Introductory Astronomy

Best for Grade Level: High School (9-12)
Duration: 16 weeks
Format: Hybrid (Short video lessons followed by 1 day online per week live tutoring)


A weekly syllabus for the course is provided below. Students who have completed at least one semester of Algebra 1 do best in this course.  Homework includes viewing short videos on the related topics and completing reading assignments from a freely accessible online text. Live tutoring sessions will include Q&A over content covered in video lessons and reading assignments. Exercises on principles covered in the course will be completed during these sessions to improve understanding of content. Each session will be completed with a quiz over content covered in the session. 

Two projects will be completed during this course. Details for the assignment and the project rubric will be provided on Canvas. Exams will consist of multiple choice and problem solving and completed on Canvas.

In the final week of the course, students will complete a live presentation on an approved topic related to Astronomy. Details of the assignment and the presentation rubric will be provided on Canvas. 


Week 1 - 2

History of astronomy
Basic tools and methods
Understanding the night sky
Hands-on: Learning to use star charts
Online: Interactive timeline of astronomical discoveries

Week 3-4: Our Solar System

The Sun and its influence
Inner planets vs. outer planets
Moon phases and eclipses
Hands-on: Scale model of the solar system
Lab Activity: Dimensional Analysis Applications in Astronomy


Week 5-6: Earth and Moon

Earth's movements and seasons
Lunar phases and tides
Moon exploration
Hands-on: Lunar Phases and Eclipses
Online: NASA moon mission archives

Week 7-8: The Sun and Stars

Solar structure and activity
Types of stars
Star life cycles
Online: Star classification activities
Lab Activities: Light Spectra and Matter

Week 9-10: Planets in Detail

Rocky vs. gas planets
Planetary atmospheres
Moons and rings
Online: Current planetary missions
Lab Activity - Tracking Mars

Week 11-12: Deep Space Objects

Nebulae and star clusters
Galaxies and their types
Black holes
Hands-on: Deep space object observation
Online: Galaxy classification
Lab Activity - Exploring the Hubble Law and Red Shift

Week 13-14: Space Exploration

History of space flight
Current space missions
Future of space exploration
Hands-on: Basic Principles of Rockets
Online: International Space Stations

Week 15-16: Life in the Universe

Requirements for life
Exoplanets
Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
Hands-on: Presentation on Astronomy-related topic
Online: Exoplanet detection methods


Exams (4) (45%)
Two projects (30%) - Scale model of the Solar System and Rocket Model 
Final presentation (25%)