Christmas Break

Enjoy your Christmas Break see you in the new year!

Homework Due December 19th

• Finish the Cliffs notes and take notes  

Studying for your quarter final. Fill in any blanks you have left, and email me if you are having problems finding any answers. 

If you have any questions let me know.

Final Quizlets

Here are the quizlets to help you study for the final. Remember to refer also to your study sheet as it should have more information that will be helpful for short response section of the test. 

• Astronomy Final pt 1
• Astronomy Final pt 2
• Astronomy Final pt 3

Homework Due December 12th

• Read Chapter 16  
• Finish your  fourth project. Choose a topic from the remainder of your textbook. Remember that one of your four projects must be an essay/report and one must be apologetic in nature so make sure you have plans to complete these requirements if you have not already done so. Choose from one of the following formats
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

Begin studying for your quarter final. Fill in any blanks you have left, and email me if you are having problems finding any answers. 

If you have any questions let me know.

Homework Due December 5th

• Read Chapter 15 The  Galaxies
• Pay special attention to those items mentioned in the Study Sheet. Pencil in any answers you find from this weeks readings. 
• Begin work on your fourth project. Choose a topic from the remainder of your textbook. Remember that one of your four projects must be an essay/report and one must be apologetic in nature so make sure you have plans to complete these requirements if you have not already done so. Choose from one of the following formats
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Homework Due November 28th

• Read Chapter 13 The Milky Way Galaxy 
• Pay special attention to those items mentioned in the Study Sheet. Pencil in any answers you find from this weeks readings. 
• Begin work on your fourth project. Choose a topic from the remainder of your textbook. Remember that one of your four projects must be an essay/report and one must be apologetic in nature so make sure you have plans to complete these requirements if you have not already done so. Choose from one of the following formats
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Homework Due November 14th

• Quizlet continue to work on the following quizlets
• Stellar Evolution 
• Read Chapter 12 Final End State of Stars from the Cliffs
• Pay special attention to those items mentioned in the Study Sheet. Pencil in any answers you find from this weeks readings. 
• Finish work on your third project due this week. Choose a topic from your textbook chapters seven through eleven. Remember that one of your four projects must be an essay/report and one must be apologetic in nature so make sure you have plans to complete these requirements if you have not already done so. Choose from one of the following formats
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Setting Goals

Goals bring meaning to life, and without them much of life would be aimless. There is great power in setting and determining your own goals. At times we all tend to follow the crowd where there is a sort of collective mind set. Always following the crowd hinders your individual thinking to shape your own goals and the ability to decide things on your own terms and personal experiences. When you become the source of your own career and destiny, you grow without the interference of another's experience or expectation. As a result, you become more self-confident.

Types of goals

• Long Term: major life targets which may take years to achieve such as a career.
• Mid Term: goals that you may attain within a few years such as earning a degree.
• Short Term: may be reached in a year or less and require action now or in the near future.

“Imaging” Your Goals

Imaging is a process that has great power to make our goals sink into our unconscious mind. If we think deeply enough and vividly enough about what we want to do with our lives, imaging will fuel us with the inspiration, energy, and perseverance to work towards our goals. Read this inspirational quote:

There is a powerful mysterious force in human nature that is capable of bringing about dramatic improvement in our lives. It is a kind of mental engineering ... In imagining, one does not merely think about a hoped-for goal; one visualizes it with tremendous intensity. Imagining is a kind of laser beam of the imagination, a shaft of mental energy in which the desired goal or outcome is pictured so vividly by the conscious mind that the unconscious mind accepts it and is activated by it. This releases powerful internal forces that can bring about astonishing changes in the life of the person who is doing the imaging. ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Changing the Meaning of GPA: Goal, Plan, Action

Define a Goal: This should include short term goals, such as passing a test and long term goals, which could be a target you aim for. Choosing your goals means deciding what you value most in life. A goal is only a wish until you write it down. Write down your goals many times and place them everywhere so you can see them many times a day to reinforce this idea in your mind. Don't worry if your goal changes; the purpose of a goal is to give you a target to work towards in order to focus your time more efficiently. If your goal changes, write down the new one.

Devise a Plan: Most goals have several possible plans. The challenge comes in choosing the best one. The best plans are not always obvious and may take some time to discover. After you've decided on a goal, work vigorously to accomplish it, however; racing the clock efficiently is not always the best way to execute a plan, but affectivelyperusing it with an open mind for change, perhaps from a different angle can enhance the experience. 

Take Action: Goals and plans never come to fruition unless you take action.

An Important Insight: you cannot “do” a goal

You achieve or complete a goal by identifying all the sub-processes. For example: you decide your goal is to play a musical piece on the piano. How do you go about achieving this goal?

