Part of the Understanding Our Environment project that is designed to engage students in investigating specific environmental problems through concrete activities and direct experience, this unit places Earth in the context of its environment-the Universe-then focuses on Earth as seen from satellites. Students analyze patterns formed by the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes around the world and discover the boundaries of tectonic plates. Students begin by creating a tour of space, from quasars to Earth, and end with a tour of the Earth's biomes. The objectives include: understanding that Earth is part of a larger environment that creates and influences conditions on Earth, understanding the role of the Earth's interior in influencing Earth's surface environment, considering the variety and significance of the Earth's surface features, discussing conditions that make life possible on Earth, and learning about the natural regions of the Earth. (JRH)