PRINCE GEORGE’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Department of Natural Sciences and Engineering
PSC 1210 Earth and Space Science Concepts for pre K-8 Teachers, Fall 2020
Class Meetings: Monday and Wednesday, 3 – 5:30 pm Online! (mostly)
Instructor: Dr. David Siskind
About me: I am a full time research physicist at the US Naval Research Laboratory. My
specialty is atmospheric and space science. This is my 8th year teaching at PGCC, but…… the first time I’ve taught anything on line.
Office hours: I will stay on line past the official end of class (5:30) until 6 pm
Final Exam: Monday Dec 7th, 3 pm
Phone: N/A
Email: siskinde@pgcc.edu, per school guidance I will check email at least once every 24 hours (but not much more than that) and once over the weekend
BLACKBOARD SITE: http://pgcconline.blackboard.com
Course Coordinator (my immediate supervisor). Professor Chris Hunt (huntjc@pgcc.edu)
Text: Conceptual Physical Science by Hewitt, Suchocki, and Hewitt, either 4th, 5th or 6th edition
(I have the 5th- please contact me if you’re using other editions!)
Chapters 20-26 plus supplemental material on maps + various online exercises to be provided
Topics: Geology (about 50%), astronomy (about 25%), weather + oceans (about 25%)
OTHER REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS: Will be posted to Blackboard as needed
CREDIT HOUR EXPLANATION
At Prince George’s Community College, for all credit courses, students are expected to spend a minimum of 37.5 combined hours of instructional time and related coursework time per credit hour. This course is a 4 credit course. This course achieves the minimum of 150 hours of instructional time by requiring 75 hours of instructional time and 75 hours of student work outside of instructional time.
A note about withdrawals
As the semester continues, I hope to see all of you staying in my course and doing well. However, if you are considering withdrawing from this course your withdrawal may result in Financial Aid and academic standing implications. So, if you are considering withdrawing at any point, please speak with me before making a final decision. I may be able to offer or direct you to help. If I am unavailable, please contact the Chair of this department, Professor Mark Hubley via email at hubleymj@pgcc.edu or telephone at 301-546-0422.
Also, please make sure you are aware of the deadlines for withdrawal. If you miss the deadline, you get an F.
Other college grade policies:
The NA GRADE may be assigned by the faculty member to any student on the roster who never attends or academically participates in the class during the first three weeks of class (or equivalent of 20 percent in short courses).
The FX GRADE may be assigned by the faculty member to any student on the roster who did not officially withdraw from the course but who failed to participate in course activities through the end of the period. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible.
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES
Students requesting academic accommodations are required to contact the Disability Support Services Office
(M-2102) or call (301) 546-0838 (voice) or (301) 546-0122 (TTY) to establish eligibility for services and accommodations. Students with documented disabilities should discuss the matter privately with their instructors at the beginning of the semester and provide a copy of their Student/Faculty Accommodation Form.
CIVILITY STATEMENT
As a member of Prince George’s Community College, I agree to promote a community of scholarship, civility, accountability and respect. I understand that expressions of hate or bias against a particular group or towards an individual, threaten the safety of our campus community. Therefore, I pledge to be aware of my words and actions and how they impact others. I will show respect for myself, respect for others and respect for the college and its values. I will honor this commitment to promote unity and a culture of civility both inside and outside the classroom.
Civility is a college-wide commitment and in order to identify PGCC students, students are required to enter classrooms with their college IDs visible. ALL students must have their IDs visible while AT ANY COLLEGE SITE, WHETHER THEY ARE ON THE LARGO CAMPUS OR ANY EXTENSION SITE.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The Prince George’s Community College Code of Conduct defines the rights and responsibilities of students and establishes a system of procedures for dealing with students charged with violations of the code and other rules and regulations of the college. A student enrolling in the college assumes an obligation to conduct himself/herself in a manner compatible with the college’s function as an educational institution. Refer to the 2017-2018 Student Handbook for a complete explanation of the Code of Conduct, including the Code of Academic Integrity and the procedure for dealing with disruptive student behavior.
CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The college is an institution of higher learning that holds academic integrity as its highest principle. In the pursuit of knowledge, the college community expects that all students, faculty, and staff will share responsibility for adhering to the values of honesty and unquestionable integrity. To support a community committed to academic achievement and scholarship, the Code of Academic Integrity advances the principle of honest representation in the work that is produced by students seeking to engage fully in the learning process. The complete text of the Code of Academic Integrity is in the 2017-2018 Student Handbook and posted on the college’s website.
Course Overview
A general education science elective course for current teachers and those in training to be teachers. Topics reflect education standards for classroom activities.
IT USED TO BE: A hands-on class. Lots of Labs/projects in small groups. Do Lab first (engage, explore), then get the lecture (explanation) next
NOW: more independent homeworks/research.
STILL: Emphasis is on figuring things out yourself. There is also a fair amount of vocabulary to learn- this class cannot easily be “crammed into your head” at the last minute!
Helpful skills: patience for uncertainty, clear English writing
And of course- be prepared, keep up and seek out the instructor with questions.
Course Outcomes/Topics Covered
1. Characterize landforms and seaforms on solar system bodies from photographs (ground- and satellite based) and Google Earth
2. Classify Earth materials by rock type, mineral properties, and/or hydrologic characteristics.
3. Explain the processes of weathering and erosion and their roles in modifying Earth surface forms and composition
4. Explain the history of the earth and how lifeforms and geology have changed over billions of years
5. Explain the dynamic processes that modify the internal and large-scale surface features of planets and how these are related to composition of and energy within the planet.
6. Explain the characteristics and dynamic processes of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans and how these systems are interrelated.
7. Explain how Earth’s seasons, planetary phases, eclipses, and tides are related to the alignments of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
8. Explain how to discuss the Earth as a planet compared with other planets in the solar system.
9. Interpret data for weather systems based on physical principles. Explore the difference between weather and climate
10. Analyze data collected from appropriate scientific tools such as Excel spread sheets, star charts, virtual planetaria, topographic maps, as well as conduct guided Earth Science research using appropriate Internet resources.
Course Requirements/Grades (still somewhat up in the air)
Assessment Point Value
2 midterms, 80 points each, 1 on geology and 1 on astronomy & weather 160
Final 80
Homework assignments/Lab write-ups/mini-quizes/research
(about 10-12 total) About 20 points each (varies) 240
Total about 480
(To get a C, you need about 330 points total)
Important: I have tentative plans (school has approved) for 4 classes in person, but outdoors
First outdoor class is next Monday August 31st, in front of Chesapeake Hall. It will be a geology Lab with display tables and questions to answer. Class breaks up into two groups according to last name to limit the crowding. Adair-Godshall come from 3-4:30; Hejaiz-Wood, come from 4:30-6 (can be flexible if this grouping is inconvenient). And of course we all wear masks. There will be some hand sanitizer available so you can touch the rocks.
The second one is very tentative- I hope to meet in a PG County Park after Labor Day – very TBD.
I also got approval to meet in the PGCC parking lot to do demos and investigate the scale of earth’s geologic time and the size of the solar system- probably in October.
Welcome to Exploring Chemistry & Physics Concepts
Course: PSC 1200/Fall 2020/ LE-01 (66249) & LE-02 (70043)
Instructor: Thomas Wysocki Associate Professor of Chemistry
Office: Remote location
Department of Natural Sciences
Chesapeake Hall (Room 100)
Phone Numbers: 301-546- 0897 [ instructors]
301 – 546 -0420 [department]
EMAIL ADDRESS wysocktb@pgcc.edu
Blackboard Site: http://pgcconline.blackboard.com
CLASS TIMES: Lecture & Lab: Tuesday-Thursday 5:00PM-7:30PM (room remote)
Office Hours: Tues – Thurs 8:00Am – 9:00AM; Wednesday 9:00AM- 10:30AM; Friday 9:00AM-10:30AM or by appointment.
