Pedagogical Objectives - Basic Coordinates and Seasons

Terrestrial Coordinates

Student will be able to explain longitude and latitude – their definition, units, notation and ranges.
Student will be able to identify and name the basic named coordinate features Prime Meridian, International Date Line, Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.
Student will be able to read a coordinate from a flat map and correctly place a coordinate on a flat map.
Student will be able to demonstrate an awareness that a flat map distorts the geographical area depicted.
Student will be able to read sexagesimal units and make simple conversion between decimal and sexagesimal notation.

Student will be able to identify and name the celestial equator and celestial poles.
Student will be able to explain declination and right ascension – their definition, units, notation, and ranges.
Student will be able to read from or place on a flat map a coordinate.
Student will be demonstrate awareness that celestial equatorial coordinates are observer independent.

Student will demonstrate understanding that the ecliptic is the orbital plane of the earth and sun and not perpendicular to the earth's axis of rotation.
Student will be able to numerically quantify the earth's obliquity: 23.5°.
Student will be able to identify the relationship between the ecliptic and the celestial sphere, name , visually identify, and given coordinates for the four primary seasonal points.
Student will correlate the change of declination of the sun with the change of the sun's meridional altitude in the sky and length of time in the sky.
Student will demonstrate understanding that the height of the sun in the sky changes the effective energy incident on the surface of a local region on earth.
Student will be able to correctly give the primary causes for the meteorological seasonal variation or correctly identify common but incorrect justifications.