Astronomy 1040 Online Class Schedule

Online

 All is subject to change (read the notes below)

Fall 2009
Week
starts		 Topics Notes Acts Quiz
(Activities and Quizzes: Wednesday of week scheduled)   Wed. Wed.
17-Aug Introduction, Background, Expectations, Handouts, Diagnostic Quiz (Lecture class only).  Discussion of requirements, Astronomy basics 1    
24-Aug Chapter 1: Our Place in the Universe        
31-Aug Chapter 2: Discovering the Universe for Yourself [*] 2    
1-Sep Last Day to Drop and Have Classes Deleted From Academic Record, with 50% Refund      
7-Sep (Labor Day on Monday) Quiz 1 on Wednesday 2 1 1
10-Sep Colorado Skies at Gates Planetarium Special Opportunity
(May substitute for any activity not already past due. There is an admission charge. Details to come. See Colorado Skies.)		      
14-Sep Chapter 3: The Science of Astronomy [*] 3   2
21-Sep Chapter 4: Making Sense of the Universe 4 2 3
28-Sep Chapter 5: Light - The Cosmic Messenger 5   4
5-Oct Chapter 6: The Solar System and its Origins; Chapter 7: Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds [*] 6 3 5
12-Oct Chapter 8: Jovian Planet Systems & Chapter 9: Remnants of Rock and Ice 7, 8   6
19-Oct Chapter 10: Our Star 9 4 7
23-Oct Last day to request an NC with signature required (check instructor schedule)      
26-Oct Chapter 11: Surveying the Stars [*] 10   8
2-Nov Chapter 12: Star Stuff 11 5 9
9-Nov Chapter 13: The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard 12   10
16-Nov Chapters 14 & 15: Our Galaxy & A Universe of Galaxies 13 6 11
23-Nov Thanskgiving Break (But note the schedule for the last week and Finals week)      
30-Nov Chapters 16 (Quiz 12) & 17 (chapter 17 included on final) 14, 15   12
7-Dec Finals:
Lecture class: Monday, Dec. 7, 9-11 a.m. in NC1608
Online class: Start: Monday, Dec. 7 at noon / End: Tuesday, Dec. 8 at midnight		      
NOTE: A scheduling change was made to move Chapter 1 reading to the week of August 24, and Chapter 2 to the week of August 31. This change is because the Labor Day holiday cuts our levture class  time on the third week, and I want to keep both the lecture class and the online classes on the schedule.
Weeks marked with [*] are especially important to lecture class students. Attendance is mandatory on those Mondays. Details will follow in class. There is no significance for online class students.
  Textbook and Notes:    
Your book is The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Fifth Edition by Bennett and others. (The Fourth Edition is also OK.)  You do not need the software included with the book (although it could be helpful), nor will I require that you use the textbook specific publisher's website. However, notes and activities for the class will be available only on the class (not textbook) website.
   Tests      
Your 12 quizzes count 45 percent of your grade. Lecture class students take the quizzes in class on the Wednesday of the week scheduled. Online students have a 36-hour "window" during which you may take the test  (noon Wednesday - midnight Thursday on the week scheduled), with a strict time limit of 60 minutes, which cannot be extended and cannot be split up. There are no make-ups, but I will automatically drop the three (3) lowest quiz scores. Thus only the top 9 highest test scores will count. Otherwise, No Extensions, No Exceptions, No Excuses. 
   Activities:      
You must observe the due dates for the assigned activities. The activities, counted together, are 45 percent of your final grade. You cannot afford to ignore them. Note that the subject of the activities may not correspond exactly to the textbook readings or lectures for the week they are due. There are no make-ups or time extensions, but I will automatically drop the one (1) lowest activity score. Thus only the 5 highest activity scores will count. Lecture class students must submit the activities in paper form during the class period of the Wednesay of the week scheduled. Online students activities must submit them using the online form in the manner prescribed no later than 10 p.m. on the Wednesday they are due. There are  No Extensions, No Exceptions, No Excuses.
   Final:      
The Final will be comprehensive and will count 10% of your final semester grade.
   Grading:      
Grades are on a weighted percentage basis. One point on a quiz is not the same value as one point on an activity. The letter grade percentages may be different from other classes. Specifically, an "A" is 100-91 points; a "B" is 90-81 points; a "C" is 80-70 points; a "D" is 69-59 points; and anything below 59 points is an "F" -- failing.
Extra Credit:
I do not believe in the concept of extra credit except in genuinely exceptional circumstances. I feel that there is already too much artificial pumping up of grades. The only time I will even consider extra credit is to keep a student from failing with an F. If you are concerned about maintaining your GPA for any reason whatsoever, then you should be concerned about doing well on the regular tests and activities, not on extra credit. On rare occasion when something special comes up, I have offered it, but I have no intension of offering any extra credit this semester. The bottom line is that if you study properly and do the activities, there should be no need.
   Make ups and Schedule changes:      
Unless you fit the criteria outlined in the syllabus for "extenuating circumstances," I simply do not do make ups or schedule changes. If you miss a test or activity because you forgot, went on vacation, we sent out of town on a job, or just simply had any kind of computer problems not directly caused by the school servers, then you will have to accept the loss of credit. It is entirely the student's responsibility to keep track of the schedule and/or to arrange for Internet access in Denver or anywhere else in the world.
   Office Hours      
Your best method of communication with me is email. I typically respond within a few hours. My standard office hours in NC 3121 are Monday, 7-8:50 a.m. and Wednesday, 7-9:50 a.m.
Email:
Class website: http://www.mscd.edu/~physics/astro/                                                                   Office Phone: 303-556-2454 (although I am not likely to be there).