ASTR 2004H - Survey of the Universe, Honors

• Define physics and astronomy terms essential to understanding planetary formation, stellar evolution, cosmology, space-time and gravity.
• Describe and calculate planetary motion, momentum and force including electromagnetism, gravity and solar flux.
• Interpret composition, structures, stellar and galactic features using remote sensing data equipment, images and computer simulations.
• Compare and contrast dynamics of the Earth, Sun and Moon to other astronomical bodies
• Integrate new knowledge and scientific reasoning into a framework useful to understanding problems facing the scientific community and society
• Use scientific reasoning to comprehend, evaluate and solve problems pertaining to course content.
• Recognize the significance of non-Western cultures in the history and development of the understanding of orbital mechanics and planetary motion.

Honors Outcomes

Honors classes (and the Honors Program) promote the following core values: 

• Community - Students will demonstrate civic engagement through Service Learning and exploration of local, national, and global communities
• Curiosity - Students will cultivate personal and intellectual curiosity through investigation, discussion and scholarship
• Diversity - Students will explore multiple perspectives through interdisciplinary learning

• Students develop higher order thinking skills.
• Students gain greater awareness of cultural perspectives.
• Students demonstrate information literacy.
• Students can write clear, coherent, well-organized documents, substantially free of errors.

• Measuring positions of celestial objects
• Science and history of Astronomy
• Motion, energy and gravity (Newton’s and Kepler’s Laws)
• Light and matter
• Telescopes and optics
• Formation of the Solar System
• Earth Systems
• Planetary geology of Solar System objects
• Planetary atmospheres, Greenhouse effect and Jovian planet systems
• Other planetary objects and prospects for life in the Solar System or Universe
• Our Sun
• Properties of stars
• High- and low-mass stellar evolution
• Star birth and death
• Our galaxy
• Universe of galaxies
• Galaxy evolution
• Dark matter and dark energy 
• Cosmology

Learning activities

• Courses must, at a minimum, cover the core learning outcomes for each topic. Faculty may add to these outcomes but may not omit any of them. 
• Laboratory exercises should average between 2-3 hours a week and include phases of the Moon, Kepler’s laws, examination of planets, moon and rings, low- and high-mass stars, and galaxies.
• Individual projects/presentations
• Group projects/presentations
• Field Trips/events
• Guest Speakers
• Service Learning and/or
• Conference Poster 

Assessments 

• Varied forms of assessment including, but not limited to, lab and lecture exams.
• A pretest and posttest assessment. 
• A required information literacy assessment will be given with results submitted to the coordinator. Results will be used as part of the college’s process to assess mastery of the general education outcomes.
• Individual projects/ presentations
• Group projects/presentations
• Field Trips/events
• Guest Speakers
• Service Learning and/or
• Conference Poster

Grading guidelines 

• Lab activities/exams should comprise approximately 25% of the overall grade.