EMAIL POLICY It is the college’s policy that you may only contact me using your college issued Owl Mail Student Email account.
Course Description: Hands-on activity course for students who plan to
teach pre-school through grade 8. Content is based on topics for the
National Science Education Content Standards Document, the Core
Learning Goals of the Prince George’s County Public Schools, National
Councilfor Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the A.A.T. degree.
Emphasis is on the building process skills and content understanding
using a constructivist-based teaching methodology. Topics include
forces, chemical reactions, phase changes, motion, matter and energy,
sound, electricity, magnetism, and light. The laboratory component
provides students the opportunity to apply concepts learned with
hands-on activities and experiments.
3class/2 lab hours
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of this course, a student will be able to:
1 )Interpret scientific concepts with science process skills.
2) Accurately and precisely measure the mass, volume, and length of items using a variety of devices
in both metric and English units.
3) Interpret graphs of various types of motion.
4) Represent the structure of atoms, molecules, chemical bonding, with chemical symbols,
nomenclature, particle diagrams, and molecular structures.
5) Compare the types of matter with regard to general properties and separate mixtures with a
variety of laboratory techniques.
6) Compare the states of matter with regard to general properties, particulate nature, and energetics
related to change of state.
7) Compare the differences in the changes of matter both chemically and physically.
8) Describe pH as it relates to acid/base solutioins
9) Apply the fundamental conepts of motion, simple machines, types of energy, sound, light,
electricity, and magnetism to performance tasks that include “real world” situations.
10) Evaluate the pros and cons of different energy sources.
Credit-Hour Statement: At Prince George’s Community College, for all credit courses, students are expected to spend a minimum of 37.5 hours of combined instructional
time and related coursework time per credit hour. This course is a (4) credit hours. This
course achieves the minimum required hours by requiring 150 hours of instructional
time by requiring 92.5 hours of instructional time and 57.5 hours of student work
outside of the instructional time.
TEXTBOOK: Conceptual Physical Science (5th edition)
by Hewitt, Suchocki, Hewitt
This textbook is recommended but not required
OTHER REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:
1) A large 3-ring binder Must have access to a computer to print out all handouts from Blackboard
2) Calculator
Outside Class Requirements: If students do not complete remote labs, they must use outside class hours to complete.
GRADING CRITERIA:
GRADE PERCENTAGE
A 90 – 100%
B 80 – 89%
C 70 – 79%
D 60 – 69%
F Below 60% Grades are assigned based on the grading policy stated in the syllabus and not the Blackboard grade book. There will be a column labeled present grade that is what your
current grade is in the class.
The NA GRADE may be assigned by the faculty member to any student on the roster who never attends or academically participates in the class during the first three weeks
(or equivalent of 20 percent in short courses)
The FX GRADE may be assigned by the faculty member to any student on the roster who did not officially withdraw from the course but who failed to participate in course
activities through the end of the period. It is used when, in the opinion of the
instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to
make normal evaluation of academic performance possible.
WITHDRAWAL STATEMENT: As the semester continues, I hope to see all of you staying in my course and doing well. However, if you are considering withdrawing from
this course, your withdrawal may result in financial aid and/or academic standing
implications. Therefore, if you are considering withdrawing at any pint, please speak
with me before making a final decision. I may be able to offer to direct you to help.
HOW ASSIGNMENTS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED: All assignments are to be uploaded on Blackboard. There is a folder under course content noting the procedure.
LAB INFORMATION: Completion of all labs are critical to the understanding of this course. They are the basis of the Performance Tasks & the content exams.
COURSE OUTLINE: A detailed course outline is found under COURSE Schedule. It tells what is expected of you for every date in the course. It tells you the content of every
lecture, what to print out prior to class, where information can be found in the resource
textbook, what labs are assigned for that day, dates of exams and quizzes, and
additional practice exercises within the resource textbook.
