Astro 3, Astro 4, Astro 7: Extra Credit Opportunities

You can earn extra credit by several ways. Try 'em all! Remember - there's almost no chance I'll be generous about bumping up your grade above the numerical calculation unless you show your work ethic by doing extra credit - you win once by the extra credit, and maybe twice if you then end up near a transition to the next grade higher. Note that you cannot earn more than the percentages shown, regardless of how many clippings or public lectures you attend.

(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. Here is Cabrillo Observatory

(b) Astro News 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. To qualify, your clippings must follow these rules:

(1) The clipping can run a maximum of 1 page.

(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 (if we every get the $ to replace them in the new classroom); that means trim off any dead space or advertising. Cork board real estate is precious! Don't tear-by-hand something that looks cheesy. Use scissors. Don't just give me a newspaper or magazine and expect me to do the cutting and trimming. That won't be accepted.

(c) Attendence at a local public Astronomy or Climate lecture: +1% each, up to a total of 2 lectures and +2% . Because these are more effort (and hopefully more intellectually rewarding as well) for you, I'm going to allow extra credit for 2 of these lectures, not just for one. So you can get up to +2% onto your grade by going to two of them. The opportunities will vary each semester; The annual Mandel Lecture put on by UCSC is usually in the Spring (although sometimes they are after our Final Exam and so not usable for extra-credit). Keep an eye on our on-line schedule for the course for the lecture opportunity. You can also go to one of the weekly IGPP lectures Friday afternoons up at UCSC on "Science Hill" (map) for Astro 3, 4, or 7, or perhaps one of the weekly Physics colloquia at UCSC on Thursday afternoons, or UCSC Astronomy colloquia. They're both in NatSci2 in the annex room. For climate-related talks and gatherings, the best source is this SC calendar, but there's much more on the calendar than climate talks, so ask me if you're unsure if it qualifies. Here's what you do - you attend the lecture and then you look for me inside the venue after the lecture. I'll write down your name when you find me. I'll stay inside the auditorium until most attendees have left to be sure I've got all of my student's named. Don't wait for me outside, you need to attend the lecture. If you do not find me, or if I was unable to attend, then you need to take notes during the lecture. Lots of notes, and then submit those notes to me at the next class period. Hand written notes is good. Also, take a selfie or two with you with the lecture surroundings and show it to me in class or email it to me.

(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

(e) Find a errors in my PowerPoints. Up to 2%.
(e1) +1% Errors of fact, errors of knowledge, gets you +1% to your grade. I would like fact-checkers! Must include a link to a source which is reputable and which shows my entry is wrong. Must include the slide number and enough detail that I can find and fix it easily. I don't want to be misleading anyone in my teaching! Find a significant error and you'll get my accolades as well

(e2) (up to 1%) Typos and broken links: Same rules, but these are less significant but still good to find. These count for 0.1% each, for a maximum of 10 to get you and extra 1%.