Less than a century ago, astronomers began to unlock the cosmic distances within and beyond the Milky Way. Understanding the size and scale of the universe is a continuing, step-by-step process that began with the remarkably accurate measurement of the distance to the Moon made by early Greeks. In part, the authors have ITEAMS (Innovative Technology-Enabled Astronomy for Middle Schools) students traverse a similar path to understand the Earth's place in the universe. Each subsequent step students take outward bound--drawing on a mix of telescopic images and hands-on activities--builds on earlier footholds. How far is it to Mars? It is 200 times farther than to the Moon--a giant step outward for humans, but a baby step in cosmic terms. (Contains 5 figures.)