1. You need a piano
2. You need a teacher
3. You get a job so you can pay the teacher
4. You need a car or you need to take the bus to get to your lessons
5. You need to make a schedule so you can accommodate practice time every day
6. You need to buy sheet music and other materials to practice

These are just a few of steps that may be part of a plan to reach the goal of playing the piano.

Steps in the process of Discovering your Goals

1. Brainstorm – write down possible goals and words that come to mind without worrying about spelling, neat handwriting, or analyzing at that exact moment. This needs to be an organic and honest group of notes that will help you later in determining you possible goals. After you have finished, group similar ideas together and write a one sentence summary about its main idea.
2. Plan – focus on one goal that you have chosen and write down a plan or series of steps you need to take in order to reach this goal.
3. List your strengths – write down all of your academic strengths along with personal qualities.
4. Assess your weaknesses – write down all of you academic weaknesses and personal obstacles that you will need to overcome; this could include family, financial, or health problems.

If you still are not positive of your goals after you have done all of this, don't worry. This exercise has provided you with some insights and concrete material from which to start. Talking to an academic advisor is also a great way to get advice, feedback and guidance that can aid you when mapping your goals and plans.

Setting Mini-Goals

Setting mini-goals can be very beneficial, not only in establishing confidence and a sense of self achievement, but also in getting things done effectively. Instead of being overwhelmed with the idea that your research paper is due in four days, break it up so you can pace your work and get the project done in the allotted time.

As you develop mini goals, make sure that your time is scheduled specifically, that your task description is specific and linked to the bigger picture, and that it is realistic.

Example of Research Paper Breakdown:

1. Brain storm research topics – Monday for 1 hour
2. Do internet and library research – Tuesday for 3 hours
3. Gather and organize all research material and notes – Wednesday for 2 hours
   1. Create an outline with the structure and list major points for the research paper
4. Begin writing the essay on Thursday and Friday for 4 – 6 hours
   1. Start Introductory paragraph with main points
   2. Body paragraphs
   3. Conclusion

Strategies for scheduling tasks

• Schedule fixed blocks of times
• Set realistic goals
• Avoid scheduling marathon study sessions
• Set a clear starting and stopping time
• Plan for the unexpected

Bibliography

Cottrell, Stella. The Study Skills Handbook (3^rd ed). New York: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd., 2008

Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master Student (10^th ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2003

Pauk, Walter. How to Study In College (8^th ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2005

Academic Skills Center

California Polytechnic State University

http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl.html

used by permission

Homework Due November 7th

• Quizlet continue to work on the following quizlets
• Life Cycle of a Star
• Life Cycle of Stars 
• Formation of a Star  *
• Stellar Evolution *
• * most importent 
• Read Chapter 11 Formation and Evolution of Stars from the Cliffs
• Pay special attention to those items mentioned in the Study Sheet. Pencil in any answers you find from this weeks readings
• Organize your notebook for a notebook check next week. 
• Continue to work on your third project due November 13th. Choose a topic from your textbook chapters seven through eleven. Remember that one of your four projects must be an essay/report and one must be apologetic in nature so make sure you have plans to complete these requirements if you have not already done so. Choose from one of the following formats
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Homework Due October 31st

• Complete the Star Formation Fill-in document found in dropbox
• Quizlet continue to work on the following quizlets.
• Star Vocabulary
• Star Vocabulary Images
• Star Facts
• Read Chapter 10 from the Cliffs
• Begin work on your third project due November 14th. Choose a topic from your textbook chapters seven through eleven. Remember that one of your four projects must be an essay/report and one must be apologetic in nature so make sure you have plans to complete these requirements if you have not already done so. Choose from one of the following formats
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Extra Credit

For extra credit you can write a paragraph on one or more of the questions you got wrong on your quarterfinal test.
These need to be emailed to me or put in the dropbox before noon on Monday.


Great job everyone on their projects!!

Homework Due October 17th

Homework:

• Make sure you have any missing work turned in. 
• Quizlet
• Star Vocabulary
• Star Vocabulary Images
• Star Facts
• Read Chapter 9 from the Cliffs
• Begin work on your third project due November 14th. Choose a topic from your textbook chapters seven- eleven. Choose from one of the following formats
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Report Card Notice

Notice:

I realized that I won't have your second report/project score until after you have presented it for class Wednesday on October 10th.
Therefore, report cards will be given out next week on October 17th not this week on October 10th.

Sorry about the confusion.

