Presentation: marketplace astronomy (results)

Let's compare your results with students from a previous semester. Here is the word tag cloud generated by Wordle.net for astronomy-related car makes and models. Frequently-listed cars are larger, while cars used only once are smallest. How many of these cars were you able to list? Anyone have cars not listed here?

Here is the word tag cloud for astronomy-related food brand names from a previous semester. Again, frequently-listed brands are larger, while brand names used only once are smallest. How many of these brand names were you able to list? Anyone have brand names not listed here?

Astronomy-related non-food brand names from a previous semester. Again, how many of these brand names were you able to list? Anyone have brand names not listed here?

Now we have potentially interesting astronomy topics from another previous semester. A lot of you are looking forward to learning about "black holes" this semester. Anyone have interesting topics not listed here?

And potentially confusing astronomy topics from another previous semester. "Black holes" is prominent here as well! Anyone have interesting topics not listed here? (Some of you may consider "math" as potentially confusing--yes, there is an algebra math prerequisite for this course, but there are no explicit calculations as we'll be focusing on graphs, dependencies, and proportionalities--essentially math without equations.)

And we have time to answer a few of your questions and comments.

"If you discovered a planet, P-dog, what would you name it?"

I would name it after my wife. I would name it: "Mrs. P-dog."

"Do you believe in aliens? Or life on other planets?"

Yes, and yes. I would bet money on it. I would bet $1. And I would win. But if I lost, it'd just be $1.

"Do you think Pluto should still be a planet?"

Let me tell you a story of my senior year in high school, way back when. I turned 18 during my senior year, and that was a big deal because you only needed to be 18 to be able to purchase and drink alcohol. My senior year was awesome. Commencement was awesome. Graduation parties were awesome...until a few years later, when the legal drinking age was raised from 18 to 21. And there was no grandfather clause. So before, it was legal for me to drink; but afterwards, I was no longer allowed to drink anymore. And that wasn't fair... So when it comes to Pluto, which was a planet, and then rules were changed so it is now no longer a planet, and there was no grandfather clause--I say, suck it up, Pluto.

Previous posts:

• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, spring semester 2014)
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, fall semester 2012)
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, spring semester 2012).
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, fall semester 2011).
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, fall semester 2010).
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, spring semester 2010).

Astronomy in-class activity: first-day student expectations, questions

Astronomy 210 In-class activity 1, fall semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

120826-interesting
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/7869717832/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for potentially interesting astronomy topics, generated by students on the first day of class (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5604344/Untitled).


120826-confusing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/7869718370/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for potentially confusing astronomy topics, generated by students on the first day of class (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5604364/Untitled).


On the first day of class, students find their assigned groups of three to four students, and work cooperatively on an in-class activity worksheet to discuss concepts that will potentially be interesting or confusing to them later in the semester. Students are also encouraged to write down a comment or a question for the instructor to go over during the whole-class discussion, after the in-class activity worksheets are turned in.

[Responses have been edited to consolidate common related subjects.]

Discuss in your group astronomy-related concepts you expect to be interesting or confusing later in this course. Use one word or short phrases (e.g., "Pluto," "black holes," "beginning of time") for each concept.

List at least three astronomy-related concepts you expect to be interesting.

Student responses
Sections 70158, 70160

zodiac, galaxies, voids, blackholes
constellations, solarsystems, galaxies, gravity
blackholes, darkmatter, aliens
zodiac, constellations, planets
blackholes, aliens, planets
stars, constellations, asteroids, meteors, meteorites, magneticfields
bigbang, stars, size
planets, constellations, lightyears
neutronstars, blackholes, stars
blackholes, galaxies, meteors
blackholes, StephenHawking, darkmatter, CarlSagan, neutrinos, Higgsboson
galaxies, starcharts, time
blackholes, asteroidbelt, darkmatter
universe, navigation, planets
stars, galaxies, lookbacktime, lightyears
orbits, meteorshowers, solareclipse
light, planets, unknown
solarsystem, solarflares, constellations
infinity, time, meteors, comets, darkenergy, darkmatter
constellations, tides, stargazing
galaxies, stars, aliens, blackholes
tides, MilkyWay, bigbang
blackholes, greenflash, constellations, northernlights, asteroids
blackholes, wormholes, universe, aliens

List at least three astronomy-related concepts you expect to be confusing.

