Physics 101: Mysteries of the Sky

MWF 8:45 - 9:50 a.m., 12:30 - 1:35 p.m., EPS 103
Instructor: Brian Welsch Grader: Ijaz (pronounced ee'-jahz) Zafarhullah
Text: Voyages Through the Universe, by Fraknoi, Morrison, & Wolff

  • Grading Scheme
    graded work
    1-hr. tests
    quizzes
    group activities
    homework
    out-of-class events

    		 # scored (tot. #)
    3 (3)
    10 (13)
    10 (13)
    5 (6)
    2 (4)

    		 pts. ea.
    x 100
    x 20
    x 20
    x 30
    x 25

    		 contribution
    300
    200
    200
    150
    50
    TOTAL: 900

  • Every other Friday -- 7/9, 7/23, and 8/6 -- you'll have an hour-long exam, covering material in lectures, homeworks, group activities, quizzes, and assigned readings. The final exam will emphasize material studied since the previous one, but will also test concepts from throughout the course. Some part of the first lecture of each test day will be set aside for review and questions; the exam will be given during the second class meeting. No exams will be given late.

  • At the start of each class day's first lecture, you'll take a 10 minute quiz to show that you've completed the reading assigned in the previous lecture. The quizzes will largely consist of recalling facts and vocabulary. If you've done the reading, the quizzes will not be hard. No quizzes will be administered on test days. Your three lowest quiz grades will be dropped.

  • During the second lecture of each class day, you will break down into assigned groups and complete a group activity together. Everyone in each group will receive the same grade, and every member is expected to participate actively. Your three lowest group activity grades will be dropped.

  • Once per week, a homework assignment will be given. It will be handed in at the beginning of the first lecture each Friday, including test days. Most questions will be taken from the text, but some will involve research on the world-wide web. (So make sure you have web access, either from the computer labs on campus, or from your own computer!) Your lowest homework grade will be dropped. No late homework will be accepted.

  • You will be expected to attend two of four out-of-class activities: two ``star parties'' (7/16, 7/30, and one TBA), any astronomical planetarium show at the Museum of the Rockies before 8/2, and any lecture at the International Astronomical Union meeting (7/6 - 7/10). In addition, you must type a summary of what you learned, one page for each event you attended. These must be submitted no later than the start of the second lecture on Monday, 8/2. No late reports will be accepted.

    All class materials can be found on the web, at this address: http://solar.physics.montana.edu/welsch/Phys101/index.html

    All overheads shown in lectures will be posted to the web. I hope to always do so before each lecture.

    My philosophy: Above all, you should leave this class being ``culturally literate'' in astronomy. That is, your command of the major ideas and vocabulary of astronomy should provide context to understand basically the latest astronomical results discussed in the popular news (e.g., new supernovae, more distant galaxies, more about the Big Bang), and to understand the everyday aspects of astronomy (e.g., seasons, phases of the moon, ocean tides, eclipses, comets). Accordingly, I will emphasize and test conceptual understanding, as opposed to memorization or mathematical problem-solving skills.

    Note that tests account for a third of your grade, while quizzes, group work, homeworks, and out-of-class events account for two-thirds. So I can control one third of your grade by making tests harder or easier -- but you can control two thirds of your grade by keeping up with the reading, helping your group members, doing your homework, and attending and reporting on the out-of-class events.