Blessings,
Your teacher
CMM

Homework Due October 10th

Homework:

• Make sure you have any missing work turned in. 
• Quizlet
• Earth and its moon
• The Sun and Other Stars
• Sun Images
• Planets of our Solar System
• Read Chapter 8 from the Cliffs
• Finish your second project due October 10th. If you cannot remember your topic shoot me an email. 
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Quarterfinal Reminder

Reminder: We will be having our quarterfinal test tomorrow. Feel free to bring something quiet to do (non-electronic) if you finish your test early.

Time Management on Long Term Projects

With lectures, work, and competing academic assignments, it may seem difficult to manage long-term projects. Sometimes just thinking about a project can cause stress overload. However, by managing your commitments appropriately, you’ll be able to relax, focus, and ultimately be motivated to complete the project.

Academic success depends upon [your] ability to find and synthesize a large volume of information, judge its relevance, and incorporate it into [your] academic experiences.~ John Law

Steps Toward Completing a Project

1. Clarify the main goals and the desired outcomes of your project. This should answer the question “why?” Many times there are thoughts about a project, but no clear sense of purpose. With this step, your project will become more focused and specific. Try rereading instructions and setting project priorities. This will help identify misunderstandings and give yourself a unique perspective as you approach the project.
2. Gather all the concerns you have about the project and write them down. Don’t try to hold them in your memory. Now, process these thoughts. Look at each item and ask yourself if there’s any action that needs to be taken. Writing your thoughts down helps you work with them. The thoughts are out of your head and off your mind, relieving the stress related to the assignment.
3. Brainstorm and Identify the action steps needed to complete your project. These steps should be physical actions that will move you forward through the assignment. Research may be involved in this step. Don’t worry about any gaps between actions – simply focus on planning an overall strategy. You can fine tune the action steps later.
4. Organize and Review the results from the previous steps. Figure out the order of completion. Which task comes first; which task follows? Some of these categories could be: ongoing, urgent, short-term, and long-term. You may need to perform this step daily to keep you current with changing project status.
5. Start – Get to work!

Getting Started

• Don’t be afraid to start; create a positive attitude towards the project.
• Brush up on any necessary skills.
• Set up an area where you can get work accomplished.
• Gather the materials and equipment you will need.
• If research is required, compile and document your resources.

Work Schedule

Allocate blocks of time in your weekly schedule to work on the project. Be careful when you choose a time to work based on what fits you in terms of preference and attentiveness.

• Time of Day – When is your best time to work? Mornings? Evenings?
• Duration – How long can you work? (2-3 hours is often best.) Need a break in between?
• Location – Where are you most productive? Having several good locations is smart.

Deadlines

As you set aside blocks of time, determine realistic sub-deadlines for each part of the project. Establishing personal deadlines helps reduce procrastination and provides useful structure. Decide how much time each deadline requires. Some examples of internal deadlines:

• Conceptual Idea (two days)
• Rough Draft (two weeks)
• Revision / Editing (two weeks)
• Final Draft (one week)
• Final Polishing (two days)

Common Problems

• Lack of Sleep
• Not honoring the internal deadlines that you’ve set
• Disorganized or Misfiled Information
• Inability to focus; easily distracted

Early on, pinpoint typical problems that will impede the project; find ways to circumvent them.

Possible Distractions (this list is actually endless)

• Music / Computer Games
• Extended Breaks / Food
• Friends dropping by
• Phone Calls / Texting
• Laptop / Internet Access
• Cluttered Work Space
• Television / Facebook
• People talking / background noise

Anticipate, reduce or even eliminate distractions because they are disruptive to your effort.

Bibliography

Allen, David. "Art of Getting Things Done." Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-free Productivity. New York: Penguin, 2003. Print.

"For College Students Time Management is Biggest Research Issue, says ProQuest Study: Quality content has the edge, but convenience can trump all." PR Newswire 5 November 2007 ProQuest Newsstand, ProQuest. Web. 11 February 2011.

Herzlich, Jamie. "Planning key in managing time." Chicago Tribune 5 May 2008, Chicago Tribune, ProQuest. Web. 11 February 2011.

Lindsey, Mark. "Comments on "Time Management for Architects and Designers: Challenges and Remedies", by Thorbjoern Mann (part 1 & 2)." Review. Web log post. Note To Self. 26 December 2008. Web. 12 January 2011.http://mark.lindsey.name/2008/12/comments-on-time-management-for.html.

"Manage Your Time Wisely to Accomplish More." Canada NewsWire , 4 December 2000 ProQuest Newsstand, ProQuest. Web. 11 February 2011.

Mann, Merlin. "Getting Started with ‘Getting Things Done’" | 43 Folders." 43 Folders | Time, Attention, and Creative Work. 8 September 2004. Web. 22 February 2011. http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/08/getting-started-with-getting-things-done.

