"We're Not in Kansas Anymore!"

Marlee H. and Josh L.

The astronomy project's purpose was to be able to go into further depth and learn more about the universe we live in. We did this by making a comic. The comic was educational, yet fun to make, because of the humor in it. All comics have to be funny, right? We had our characters fly through space, and tell facts about each object in space, cracking a few jokes along the way. In the end, the comic achieved it's purpose and helped educate us about everything from stars to planets and from satellites to small bodies. Through the project, we were able to figure out the functions of all of the bodies in space and how they work together to make solar systems and galaxies.

8th Grade Science Standards Covered:

4. The structure and composition of the universe can be learned from the study of stars and galaxies, and their evolution.

1. Galaxies are clusters of billions of stars, and may have different shapes.
2. The sun is one of many stars in our own Milky Way galaxy. Stars may differ in size, temperature, and color.
3. How to use astronomical units and light years as measures of distance between the sun, stars, and Earth.
4. Stars are the source of light for all bright objects in outer space. The moon and planets shine by reflected sunlight, not by their own light.
5. The appearance, general composition, relative position and size, and motion of objects in the solar system, including planets, planetary satellites, comets, and asteroids.