You can earn extra credit
by several ways. Try 'em all!
(a) Star
Party or field trip +1%: By spending a couple of hours at a "star
party" put on at the Cabrillo Observatory or other nearby location. We'll
show you the real stuff... stars, planets, galaxies! Attend and get 1% extra
credit. If it's clear you should definitely jump on the chance - Clouds cancel,
and over the years typically at least half of our star parties are clouded
out! And no guarantee of a re-schedule!
(b) Astro
Clippings +1%: By bringing in three news clippings that
are suitable for putting up around the room. The idea is to put up fresh news
of recent discoveries, not put up long articles summarizing current knowledge
out of magazines. Try "Sky and Telescope" or "Astronomy"
magazine; they have current news sections. Much easier than constantly looking
for something in the newspaper (which is usually of questionable reliability
anyway). To qualify, your clippings must observe these rules:
(1) The clipping can run
a maximum of 2 separate columns or pages.
(2) Put your NAME on the
back of the clipping
(3) Put the date of the
article on the front of the clipping.
(4) The clipping has to
be fresh! No more than a week old.
(5) The clipping must be
handed in no later than two weeks before the end of class. No last minute
hurried cutouts which will be stale before the next semester begins.
(6) The clipping has to
be suitable for tacking on our boards; that means you may have to do some
duplicating to make it presentable – it can’t run on both front and back of the
same page.
(7) Don't just hand me a
newspaper or magazine and expect me to do the cutting and trimming. U DO!
(c) An
Investing Contest, another +1%: Beat the S&P! What's this got to do
with astronomy? Nothing! But I'd like people to learn about savings and investment
when they're just starting out – when it's still easy to save just a little
and end up with millions by the time you retire through the magic of compounding.
By the end of the second week bring in a sheet
of paper with (1) your name, and (2) the stock exchange symbol of a stock
or mutual fund you want to pretend-invest in. Go to yahoo's
stock market page or www.bigcharts.com
stock quotes page to get started. You MUST tell me the symbol!; if
you just tell me the name of a company, you're out of the game. I'll get the
prices myself. Must place your bets by your last class
(d) Short
Essay: +1% Ask me to give you a short essay question. The essay will be
one from my own list on-line.
This is to be your own thinking and therefore no two students will get the
same essay. Write a page or two, typewritten. Due on or before the last day
of regular class, not at finals.