COURSE ASSESSMENT: student achievement of the stated objectives will be assessed
based on the following activities:
ASSESSMENT WEIGHTED PERCENTAGE of GRADE
Physics performance Task 15%
Chemistry Performance Task 15% Physics Exam 20%
Chemistry Exam 20 % Final Exam 20%
5 E Lesson Plan 5% Laboratory attendance 5%
ASSESSMENT DATES (TENTATIVE):
DATE ASSESSMENT TIME
October 8 Physics Performance Task 5:30 PM
October 13 Physics Exam 5:30 PM November 24 5 E lesson due 7:30 PM
December 1 Chemistry P. Task 5:30 PM December 3 Chemistry exam 5:30 PM
December 8 or 10 Final Exam 5:30 PM
IMPORTANT DATES:
DATE(S) DESCRIPTION
September 5 – 7 Closed (Labor Day)
September 18 Last day to switch from credit to audit
October 27 Closed (Enrichment Day)
November 13 Last day to withdraw
November 26-29 Closed (Thanksgiving break)
December 8 or 10 Final Exam (tentative)
DELAYED COLLEGE OPENINGS:
When the college announces a delayed opening, all classes with at least 45 minutes of class time
remaining at the time of the opening will be held. For example, in the event of a 10 a.m. opening, a 9:30-
10:45 a.m. class will be held. This procedure applies to all credit classes. To sign up for text alerts such
as school closings and delays, log in to myPGCC from my.pgcc.edu or from www.pgcc.edu and click
Owl Alert Notification System on the Bookmarks tab. Owl Alert is the college’s instant messaging and
email notification system.
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES
Students requesting academic accommodations are required to contact the Disability Support Services
Office (LH101A) or call (301) 546-0838 (voice) or (301) 546-0122 (TTY) to establish eligibility for
services and accommodations. Students with documented disabilities should discuss the matter privately
with their instructor at the beginning of the semester and provide them with a copy of their Student/Faculty
Accommodation Form. Faculty and staff must engage students in an interactive process when determining
necessary and appropriate modifications and/or auxiliary services.
COMMUNITY IN UNITY CIVILITY PLEDGE
As a member of Prince George’s Community College, I agree to promote a community of scholarship,
civility, accountability and respect. I understand that expressions of hate or bias against a particular group
or towards an individual, threaten the safety of our campus community. Therefore, I pledge to be aware of
my words and actions and how they impact others. I will show respect for myself, respect for others and
respect for the college and its values. I will honor this commitment to promote unity and a culture of
civility both inside and outside the classroom.
Civility is a college-wide commitment and in order to identify PGCC students, students are required to
enter classrooms with their college IDs visible. ALL students must have their IDs visible while AT ANY
COLLEGE SITE, WHETHER THEY ARE ON THE LARGO CAMPUS OR ANY EXTENSION SITE.
TITLE IX: CONFIDENTIALITY AND RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYEE STATEMENT
Prince George’s Community College faculty are committed to helping create a safe and open learning
environment for all students. Title IX prohibits gender discrimination, including sexual harassment,
domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. If you have experienced any form of gender
discrimination or sexual misconduct, know that help and support are available. The College strongly
encourages all members of the community to take action, seek support and report incidents of sexual
misconduct to the Title IX Office, Director of Compliance, Kent Hall Room 133 (301-546-7011) or with
the Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Vice President for Student Affairs, Kent Hall Room 119 (301-546-
0412).
Please be aware that under Title IX, faculty are required to disclose information about such misconduct to
the Title IX Office. The purpose of these reporting requirements is for the College to inform you of
options, supports and resources. You will not be forced to file a report with the police.
If you wish to speak to a confidential or limited confidential employee who does not have this reporting
responsibility, you can contact the Violence Prevention Center, Lanham Hall Room 101A (301-546-5281)
or Counseling Services, Lanham Hall Room 101A (301-546-0149).
