Online High School

Elective
Astronomy

Astronomy Course Outline

The purpose of this course is to enable students to develop and apply knowledge of the universe and compare the conditions, properties, and motions of bodies in space. Emphasis shall be placed on concepts basic to Earth, including materials, processes, history, and the environment.

This course introduces you to the composition and structure of the universe. Astronomy is the scientific study of the contents of the entire Universe. This course will provide the student with a study of the universe and the conditions, properties, and motions of bodies in space. The content includes, but is not limited to, historical astronomy, astronomical instruments, the celestial sphere, the solar system, the earth as a system in space, the earth/moon system, the sun as a star, and stars.

Materials needed for class:
You will be completing all work online, however, you will be required to complete all readings and submit all assignments throughout the course.

Grading System:
A-100%-90%, B-89%-80%, C-79%-70%, D-69%-60%, F-Below 60%

Grades:
Your final grade will be comprised of Exams, Quizzes, Activities and Projects that we will be completing throughout the course online.

In order to receive the best grade possible and to obtain all requirements for the course, please follow the steps listed below:

  • Complete each lesson, in order, as they are presented.
  • Read the lesson and view any additional material the teacher provides (videos, links, etc.).
  • Complete each assignment, as they appear, within the lesson. Do not skip assignments. This includes any essays, worksheets, projects, or lab activities.
  • After reading all material for the lesson and obtaining a completed status on all work, proceed to the lesson’s quiz.
  • Finally, upon finishing the entire course and completing all assignments, projects, essays, labs, quizzes, etc., take and submit the course survey.

Quizzes:
Quizzes will be given after each Lesson is completed. There is no time limit on completing each lesson, however, you cannot continue to the next lesson until you have completed the Quiz for that lesson. The quiz will cover concepts that were presented in that lesson.

Course Outline

  • Introduction
  • Course Description
  • Course Links
  • Understanding Plagiarism
  • MLA Formatting
  • MLA Formatting MSWord
  • MLA Documentation
  • MLA Citation
  • MLA Incorporating Sources
  • What is Science?
  • Scientific Methodology
    • Handout: Inference and Observation
    • Assignment: Inference and Observation
  • Graphing Data
  • Types of Graphs
    • Handout: Graphs
    • Assignment: Graphs
  • The Application of Science
    • Quiz: The Nature of Science
  • Measuring Astronomical Distances
    • Handout: Measuring Astronomical Distances
    • Assignment: Measuring Astronomical Distances
  • 4 States of Matter
    • Handout: States of Matter
    • Assignment: States of Matter
  • Atomic Theory
  • Energy and Nuclear Reactions
  • Heat Transfer
    • Handout: Heat Transfer
    • Assignment: Heat Transfer
    • Quiz: Astronomy’s Place in Science
  • The Celestial Sphere
    • Assignment: Creating a Celestial Sphere
  • Latitude and Longitude
    • Handout: Latitude and Longitude
    • Assignment: Latitude and Longitude
  • Path of the Sun
    • Handout: Path of the Sun
    • Assignment: Path of the Sun
  • Seasons of the Year
  • Coordinates
  • Time
    • Handout: Seasons, Coordinates, and Time
    • Assignment: Seasons, Coordinates, and Time
    • Quiz: Astronomy on Earth
  • Laws of Planetary Motion: Kepler
  • Laws of Motion and Gravity: Newton
    • Assignment: Planetary Motion Virtual Lab
    • Quiz: Motion of the Planets
  • Spectroscopy and EM Spectrum
  • Electric and Magnetic Fields
  • Light
    • Essay: Do You See What I See?
  • Spectral Signatures
    • Quiz: Waves and Electromagnetism
  • Types of Telescopes
  • Lens and Mirror Equations
  • Uses of Telescopes
  • Development of the Telescope
    • Handout: Telescopes
    • Assignment: Telescopes
    • Quiz: Observational Tools
  • Quiz: Astronomy Mid-Term Exam
  • The Big Bang Theory
    • Handout: Hubble’s Expanding Universe
    • Assignment: Hubble’s Expanding Universe
  • Matter in the Universe
  • The Universe
    • Essay: The Life Cycle of the Universe
    • Quiz: The Universe
  • What is a Galaxy?
    • Handout: Classifying Galaxies
    • Assignment: Classifying Galaxies
  • The Milky Way
    • Handout: The Milky Way
    • Assignment: The Milky Way
    • Quiz: Galaxies
  • What is a Star?
  • Stellar Evolution
    • Handout: Stellar Evolution Life Cycle
    • Assignment: Stellar Evolution Life Cycle
  • Stellar Remnants
  • The Sun
    • Handout: The Sun
    • Assignment: The Sun
  • Constellations
    • Handout: Constellations
    • Assignment: Constellations
  • Notable Constellations and Stars
    • Quiz: Stars
  • Our Solar System
  • Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets
    • Handout: Asteroids
    • Handout: Comets
    • Handout: Asteroid, Meteor, Comet?
    • Assignment: Asteroids
    • Assignment: Comets
    • Assignment: Asteroid, Meteor, Comet?
    • Quiz: Solar Systems
  • What is a Planet?
    • Handout: What is a Planet?
    • Assignment: What is a Planet?
  • Planet Properties
    • Assignment: Planet Properties
  • The Terrestrial Planets
  • The Jovian Planets
  • Satellites
    • Handout: Satellites
    • Assignment: Satellites
    • Quiz: Planets
  • The Rocket
    • Assignment: Timeline of the Rocket
  • Spacecraft
    • Handout: Spacecraft
    • Assignment: Spacecraft
  • Moon Exploration
    • Essay: Moon Exploration
  • Future of Space Exploration
    • Handout: Future of Space Exploration
    • Assignment: Future of Space Exploration
    • Quiz: Space Exploration
  • Quiz: Astronomy Final Exam
  • Handout: End of Course Evaluation
  • Assignment: End of Course Evalution