Student responses
Sections 70158, 70160

blackholes, planets, constellations
physics, timetravel, stringtheory
aliens, starcharts, blackholes
blackholes, physics, universe
solarsystem, orbits, physics
lightyears, math, blackholes, bigbang
physics, expansion, time
blackholes, size, gravity, orbit
size, aliens, physics
light, sun, stars, galaxies
physics, light, dwarfplanets, Pluto, CarlSagan
elementaryparticles, aliens, blackholes
bigbang, aliens, stars
lightyears, distances, space, time
light, size, relevance
blackholes, darkmatter, time, cycles, timezones, Pluto
solarflares, starcharts, planets
blackholes, solareclipse, constellations
stars, blackholes, distances, lightyears
blackholes, gravity, starcharts
size, bigbang, satellites, orbits, 2012
light, math, composition
blackholes, constellations, galaxies
universe, solareclipse, bigbang

Each week after class you will receive credit for asking a question, or making a comment that the instructor might respond to at the start of the following class (while your identity is kept anonymous). Ask at least one question, or make a comment that you would like the instructor to respond to at the end of this in-class activity.

Student responses
Sections 70158, 70160

"Will the sun explode soon?"

"How do astronomers map out galaxies that far away? How far is the Death Star from Earth? Do Wookies exist?"

"What is dark matter?"

"Will we learn about the Greek constellations or how do you feel about it?"

"How is astronomy applicable to my everyday life?"

"What is the big bang theory?"

"Where does the name 'P-dog' derive from?"

"Why do you like astronomy?"

"What is the difference between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission?"

"How should we prepare for tests?"

"Will we be discussion the Curiosity rover mission? Also it is interesting to note that both Mars rovers contain metal from the fallen World Trade Centers. "

"What makes the planets rotate in the solar system? When is the sun expected to die?"

"How is astronomy related to astrology?"

"Have you ever seen the movie 'Event Horizon?'"

"Are we going stargazing?"

"What makes a planet versus what makes a star?"

"Are we going to stargaze? Will we use the giant telescope? Why 'P-dog' and not 'P-dawg?'"

"Do our questions need to be astronomy related?"

"How do you measure the space between matter?"

"Do you believe in aliens?"

"Looking into the sky is like looking into the past."

"How did you get the name 'P-dog?' Why 'dog' instead of 'dog?' Conditions a green flash requires to happen."

"How far can our modern-day best telescope see into space?"

Previous posts:

• Astronomy in-class activity: first-day student expectations, questions (spring semester 2012)
• Astronomy in-class activity: first-day student expectations, questions (fall semester 2011)
• Astronomy in-class activity: first-day student expectations, questions (fall semester 2010)

Presentation: marketplace astronomy

Before we begin, let's watch everything you will be learning this semester in this course in a movie less than seven minutes long. There is no narration for this movie--just enjoy the show for now. But by at the end of this semester, you should be able to narrate this movie for yourselves--or at least tell something about what you learned at each step. (Video link: "The Known Universe by AMNH (American Museum of Natural History).")

Today we'll participate in something called "Marketplace Astronomy" (D. Schatz, "Why Should We Care About Exploding Stars?" Universe in the Classroom, no. 8, Spring 1987 (astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/08/stars2.html)).

Since will be your very first in-class activity for this course, let's explain a few things before we get started.

Find your assigned group and your assigned seating for today. (You'll be working with different groups each class, so eventually you'll get to meet everyone else in this class.)

Notice that everyone appears as a dog, cat, bear, or bunny on the roster sheets, so after you find your assigned seating, group pictures will be taken, and your faces will be cropped out. (Anyone notice the degrees of separation between these people? Also note that these are not the real faces for these names.)

When you get your group worksheets, discuss and list at least five astronomy-related car brands--they can either be makes or models, and can be classic and/or current cars.

Then list some astronomy-related name brands you would find at a supermarket. Think of at least five food-related brand names, and at least five non-food related brand names. (Now would alcohol be considered a food, or non-food item? Hey, that's your call.)

Even though you might find DVDs, books, and miscellaneous merchandise at a supermarket, avoid any astronomy-related TV shows, movies and books, as these would be too obvious. (You know who you are, "trekkers" and "twihards.")

Also answer a few other questions on the worksheet, such as:

• List at least three astronomy-related concepts you expect to be interesting.
• List at least three astronomy-related concepts you expect to be confusing.
• Ask at least one question, or make a comment that you would like the instructor to respond to at the end of this in-class activity.

When your group has completed with the worksheet, turn it in at the front of the class, and we will have a whole-class discussion to share your responses.

Now let's take a look at the some results from previous semesters.

Astronomy in-class activity: first-day student expectations, questions

Astronomy 210 In-class activity 1, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

120121-interestingwordle
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/4706913/Untitled
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for potentially interesting astronomy topics, generated by students on the first day of class (http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3935554/Untitled).