For more information about reporting options and resources at Prince George’s Community College and
the community, please visit https://www.pgcc.edu/about-pgcc/institutional-information–policies/title-ix/
CODE OF CONDUCT
The Prince George’s Community College Code of Conduct defines the rights and responsibilities of
students and establishes a system of procedures for dealing with students charged with violations of the
code and other rules and regulations of the college. A student enrolling in the college assumes an
obligation to conduct himself/herself in a manner compatible with the college’s function as an educational
institution. Refer to the 2019-2020 Student Handbook for a complete explanation of the Code of Conduct,
including the Code of Academic Integrity and the procedure for dealing with disruptive student behavior.
CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The college is an institution of higher learning that holds academic integrity as its highest principle. In the
pursuit of knowledge, the college community expects that all students, faculty, and staff will share
responsibility for adhering to the values of honesty and unquestionable integrity. To support a community
committed to academic achievement and scholarship, the Code of Academic Integrity advances the
principle of honest representation in the work that is produced by students seeking to engage fully in the
learning process. The complete text of the Code of Academic Integrity is in the 2019-2020 Student
Handbook and posted on the college’s website.
BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE ULTRA SESSIONS
• This class is 100% remote. At no point will you have to come to campus. • Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU) will be used for all meeting times and office
hours (including appointments).
• Attendance of Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU) sessions is mandatory and you should make every effort to attend. I will take attendance at the beginning of each
session.
• All sessions will be recorded and recordings will be posted within 24 hours of the end of the session.
• In addition to our Blackboard Collaborate Ultra sessions, you will need to do some work in this Blackboard site like read parts of your textbook, watch videos, complete
exercises, and complete the assignments. This work can be done at any time, when it
is convenient for you – just make sure it is completed by the due date.
• If you have a legitimate reason to miss a BBCU session or not complete some work by the specified due date, you need to notify the instructor as soon as possible. You
are responsible for reviewing all missed information: content, handouts, etc. and
completing all missed activities: discussion boards, exercises, etc.
STRUCTURED REMOTE LEARNING REQUIREMENTS
Technical Skills (from: http://www.pgcconline.com/technicalSupport/whatSkillsDoINeed.html)
You don’t have to be a computer wizard to have the technical skills necessary to be a successful remote
learner, but you do need:
To be able to navigate the Internet.
Basic computer skills, including:
o Can type
o Can use a mouse
o Can save, edit, and open documents
o Able to Cut, Copy, and Paste text
o Able to use email
o Able to attach a file to your email
Have access to:
o A Pentium class computer with at least 1GHz processor, 512 MB RAM with 5
GB free disk space.
o An Internet Service Provider
o Student email address
myPGCC STUDENT PORTAL:
myPGCC is a student portal that provides quick access to Blackboard, Owl Alert, Owl Link, Owl Mail, PGCC
news, information, student events and more. Access myPGCC at my.pgcc.edu or from www.pgcc.edu. Log
in using your Owl Link user ID and password.
BLACKBOARD LOGIN:
Blackboard is a Web-based program that serves as the college’s online classroom. You will use
Blackboard to communicate with your instructor, to see your course materials, to submit
assignments and to discuss the course with your classmates.
To log in to your Blackboard course, please follow these steps:
1. Go to the Prince George’s Community College Blackboard Web site which is located at http://pgcconline.blackboard.com. NOTE: There is no “www” in the Blackboard address.
• PGCC Students must log in to Blackboard using their Owl Link user ID and password.
• Howard Community College Students will receive instructions for requesting a PGCC Blackboard account from their instructor. Once the
account is requested, the student will receive an email (to their HCC
student email address) from eLearning Services with login information.
2. Type your Owl Link user ID and password into the Blackboard login box. If your login is successful, you will see the PGCC Blackboard Homepage. In the module labeled “My Courses,” you will see the
course(s) in which you are enrolled. Click on the course name to access your Blackboard course.
Need help?