Academic Skills Center

California Polytechnic State University

http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl.html

used by permission

Homework Due October 3rd

Homework:

• Finish working on your lunar log due this week. Refer to the rubric in the Dropbox.
• Prepare for quarterfinal next week. 
• Read Chapter 7 from the Cliffs
• Continue to work on your second project due October 10th. If you cannot remember your topic shoot me an email. 
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Homework Due September 25th

Homework:

• Continue to work on your lunar log due October 2nd. Refer to the rubric in the Dropbox.
• Create a satellite profile for the moon, Io, Europa, Titan, Miranda, and Triton include....
• planet it orbits
• unique features
• temperature
• size
• Structure (key elements that makeup the satellite)
• Atmosphere
• Read Chapter 6 from the Cliffs
• Begin Work on your second project due October 9th. If you cannot remember your topic shoot me an email. 
• Essay/Report
• Speech/Visual Presentation
• Filmed Experiment/Demonstration
• If you have another type of project you would like remember to ask me for teacher approval

If you have any questions let me know.

Homework Due September 19th

Homework:

• Begin work on your lunar log due October 2nd. Refer to the rubric in the Dropbox for what I will be looking for, however there is no requirement to start with the full moon so begin right away. 
• Create a planet profile for each of the planets in our solar system. include....
• type of planet (terrestrial, gas-giant)
• unique features
• temperature
• size
• Structure (key elements that makeup the planet)
• important satellites
• Atmosphere
• Read Chapter 5 "The Earth and Its Moon"
• Study Quizlet The Solar System
• Finish your project. 

If you have any questions let me know.

Homework Due September 12th

Helpful Astronomy Animations to help explain some of the concepts we discussed in class

• Seasons
• Phases of the Moon
• Eclipse  and two

Homework:

• Begin work on your lunar log due October 3rd. Refer to the rubric in the Dropbox for what I will be looking for, however there is no requirement to start with the full moon so begin right away. 
• Complete 10 elements and note which ones you are fulfilling from the document in the Dropbox titled "Study Guide - Week 4"
• Read Chapter 4 "The Solar System"
• Study Quizlet Observing the Skies
• Continue to work on project due September 19th

If you have any questions let me know.

Time Management Schedules

Please Note: Schedules may fail to help if they are not created in the correct sequence, or if they lack sufficient detail. Create the Weekly Schedule first, then use a Daily Schedule for day-to-day work. Update the Master Schedule on an ongoing basis.

Intermediate Schedules

The Weekly Schedule (pdf)

An intermediate schedule is a weekly, bimonthly or monthly calendar which lists all your regular activities. Example: sleeping, eating, commuting, classes, studying, exercising, shopping, attending meetings, and work are all relatively fixed activities.

The Weekly Calendar gives you a perspective of what your day, week or month usually looks like. By completing the Weekly Calendar, you can prepare for tasks that are not part of your routine. As a diagnostic tool, it tells you how and on what you spend your time. As a strategy tool, the Weekly Calendar can guide you through the quarter week by week.

To create a Weekly Schedule, it is most important that you record all your obligations during a typical week. Do the following:

1. Write down your class schedule, including labs, and your work hours if any.
2. Every day of the week, show when you go to sleep and arise. Get the sleep you need.
3. Allow an hour for lunch and two hours for dinner. These are times you can use to relax.
4. List clubs, meetings, activities that you attend on a regular basis - including weekends.
5. Plan to exercise three or four times a week. This is most important for good studies.
6. Allow for free-time on Friday or Saturday nights. Show any TV time.
7. Schedule time for naps if you tire readily. (Thomas Edison used naps most effectively.)
8. The remaining time could be study time. Use a high lighter to mark blocks of time where you are willing to make a study commitment. Now, count your study hours. If they fit the 2:1 ratio, your Weekly Schedule is probably on track. If it's low, add more study time.
9. Follow the schedule for a week, and revise it as needed. Make the schedule fit your needs.

Some Comments on Scheduling Study Hours

1. The Four-Day Week - Students are sometimes unwittingly their own worst enemy. For example, they may schedule the quarter with no classes on Monday, Friday, or another day of the week. They imagine that this "one day off" will be their day to get everything caught up. Unfortunately, it's usually wasted because it seems like there is so much time. If you have a day off, make yourself study in the morning.
2. The One Hour Block - The pervasive feeling is "What can I do in an hour?" The answer is quite a bit, but only if you plan it. It's a good time for low-level priority tasks, light review, floating tasks, short naps, quick trips, a snack; almost anything! Just plan it.
3. The Eight or Ten-Hour Marathon - it looks good on the schedule, but in reality, long blocks of time are usually wasted. This happens because it's difficult to stay focused for long periods of time. Instead, break it up into two- and three-hour blocks with a break between.
4. The Two or Three Hour Block - this is by far almost everyone's favorite.

