| Questions 8 through 11 refer to the following graph. 
Where are we in Space?
If middle school children were driving as around in a space-ship, we might all be lost! According to a survey of 100 middle school students taken at the end of last semester. understanding our place in space is pretty hard. The students were quizzed on the meaning of basic terms related to space including "solar system." “galaxy" and "universe." The good news is that 76 percent of students knew that a solar system is a group of planets that revolve around a sun. Perhaps surprisingly. most even knew that the word "solar" comes from the Latin "sol" which means ”sun.” The bad news is that only 23 percent of students knew that a galaxy is a group of solar systems, stars, and planets. The Earth is included in the Milky Way Galaxy. The really bad news is that only 12 percent of students knew what the universe is. The universe is all of space. The survey also showed that few students were able to name more than 3 or 1. planets. Even fewer students were able to put planets in the correct order in terms of distance from the sun. Some improvement in students' knowledge of space can be hoped for in the future as students enter high school. | 