Any guesses as to which DC museum is one of the most popular in the entire country, boasting over five million visitors a year? I'll give you a hint...some of the exhibits there are out of this world!

That would be the National Air and Space Museum, where 5th grade students from Neval Thomas Elementary recently visited for their Science and Nature unit. Because we live in a city with lots of lights competing with the beauty of the night sky, the planetarium show was the first time most of the students had ever seen just how many stars (and other objects!) lie beyond our solar system. Needless to say, they were amazed as the lights went dark and the "sky" lit up.

After the show students had the opportunity to try their hands at astronomy as they used telescopes to view images of the Sun and record their observations.

Students showcased their math skills as they completed an activity calculating the Earth's rotations, as well as days, months, and years. They also tested their solar system knowledge as they competed in a memory game.

And what did students have to say about the trip?

"My favorite part of the trip is when I got to see the stars and planets up close. It was cool!" -Logan M.

"My favorite part was the planetarium because when the sky was moving I thought the floor was moving too!" -Mason B.