Astronomy is the study of objects and energy outside of the Earth's atmosphere. 

During this unit we will begin by discussing the origin of the universe and evidence for the big bang.  We will continue by addressing various topics including

• Our solar system.  During this portion of our unit students will complete a research project on a specific planet or celestial body, and will create a poster that exhibits their findings. 
• Star life cycles
• Constellations and galaxies.  Students will learn about the vastness of our universe (there are billions of galaxies, and billions of stars in each galaxy - our sun is just one small star in our medium sized galaxy, the Milky Way). Students will also learn where we fit into the solar system, galaxy, and universe.
• Earth, Moon, and Sun motion and how they affect weather, seasons, time measurement, tides, and eclipses
• Review of latitude and longitude