Compare celestial coordinates to terrestrial ones (give celestial equivalents of latitude, longitude, equator and prime meridian).
7. Give the position (altitude, azimuth) of a star in the night sky at a particular time and location (understand instrumentation used.)
8. Describe and explain the daily and seasonal changes in the night sky (how would they appear at the equator, north pole, your latitude?). Include diagrams. Explain how this was interpreted by the Greeks and contrast our understanding now.
9. Google Sketch Up draw a building and how the shadows would change throughout the day, throughout the seasons, and describe the applications for astronomers, architects, and city planners.
10. Use parallax to determine the distance to an object and know the units astronomers use when giving distances to stars.
11. Measure the angular diameter of distant objects or the angular distance between objects.
12. Contrast the images produced by concave and convex mirrors and lenses and describe what is meant by the focal point.
13. Use ray diagrams to determine the images produced by mirrors and lenses.
14. Compare and contrast reflecting and refraction telescopes and explain the systems of mirrors and lenses that they each use.
15. Know what determines the light gathering power, resolving power and magnification of a telescope.
16. Describe and diagram major famous telescopes. Their types, the benefit and aberrations in telescopes and explain how they can be compensated for.
17. Come to school during three of our star parties and look through the telescope and document what you see.
18. Compare their observations with the myths from early cultures.
19. Find the phase of the moon on you and 4 of your classmate’s next birthdays. Why are they different. Answer if you think the same phase of the moon will be the same as these next year? Why or why not?
20. And, of course, you can design your own project. Must be proposed and submitted by March. 10.
Week Class
Dates
1 Feb 5 Syllabi, class review: Greeks and their beliefs: constellations and their myths
2 Feb 10 Edited syllabi handed, Greek constellation myths (skits) Learning log 1
2 Feb 12 Other cultures and their myths (based on student interest) Constellation quiz
3 Feb 17 Stars brightness (greeks), Dark Ages: Arabs name except: Capella, Spica, Arcturus, Sirius
3 Feb 19 Astronomy Dark Age (pun intended): 500-1600, church burns science (comet myth) Constellation quiz
4 Feb 24 Myths, comets and eclipses (Art History Appreciation Day)
4 Feb 26 Lunacy: lunar eclipses, solar eclipses, tide charts, moon phases, their myths,
Famous astronomers: Eratosthenes, Aristarchus, Hiparchus, Ptolomy Constellation quiz
5 Mar 3 Sun, Moon, Earth: Geocentric vs. Heliocentric, moon phases, Galileo, Learning log 2
5 Mar 5 Sun, Earth: Geocentric vs. Heliocentric, moon phases, Galilean moons of Jupiter Constellation quiz
6 Mar 10 Sun, Earth: Native Americans, Pagans, Mayans, Irish, English, Equinox celebrations
6 Mar 12 Jeopardy Game!!!!!! (Review material so far), Introduce project if time Constellation quiz
7 Mar 17 My crush on an astronomer: Eratosthenes: Reproduce circumference experiment
7 Mar 19 Reproduce circumference experiment with students in Seattle, Salem, and Ca. Learning Log 3
SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK
8 Apr 7 Welcome back!!! Project Projections, ½ of computer lab reserved 1-2
8 Apr 9 Project Projections, ½ of computer lab reserved 1-2
9 Apr 14 Famous Astronomers: Tycho Brahe, parallax,
We will find the size of object without leaving building.
Learning Log 4
9 Apr 16 Kepler, Brahe’s traitor, Laws of planetary motion. Introduce eccentricity. projects
10 Apr 21 Eccentricity Lab and planetary motion. Correcting Ptolomy’s “blunder”, projects
10 Apr 23 Copernicus, smartest coward I ever knew Learning Log 5
11 Apr 28 ½ computer lab reserved whole class period
11 Apr 30 ALL SCHOOL PROJECT FAIR – WORK ON PROJECTS, ½ computer lab reserved
12 5 Mayo Cinco de Mayo- Navigation using the stars, Astronomy and War, Mayan Astronomy
Begin student presentations, Introduce: Observation log
12 May 7 Students present, Optics: Telescopes, Arab/Persian astronomer Ibn al-Haytham
13 May 12 Students present, Newton, Gravity, telescopes,
13 May 19 Student present, Messier objects, Galaxies, Nebulas, Planetary Nebulas Constellation quiz
14 May 21 HR Diagram: The heat and color of stars (Annie Jump Cannon, Henrietta Leavitt) Learning Log 6
15 May 26 OUTDOOR SCHOOL (6th GRADE), Star cycle, HR diagram
15 May 28 Spectroscopy, waves, EM Spectrum Constellation quiz
16 June 2 Hubble, Einstein, Red shift, Big Bang (Popularity not withstanding, math wins) Learning Log 7
16 June 4 Race to the moon, the pets go to space Constellation quiz
17 June 9 Race to the moon, timelines Learning Log 8
17 June 11 Mars, the invisible enemy (radiation), Rovers and their lego men, Phoenix Lander Constellation quiz
18 June 16 Jeopardy review, Final leaning log writing time. Observations Due
18 June 18 June – Make up for Snow day???? Sun, Earth, cause of the seasons
Insulation lab, Angle of Incidence Lab, Area of Exposure Lab, or build a mode Final Learning Log Due, constellation quiz
Greeks and Geeks: Syllabus Signature & Contact Form
[Please remove this page from the syllabus packet and return to the instructor]
I have read this syllabus with my student and I understand the policies and expectations of him/her in Mr. Smith’s Astronomy course. If I have any questions I feel free to contact Mr. Smith by e-mail, telephone, or in person. Most importantly, I will strive to support my student in ways that lead him/her to be successful at Kentridge High School.
Student’s Printed Name _______________________________________________
Student’s Signature ___________________________________________________ Date ___________
E-mail address (optional) _____________________________________________________________
Parent: Please neatly print your e-mail address(es) (if available) and phone number(s) in order to assist with communication throughout the year:
E-mail #1:____________________________________________________________________
E-mail #2:____________________________________________________________________
Phone #: _______________________________________________ Home/ Work/ Cell (Circle One)
Phone #: _______________________________________________ Home/ Work/ Cell (Circle One)
Phone #: _______________________________________________ Home/ Work/ Cell (Circle One)
Parent/Guardian’s Printed Name _________________________________________
Parent/Guardian’s Signature ____________________________________________ Date ____________
Framework Goals:
From math framework goals:
Understanding patterns, relations and functions.
Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to determine measurements.
Use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships.
Understand measurable attributes of objects and units, systems and processes of measurement.
Select and apply and translate among mathematical representations to solve problems
From social studies framework goals:
Analyze and evaluate the impact of economic, cultural, or environmental factors that result in changes to cities, countries, or regions.
From middle school framework goals:
Form a logical hypothesis.
Set up a scientific experiment.
Understand the purpose of having control and how to set it up in experiments.
Collect data and record it in a logical manner.
Write and analysis of the data collected.
Recognize the difference between observation and assumption, and the dangers of using data to explain causality.
Identify when statistics are biased, skewed, or incomplete. Identify biases.
Use systems of measurement for length, area, volume, weight, mass, density, pressure, time, and velocity.
Create visual representations of data and know how to read and interpret them.
Proposed high school science framework goals:
Identify the physical properties as they pertain to international measurement.
Design and conduct a logical, thorough, scientific experiment. Report your results.
Name the nature and calculate the value of an objects motion based on Newtonian Physics.
Describe the different aspects of an energy flow in a system, Potential, Kinetic, or chemical.
