El Paso Community College Syllabus
Instructor’s Course Requirements
Spring 2016
The Dual Credit Program is offered through the El Paso community College in
partnership with the El Paso Independent School District. College Science Classes
offered to the high school students are the introductory courses at EPCC. Students
receive both high school and college credits for the courses they take in the dual
credit program. Students take just one class – the college class – and get both high
school and college credits for it. The courses are taught by certified college school
instructors who have been approved by the appropriate El Paso Community College
academic departments. High school students enrolled in dual credit classes are also
enrolled at EPCC and have the same access to the college facilities as full time
EPCC students. High school students need to get an EPCC identification card at the
college campus to make use of the college facilities.
I. Course Number and Instructor Information: ASTR 1304 – Solar System
Instructor’s Name: James A. Sy
Campus and Office Number: Chapin High School SL-275
Office Telephone Number: (915) 832-6730
Office e-mail: jsy2@ epcc.edu
jasy@episd.org
Office Hours: Monday through Friday 12:45-1:20 p.m.
II. Textbook and Materials:
A. Required Text: Cosmic Perspective. 7/E. Bennet, Donahue & Schneider. Pearson
B. Materials:
a. Pen or Pencil and Paper
b. Scientific Calculator
c. Protractor
d. Notebook
III. Course Requirements:
A. There will be 4 unit exams during the semester that will cover the selected units
of material. These exams will be given in class.
B. There are no retests. If you miss an exam, you will need to set-up an appointment
with me to take the test. You will have one week to make-up the missed test.
C. Class work and homework./assignments will be handed in and graded as part of
your course. Assignments submitted within 24 hours after the deadline will
receive 50% of the earned grade. Work turned in after 24 hours will be given a
grade of zero.
D. A comprehensive final exam will be given at the end of the semester.
E. The grading schedule for the course is as follows:
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C= 75-79%
D= 70-74%
F = Below 70% (or 0 for cheating)
W – See college catalog for requirements
4 Unit Exams
Quizzes
Seatwork/Homework
Comprehensive Final
=
=
=
=
40 %
20 %
30 %
10 %
Total
=
100 %
Quizzes will be given at the start of the period. Any student arriving 10 minutes
late during a quiz will receive a grade of 0 for the particular activity.
IV. Instructor’s Policies:
A. It is your responsibility to attend classes and to notify me if you are going to
be absent for an extended period of time. If you wish to drop this course, it is
your responsibility to do so. Any attendance policy of the college supersedes
this policy.
B. El Paso Community College offers services to persons with disabilities to
promote success in classes. If you have a disability that may impact your
work, you may go to the Center for Student with Disabilities (CSD) to request
accommodations. Your needs will be discussed privately with the CSD
counselor and then privately with me, your instructor.
C. Assignments submitted within 24 hours after the deadline will receive 50% of
the earned grade. Work turned in after 24 hours will be given a grade of zero.
D. Academic dishonesty (cheating) will merit a grade of zero for the activity
involved.
V. Notebook
A. A notebook is a requirement of the course.
B. The course syllabus must be the first page of your notebook
C. Each Unit must be divided, labeled and arranged with the following sequence:
a. Class Notes and Hand-outs
b. Chapter Vocabularies
VII. CALENDAR (tentative)
In terms of instructional presentation of materials in this course, portions of various
chapters in the text will be presented in each learning unit. Specific assignments in
terms of materials will be rendered in class. A tentative calendar is presented as
follows:
WEEK
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
DATE
Jan 5 2016
Jan 11 2016
Jan 19 2016
Jan 25 2016
Feb 1 2016
Feb 8 2016
Feb 16 2016
Feb 22 2016
Feb 29 2016
Mar 7 2016
Mar 14 2016
Mar 21 2016
Mar 28 2016
Apr 4 2016
Apr 11 2016
Apr 18 2016
17
18
19
Apr 25 2016
May 2 2016
May 9 2016
TOPIC
A Modern View of the Universe
Discovering the Universe for Yourself I
Discovering the Universe for Yourself II
The Science of Astronomy
Unit I Test
Making Sense of the Universe
Light and Matter
Telescopes: Portals of Discovery
Unit Test II
Spring Break
Our Planetary System
Formation of the Solar System
Planetary Geology
Planetary Atmospheres
Unit Test III
Jovian Planet Systems/Asteroids, Comets and Dwarf
Planets
Other Planetary Systems
Unit Test IV
Final Exam
A composite grade (75% Lecture and 25% Lab) will be posted for the student’s EPISD
grade.