The Virginia Standards of Learning for 4th grade space education include:

1. The student will investigate and understand the relationships among Earth, the moon, and the sun. Key concepts include:

• The moon orbits around Earth and Earth orbits around the sun.
• The moon’s appearance changes as it orbits Earth.
• The sun provides light and heat to Earth.
• The position of the sun in the sky changes during the day and throughout the year.

1. The student will investigate and understand the organization of the solar system. Key concepts include:

• The solar system includes the sun, planets, and other objects that orbit the sun.
• The eight planets in our solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
• The planets in our solar system have different characteristics, such as size, composition, and distance from the sun.
• The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter.

1. The student will investigate and understand the properties of Earth’s atmosphere. Key concepts include:

• The atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds Earth.
• The atmosphere protects Earth from the sun’s harmful rays and helps regulate the temperature.
• The atmosphere is made up of different layers, each with its own characteristics.
• Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.

1. The student will investigate and understand the properties of stars. Key concepts include:

• Stars are massive, luminous objects that are made up of gas and emit light and heat.
• Stars are classified based on their size, temperature, and brightness.
• The sun is a star that is located at the center of our solar system.
• Constellations are groups of stars that form recognizable patterns in the sky.