Some Comments on Taking Study Breaks

1. About every hour or two, get up and walk around for ten to twenty minutes. This is a short, active break. It gets the blood circulating again. It provides a transition from one study subject to another. It's not so long that it will get you out of study mode.
2. At the end of the day, take a long two, three, or four hour break. Example: if you get out of class at 3 PM, go to the gym for a workout, go home to relax, eat, talk with friends, read the paper or watch some TV. Around 7 PM, hit the books again until midnight. After a four-hour break, you'll be really ready to jump into your studies again

Short Term Schedules

The Daily Schedule

Construct the Daily Schedule each evening just before bedtime. At this point, you'll have a very good idea of how the next day will go. If you wait until morning, you'll be too rushed to make a plan, and if you don't have a plan for the day, you'll drift. There goes another day.

Refer to the Weekly Schedule just created. Use a small piece of paper and be very specific about the task, study location, time, and duration. Allow time for relaxation. Be realistic: are you really going to start studying at 8:00 AM on Saturday? Break up long periods of study with brief, more pleasant activities. Plan to study when you are most alert. Do more difficult studying first to get it out of the way. Example:

Wednesday

7:00 - 8:30 Get up. Breakfast. Leave for campus by 8 AM.

8:30 - 9:00 Library - 3rd floor

   Review history lecture notes, look over text underlining. (half hour)

9:30 - 11:00 History class.

11:15 - 1:15 Biology lab (take insect collection)

1:15 - 2:30 Lunch and rest

2:30 - 3:30 Library

   Check out library books for term paper (Get 6 references)

3:30 - 5:30 Pick up cleaning. Meet Tom for coffee.

5:30 - 6:30 Dinner and cleanup

6:30 - 10:30 Library - 3rd floor

   6:30 - 8:30

1. History - read chapters 5 & 6

   Survey chapters, read summaries (one hour)

   Underline by section, review underlining. (one hour)

   8:30 - 10:30

2. Spanish - study chapter 4

   Study grammar (half hour)

   Make flash cards (half hour)

   Write out exercises (one hour)

10:30 Head for home.

Another type of short-term schedule is called "Getting Caught Up." Most of us at one time or another, have fallen behind in a subject. The catchup schedule shows how to handle this:

1. List all the tasks which need to be done to stay caught up.
2. Label the amount of time needed for each and its priority (It's better to complete the most important assignments than those of lesser importance. Chances are the test questions will cover the most important concepts.)
3. Select some tasks off each list, catchup and current. These will be used to make up your weekly target list. Be sure to include all high priority tasks.
4. Reevaluate. Eliminate some tasks, postpone others, or scale down what you plan to do.

Long Term Schedules

The Master Calendar (pdf)

The Master Calendar is a schedule constructed at the beginning of the quarter and completed as the quarter progresses. It records important events such as tests, papers, projects, concerts, three-day weekends, weddings, etc. Because these events can jolt your routine, prepare for them in advance.

As a diagnostic tool, the Master Calendar gives a total picture of the quarter and helps you pace your energy accordingly. At the same time, the Master Calendar can be used as a strategy tool which will guide you through the quarter. Consider altering your Master Calendar by:

1. Adding on completion times of assignments, projects and tests and see how these big tasks can be subdivided throughout the quarter.
2. Color coding important tasks in red. Circle those activities which can be postponed when the pressure is on. Upon completion, you will be able to see at a glance the dynamics of a particular event.
3. Adding in due dates for academic activities during the quarter. Example: planning to write a paper. Set one date for completing research, another date for rough draft completion, and a third date for the completed paper. Stick to your start-up dates.
4. Preparing for Finals during Week 10. This means that you must be working on Week 10 assignments during Week 9. When you think about it, finals preparation really begins during Week 8!

Bibliography

Deese, James and Ellen K. Deese. How To Study. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co, 1979.

Lakein, Alan. How To Get Control of Your Time and Your Life. New York: Peter H. Wyden, Inc., 1973.

Pauk, Walter. How To Study In College (2nd ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.

Raygor, Alton L. and David Wark. Systems For Study. New York: McGraw- Hill, Inc, 1970.

Staton, Thomas F. and Emma D. Staton. How To Study. 6th ed. Montgomery, AL, 1977.

Academic Skills Center

California Polytechnic State University

http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl.html

used by permission