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Our Location in the Universe

Our Location in the Universe is a virtual web-based pilot project collaboration of Art Pod, Astronomy Studies Group, Burckhalter School, and Project Directors John Panagos and JoAnn Gillerman to create an extracurricular program that provides a unique web based, distance learning, astronomy, art, and virtual reality curriculum for K-12 students. Thank you to the NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassadors Program for providing planet lithographs, Solar System Trading Card Sets, and solar viewers/eclipse shades. Our Location in the Universe Project is funded with support of the Brinker Family Foundation, Rich and Barbara Thompson, Janice Craik in honor of Ken Craik, Astronomy Studies Group and Second Evening Art.

Exploring this "Our Location in the Universe" Website provides documentation of the pilot project Our Location in the Universe, a collaboration of ArtPod (nonprofit 501c3/CEO/Director JoAnn Gillerman) and The K-9 Astronomy Studies Group 2021 (Founder/Director John Panagos). Our Location in the Universe is a virtual, web-based, hybrid extracurricular summer program with an in-person Field Trip (as safe!) and a Virtual Reality (360/VR VIDEO) component that incorporates drawings (art) created by participating ASG students. Curriculum and content includes multi-generational and age specific science (astronomy and related), art, culture and technology (VR). At the completion of this project, each ASG student was given their own VR Headset to keep, to explore their own art work and more in this context. Below are links to "Student Art Works" (drawings) created in their intensive one-week of Zoom distance learning classes exploring solar related locations around the world, geo-location mapping, calendars (Meridian/Horizon), space and the planets, scale from micro to macro, and much more. An in-person Field Trip to the outdoors Solar Calendars, Cesar Chavez Park, Berkeley, CA provided opportunity for students to draw the horizon at solar noon (!) and be given their VR Headsets, in preparation for the 360/VR VIDEO (link below). Special thanks to the families of the ASG 2021 students, and additional support and partnerships listed above, all of whom helped make this project possible.

Our participating wonderful students in the K-9 Astronomy Studies Group 2021:
Allysen, Aixa, Benicio, Benjamin, Hana, JonHenry, JoyceMarie, Kai, Logan

contributed their art drawings for inclusion in "Our Location in the Universe" 360/VR VIDEO.

Art-Pod and "Our Location in the Universe" Project Website design and production: JoAnn Gillerman/ArtPod 2021-2022

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