easiest fucking class, try your best to take it. i didn't go to class but from what i could tell jewitt is mad chill if you care to go. just go over his powerpoint slides for the midterms, and for the final he gives you majority of the questions before the test. there are 3 extra credits, which are fun, and which i recommend - they're each 5%. labs are kinda annoying but that's it.

If anyone says don't take this class, ignore them. Professor Jewitt is one of the coolest professors you will ever have at UCLA.
Here is the breakdown of his class: He has a textbook for the class, but you are absolutely not required to buy it. Even the professor said it is supplemental reading, and is not required. There are 2 midterms, each worth only 10% of your grade (I received a C- and a D on each midterm). Labs/lab quizzes are 30%, he drops your lowest 2 lab grades. The labs are completion only, so you get an automatic 6 points for just showing up and doing the labs, then the quizzes are 4 points each based on the labs from the previous week. The final is 50%, but he gives you about 90% of the final in advance. These are his "review questions" which essentially, is the final. In fact, 75% of the questions on the final are straight from the first 2 midterms, so you have already seen them before. The best part is the 15% extra credit. He gives you 3 assignments, each 5%. DO ALL OF THEM. It takes you from a 78 to a 93 real fast.
Aside from his grading scale, Jewitt himself is hilarious. He makes his lectures engaging by showing funny videos during class and telling stories about his previous students. Honestly, I think I went to lecture twice after the first midterm (week 4), but he's still funny. Plus he is the scientists that said Pluto isn't a planet. He is basically one of the most famous scientists in his field. Even my dad (who is super into astronomy) fangirled when I told him that David Jewitt was my professor. Not making that up.
All in all, take his class. If you're like me and just trying to get through your science GE's in one piece, take it. It's one of easiest A's you will ever get at UCLA.

I originally felt I did not learn much in this class because I got an F on both midterms but I went to all the lab sections, did all the extra credit,and studied the final review test before the final and still ended up with an A+
15% of extra credit is insane. DO ALL OF THEM people. The more I think about now that the class is over though, I ended up learning a lot more about the material than I originally thought. Take this class with Jewitt and Jewitt ONLY!!!!

This class was a joke. I don't recommend it.

Jewitt doesn't teach ESS 15 very often (I think he was just substituting this quarter for a professor who couldn't do it), since his primary area of focus is in Astronomy, but nevertheless ESS 15 was made extremely enjoyable and fun because of Jewitt.

He's really the coolest guy ever. His lectures are straightforward, and he gives you interesting tidbits all the time. He might be one of the most renowned scientists in his field, but his class is very down-to-earth (no pun intended).

Jewitt's midterms were very tough (make sure you study specific numbers), but his final was insanely easy. He released all the questions beforehand, so you just need to memorize the answers. Someone mentioned this previously, but his final was literally just a test to see who can fill in bubbles the fastest. And yeah, don't bother buying the textbook. I guarantee you'll never touch it -- just study the slides.

Lab was also very chill. The TA's were all cool, and the assignments weren't graded very harshly at all. So long as you did the assignments and took the quizzes, you should be fine.

I recommend Jewitt's classes to anyone. Not a lot of pressure, and you end up with new knowledge and a good grade.

BEST. PROFESSOR. EVER.

Seriously, his lectures were always fun and engaging. His focus is for you to enjoy what you are learning and he always makes the funniest jokes during lecture. His lectures are posted on CCLE and that's all you really need for the midterms. Don't buy the book, you won't read it. He literally just chose it because it looked nice and it was one of the thicker oceanography textbooks. If you study if lecture slides, you'll be set for the midterms. For the final, he gives out the exam questions. Just find the answers, memorize them, and race with other students to see who finish first. Seriously, three hour final but everyone got up in twenty to thirty minutes. He is also very generous with extra credit! He gave out three 5% extra credit opportunities and they were all fun ones. Like we could go grunion observing, go to Santa Monica beach and answer a few questions, or go to this sand dune thing in Malibu. One of the best classes I ever took! Labs are not super easy, but my TA basically gave my table the answer. Plus they grade on completeness, not correctness. TAKE JEWITT! Plus he's famous in the astronomical world for discovering the Kuiper belt that demoted Pluto from planet status. How cool is that? And how random for him to teach oceanography...