120121-confusingwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/6737065165/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for potentially confusing astronomy topics, generated by students on the first day of class (http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/4706918/Untitled).


On the first day of class, students find their assigned groups of three to four students, and work cooperatively on an in-class activity worksheet to discuss concepts that will potentially be interesting or confusing to them later in the semester. Students are also encouraged to write down a comment or a question for the instructor to go over during the whole-class discussion, after the in-class activity worksheets are turned in.

[Responses have been edited to consolidate common related subjects.]

Discuss in your group astronomy-related concepts you expect to be interesting or confusing later in this course. Use one word or short phrases (e.g., "Pluto," "black holes," "beginning of time") for each concept.

List at least three astronomy-related concepts you expect to be interesting.

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

exoplanets, sun, light
blackholes, planetatmospheres, constellations
bigbang, life, light
moons, galaxies, constellations, blackholes, life
constellations, blackholes, supernovae
time, rotations
bigbang, astrology, galaxies
light, blackholes, cosmology
planets, constellations, lightyear
blackholes, bigbang, supernovae
light, galaxies, water
names, blackholes, bigbang
constellations, quarks, tides, blackholes
universe, blackholes, stars
aliens, blackholes, stars, solarflares, northernlights, asteroidimpacts
stars, aliens, blackholes, darkmatter
planets, Mars, atmospheres
Pluto, aliens, galaxies, light
planets, exploration, timetravel, stardeath
universe, sun, Pluto
supernovae, gravity, solarflares, eclipses, meteorshowers
blackholes, aliens, constellations
blackholes, galaxies, darkmatter, lightyear
constellations, blackholes, bigbang, gravity
universe, bigbang, time
blackholes, bigbang, solarflares

List at least three astronomy-related concepts you expect to be confusing.

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

blackholes, constellations, bigbang
time, distances, blackholes
bigbang, universe, gravity
blackholes, bigbang, universe
darkmatter, galaxies, blackholes
light, bigbang, starformation
constellations, blackholes, rings
planets, everything, starformation, stardeath
galaxies, names
blackholes, blackholes, bigbang
bigbang, constellations, space
elements, constellations, space, time, light
distances, eclipses, blackholes
galaxies, math, atmosphere
physics, orbits, math
time, cosmology, space, bigbang, knowledge
physics, blackholes, light
names, physics, galaxies
bigbang, spacetime, moonphases
planets, planets, planets
planets, solarflares, blackholes, darkmatter, asteroids
universe, blackholes, moonphases
math, universe, cosmology
space-time, matter, constellations
lightyear, gravity
planets, physics, galaxies

Each week after class you will receive credit for asking a question, or making a comment that the instructor might respond to at the start of the following class (while your identity is kept anonymous). Ask at least one question, or make a comment that you would like the instructor to respond to at the end of this in-class activity.

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

"What do you think is the most exciting thing to learn in astronomy?"

"What tools are used to measure the distance of the known universe?"

"We've landed on the moon, we've sent telescopes deep into outer space--what do you think technology will let us or allow us to do next?"

"How many dimensions are there?"

"What makes stars go supernova?"

"How did the beginning of time happen?"

"What's your favorite planet, P-dog?"

"Why does a star combust after the gas is gone?"

"Recent study found a planet that could hold life?"

"What is your favorite constellation, and why?"

"What's most interesting to you in astronomy?"

"Currently, what is the general consensus in the science community on there being life on another planet in the universe?"

"Can we, should we, be concerned about space debris?"

"How often are we threatened by a comet or asteroid or other large astronomical disaster?"

"Am I going to need a tutor?"

"How did you become an astronomy teacher, and hired to do it, without actually taking an astronomy course?"

"What is the ring around Saturn made of?"

"What's responsible for creating the northern lights?"

"How would we know what a star in the sky is? It could be a solar system, or even a galaxy, right?"

"If a star is brighter, does that mean it could be closer, bigger, either of those?"

"What is Nibiru/Planet X?"

"What is the 2012 scare all about and the reason for it?"

"Do you believe in extraterrestrials?"

"How have you been known as 'P-dog?'"

"How do asteroid belts maintain structure and orbits?"

"What's the deal with Pluto?"

"Do you believe in aliens? Or life on other planets?"

"Do you believe in extraterrestrials?"

"What is your favorite planet, and why?"

"How do we know the universe is 5 billion light years?"

Previous posts:

• Astronomy in-class activity: first-day student expectations, questions (fall semester 2011)
• Astronomy in-class activity: first-day student expectations, questions (fall semester 2010)