Astronomy (SC-3a)

• 8/11: Overview of course, overview of syllabus, set norms, inquiry on prior knowledge
• 8/15: Astronomical Mythology activity (DUE 8/18 in class). Here are the guidelines:

Write an original myth to explain common astronomical phenomena. You must include the following characters, although you can of course add more: the sun, the moon, and the stars. To get you started, here are some ideas of what your myth could explain: the rising and setting of the sun and moon, phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, patterns of motion or constellations. Your myth should be two pages long, and will also be graded on spelling and grammar.

• 8/18: Lecture and reading on "A Modern View of the Universe"

Here's a cool interactive website where you can zoom in and out to see the size and scale of the universe:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/525347
Another website that explains not only scale, but time as well:
http://www.krysstal.com/scale.html
Another good one, with lots of explanatory text:
http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/
Here's a video that's a part of a series on "Journey to the Edge of the Universe" (there's also a lot of good related videos to check out):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr7wNQw12l8&feature=related
And a host of different photos of the infamous "Pale Blue Dot" that inspired Carl Sagan:
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&q=pale+blue+dot&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=hp52TNSdHIa4sAOjnbygDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=8&ved=0CFgQsAQwBw&biw=1440&bih=708

• 8/22: Lecture and reading on "Spaceship Earth", Does it Make Sense? Homework (DUE Thurs. 8/25 in class)
• 8/25: Watch "IMAX: Cosmic Voyage" with film questions, lecture and reading on "Ancient Astronomy", Ancient Astronomy Research Homework (DUE Mon. 8/29 in class):

Choose an ancient culture and research their knowledge and use of astronomy. Bring your research materials with you to class on Monday.

• 8/29: Finish "Ancient Astronomy", begin Archaeoastronomy Research Project (DUE Thurs. 9/1 in class):

Using your research, write up a presentation on your culture that addresses the following points:
1. What your culture used astronomy for
2. How they used it
3. What astronomical events were important to them, and why
4. How astronomy was incorporated into their religion and/or architecture

-Include a list of your sources

• 9/1: Archaeoastronomy Research Presentations
• 9/5: NO SCHOOL- LABOR DAY
• 9/8: Lecture and readings on "Ptolemy Biography" and "Isaac Newton Biography", Early Astronomy Homework (DUE Mon 9/12):
  

List and describe the major contributions that each of the following individuals made to the science of Astronomy, as well as why those contributions were important:
1.Ptolemy
2.Copernicus
3.Galileo
4.Kepler
5. Newton

Here's a good video on Kepler's laws of planetary motion explained:
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/23314-the-history-of-astronomy-laws-of-planetary-motion-video.htm

A video on Newton's universal law of gravitation:
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/19121-exploring-gravity-the-law-of-universal-gravitation-video.htm

Here's a video on how the inverse square law applies to sandwich-making:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW3tT0L2gpc

• 9/12: Lecture and reading on "Matter and Energy in Everyday Life"

Sweet video from PBS on "Amazing Atoms:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqNSQ3OQMGI
And a cool one on "Quarks: Inside the Atom":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMgi2j9Ks9k&feature=related
Nice website with videos on how atoms work:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/atom.htm
And another great video on atoms, elements, molecules, and compounds:
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/5966-chemistry-of-life-atoms-and-elements-video.htm
Great Discovery Channel video about the four phases of matter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88tK5c0wgH4

• 9/15: Unit Quiz One and Binder Check, What Temperature is it in the Universe? Activity
• 9/19: Finish "Matter and Energy in Everyday Life", Does it Make Sense Homework II (DUE Thurs. 9/22)
• 9/22: Begin lecture and reading on "Describing Motion"
• 9/26: Finish "Describing Motion", Does it Make Sense Homework III (DUE Thurs. 9/29)

Here's a video from NASA on motion and forces, with good explanations of all the terms:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54fAE2iN2II

Hilarious (and painful) demonstration of Newton's three Laws of Motion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWOv7NyOnhY

• 9/29: Motion and Force Lab I: Ball Drop
• 10/3: Watch "Understanding the Universe" with film questions
• 10/6: Finish "Understanding the Universe, begin lecture and reading on "Light in Everyday Life"
• 10/10: Midterm Exam and Binder Check, "Light in Everyday Life" continued
• 10/13: No Class- All-School Event
• 10/17: "Light in Everyday Life" continued
• 10/20: Motion and Force Lab II: Rockets (Note: completed Rocket Labs are DUE Mon. 10/24)
• 10/24: Finish "Light in Everyday Life", Light Homework (DUE Thurs. 10/27):

1. Define and describe each of the four ways that light interacts with matter
2. Describe the difference between transparent and opaque
3. Explain how light is both a particle and a wave
4. Between gamma rays and radio waves, which type of light has more energy, and why?
5. What happens to the electrons of atoms when light energy passes through them?
6. What do emission and absorption spectra tell us about things like stars and planets? How?
7. Why is it more difficult for opaque objects to emit thermal radiation? Also, what are the two rules of thermal radiation?

• 10/27: Math AIMS- No regular class
• 10/31: Making CD Spectroscopes Activity
• 11/3: Lecture and reading on "The Big Bang and the Evolution of the Universe", Big Bang Theory Homework (DUE Mon. 11/7):

1. List and describe the 3 main lines of evidence for the Big Bang Theory
2. What is "Inflation Theory"? What evidence exists to support it?
3. What is "Funny Energy" (AKA Dark Energy)? What is it doing to the universe, and what evidence supports its existence?
4. What does the Cosmic Microwave Background prove about the structure of the universe? How?

Having trouble visualizing all of this stuff? Check out this video from Columbia University Professor Janna Levin--it's tight!

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/08/big-bang-animat.php

Here's a video from the History Channel on the Cosmic Microwave Background:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q7DbUCl6QU

Anyone who'd like some more information on the theory can check out another sweet video from Astronomy.com on the Big Bang below:

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=8041

A video on the Big Bang Theory and the evidence for it that's pretty useful (and British!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iqW7YS1Y7Y&feature=related

And here's an EXCELLENT website with interactive links to each of the eras of time, with clear and easy-to-understand information--DEFINITELY worth a look!!

http://www.pbs.org/deepspace/timeline/

Another great Big Bang video (from the History Channel) that includes eras of time and the four forces:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSZqhqR5XKM&feature=related

• 11/7: Lecture and notes on "Major Events in the Universe...", receive "Timeline of the Universe Group Poster Project" guidelines
• 11/10: Begin Timeline of the Universe Group Projects
• 11/14: Timeline Projects continued
• 11/17: Unit Quiz Two and Binder Check, Timeline Projects continued
• 11/21: Finish Timeline Projects
• 11/24: No School- Thanksgiving Break
• 11/28: Lecture and reading on "A New View of Gravity", A New View of Gravity Homework (DUE Thurs. 12/1):

1. What creates gravity? How does the amount of an object's mass affect the strength of gravity?

2. What role does density play in the strength of gravity?

3. What is the "critical density", and why is it important to understanding the universe's fate?

4. List and describe the four possible fates of the universe

5. Which one of the above is the one we currently believe is the most likely to happen, and why?

6. What role does Dark Matter play in the fate of the universe?

• 12/1: Lecture and reading on "Star Death"
• 12/5: Watch "Black Holes" with film questions
• 12/8: Finish "Black Holes", lecture and reading on "String Theory: The Theory of Everything"
• 12/12: Final Exam and Binder Check, Class Evaluations
• 12/15: No Class- TBA