SCI 110 Science, Technology, & Society

Tentative Course Calendar (last revised 3/30/11)

Date	Topics/Activities on that Date	Assignments and Due Date
T 1/18	Overview, Course Requirements, STS as a discipline, Nature of Science	Read Chapter 1 & 3 of Science for All Americans, complete Reading log
R 1/20	Comparing/Contrasting Science and Technology	Watch the FOX video “A Conspiracy Theory: Did We Really Go to the Moon?” The video contends that NASA astronauts never set foot on the moon and that a hoax was perpetuated on the American people. While viewing it, record the evidence provided by the video that supports the NASA moon hoax (a list with a brief description of each piece of evidence is sufficient). Science & Technology ppt
T 1/25	Experimentation and Evidence	Nature of Scientific Evidence ppt
R 1/27	ASSESSMENT: Nature of Science & Technology	Read Chapters 1-4 of Longitude by Dava Sobel, complete Reading log
T 2/1	No Class due to Inclement Weather
R 2/3	The Simple Pendulum	Read Chapters 5-6 of Longitude by Dava Sobel, complete Reading log Simple Pendulum ppt.
T 2/8	Basic Geography Planetarium/Navigating by the Stars, The Simple Pendulum (cont’d)	Read Chapters 7-10 of Longitude by Dava Sobel, complete Reading log Complete Lab Write-up on Simple Pendulum Experiment (due 2/10) latitude/longitude ppt.
R 2/10	Thermal Expansion	Read Chapters 11-13 of Longitude by Dava Sobel, complete Reading log Complete Lab Write-up on Simple Thermal Expansion Experiment (due 2/15) thermal expansion ppt.
T 2/15	Thermal Expansion follow-up, Magnetism activity and lecture	Read Chapters 14-15 of Longitude by Dava Sobel, complete Reading log No Lab Write-up on Magnetism Experiment magnetism ppt.
R 2/17	Book discussion - Longitude ASSESSMENT - Longitude	Read Part I of the Electric Universe by David Bodanis, complete reading log electricity basics ppt.
T 2/22	Electricity Basics Ohm's Law	Complete lab write-up for Ohm's Law Ohm's Law ppt.
R 2/24	Electromagnetism, Electromagnets & Electric Motors	Read Part II of the Electric Universe by David Bodanis, complete Reading log Electromagnetism ppt.
T 3/1	EM Induction, Transformers and Electrical Generation	Complete Lab write-up for Adventures in Electromagnetism and Electric Fields Read Parts III of the Electric Universe by David Bodanis, complete Reading log Electromagnetic waves ppt.
R 3/3	Electromagnetic Waves,	Read Parts IV of the Electric Universe by David Bodanis, complete Reading log
T 3/8	SPRING BREAK
R 3/10	SPRING BREAK
T 3/15	Semiconductors and Transistors Book Discussion – the Electric Universe	Read p. 3-61 of Power to Save the World, complete reading log
R 3/17	ASSESSMENT – Electricity & Magnetism, Nuclear Science basics	Read p. 65-131 of Power to Save the World, complete reading log.
T 3/22	Nuclear Science basics (cont’d), Background radiation, 1/2 life	Complete write-up for 1/2 life investigation, Read p. 135-190 of Power to Save the World, complete reading log. Background Radiation ppt.
R 3/24	Nuclear Safety and Effects of Radiation	Read p. 193-261 of Power to Save the World, complete reading log. Complete lab write-up for background radiation, distance, and shielding investigations.
T 3/29	Time, Distance, Shielding Lab	Read p. 265-327 of Power to Save the World, complete reading log. Nuclear Safety ppt
R 3/31	Lab Follow-up, Nuclear Safety and Effects of Radiation (finish), Nuclear Energy, Fission & Reactors	Read p. 328-373 of Power to Save the World, complete reading log. Read and complete reading log for assigned section of Power to Save the World. nuclear Energy ppt.
T 4/5	Book Discussion - Power to Save the World
R 4/7	ASSESSMENT – Nuclear Concepts
S 4/9	Optional Bonus Field Trip to the Breazeale Nuclear Research Reactor 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
T 4/12	Nanotechnology- an introduction	Complete Lab write-up for Nanoscale Investigations Read p. 1-36 of Nanotechnology, complete reading log. nano ppt.
R 4/14	Scanning Probe Microscopy	Read p. 37-62 of Nanotechnology, complete reading log. Scanning probe Microscopy ppt
T 4/19	Unique properties at the Nanoscale	Complete Lab write-up for Physics Changes with Scale Read p. 63-82 of Nanotechnology, complete reading log. Unique Properties ppt
W 4/20	Celebration of Scholarship Bonus Opportunity: Nanotechnology Presentations TIME TBA	Listen to and summarize in three sentences each, up to FIVE presentations
R 4/21	Nanotechnology - Applications of Nanotechnology – work session	Read section of Nanotechnology assigned to your group.
T 4/26	Nanotechnology - Applications of Nanotechnology - presentations
R 4/28	ASSESSMENT - Nanotechnology	Work on Projects
5/4	Final EXAM – 10:00 – 11:50 a.m.