Visit the eLearning website at http://www.pgcconline.com
Other questions? E-mail eLearning@pgcc.edu
Until further notice, all services will be delivered remotely
Course Schedule
Physical Science 1200- Fall 2020 Mr. Wysocki 310B
Schedule 301-546-0897)(301-546-0420)
wysocktb@pgcc.edu
Day Date Activity Topic/Concept Text (pgs)
Tues 8/25 Measurement
measurement button
Intro course, grading, 5 E’s
Units, Metric System
Append A
pg 771-772
Thur 8/27 More Measurement
measurement button
conversions, significant figures,
accuracy, precision
Append A
pg 772-775
Tues 9/1 Motion
motion button
graphing button
speed,velocity, acceleration, graphing pg 24-31
pg 42-45
Thur 9/3 simple machines,
work, power
force/work button
force,work, simple machines,
mechanical advantage, power
pg 70-72
pg 77-80
Tues 9/8 potential vs kinetic E
Heat vs Temperature
energy button
Types of Mechanical Energy;potential,
kinetic, heat; heat transfer:conduction
convection, radiation, insulation
Pg72-76;80
Pg 169-174
Thur 9/10 Sound
sound button
Waves, hearing, interference, diffraction,
Doppler Effect
pg 244-248
pg 253-260
Tues 9/15 Speed of sound
sound button
speed of sound, echoes, resonance,
musical instruments
pg 248
pgs260-262
Thur 9/17 Light & Color
light button
Light & Color, polarized vs laser light pg271-275
pg 281-292
Tues 9/22 Lenses & Mirrors
light button
Reflection & Refraction Pg 275-280
Thur 9/24 Electrical nature of atoms
Insulators/conductors
electrolytes
atoms & bonding button
Structure of atoms
Why atoms combine- chemical
bonding
Insulators/conductors/electrolytes
Pg304-310
Pg321-323
Pg378-389
Tues 9/29 Let’s get charged up
electricity button
static electricity Pg 192-200
Thur 10/1 Bright lights/what makes the flow
go/current & circuits
electricity button
current & circuits pg 200-212
pg 230-231
Tues 10/6 Magnets; physics
Magnetism button
magnetism pg 222-226
pg230-231
Thur 10/8 Physics performance task
Tues 10/13 Physics Exam
Thur 10/15 What is matter
matter button
Matter & its properties pg 361-362
Tues 10/20 Sinking & floating
density/buoyancy
button
Density vs buoyancy pg123,
pg 126-129
pg137-138
Thur 10/22 Types of matter
types of matter button
Elements, compounds, mixtures pg 365-367
pg 409-411
Thur 10/29 Types of mixtures
types of matter button
Solutions, colloids, suspensions pg 411-413
Tues 11/3 Solubility (solutions)
types of matter button
unsaturated, saturated, supersaturated pg 416-419
Thur 11/5 Separations
Separations button
How is matter separated Pg407 – 408
Tues 11/10 Physical states of matter
Changes in State
States of matter button
changes in state button
Solids, liquids, gases
melting, freezing, boiling, freezing
sublimating
Pg 178-184
Pg 359-360
Thur 11/12 Changes in Matter
changes in matter
button
Physical & chemical changes pg 363-364
Tues 11/17 Acids/bases/ household chemicals/
acids/bases/salts button
Acids & Bases/pH pg 465-469
pg 475-480
Thur 11/19 What makes one acid stronger
acids/bases/salts button
Strength of acids & bases/salts/
antacids/buffers
pg 469-472
Tues 11/24 5 E lesson workshop
Tues 12/1 Chemistry Performance task
Thur 12/3 Chemistry Exam
Tues
or
Thur
12/8
or
12/10
Final Exam
Important tips for success:
1) Have handouts printed out before class
2) It is imperative that you complete all labs
3) Ask questions on anything you do not understand
4) See me during office hours for help
5) Submit assessments when they are due (it is your responsibility to submit
things successfully.) There is a folder explaining how to submit an
assessment.
6) All videos within the lab or recommended from the video folder should be
viewed for reinforcement on the topics covered in this class.
7) Strive for perfect attendance.
8) Be punctual
9) Do not leave sessions early
10) Do not get behind
.
