Curated OER
The Sun, Earth's Angles, and the Seasons
Students determine if the angle of light bombardment is a factor in heat absorption. They correlate these findings to the tilt of the Earth and the seasons. Students fold a pice of black construction paper in half, lengthwise. They tape...
Vosonos
Interactive Minds: Solar System
Travel through space as you learn about the galaxy, solar system, planets, and much more. An extensive resource for studying astronomy in upper-elementary and middle school classrooms.
Curated OER
"Vary" Bright Days
Students explore how the Earth's axial tilt and revolution around our sun lead to differences in day length through the year. In groups, they create and use a model of the earth on its axis to demonstrate the concepts.
Curated OER
Catching Some Rays
Sixth graders explore the tilt of Earth's axis. In this Earth lesson plan, 6th graders read a Greek mythology story explaining why there are seasons. Students build a sun-ray gathering tool from styrofoam, glue, thermometers, skewers,...
Curated OER
Charting Seasonal Changes
Students research the Earth's patterns of rotation and revolution, create a chart and graph of these patterns and use them to explain the causes of night and day and summer and winter.
Curated OER
The Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature
Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere and discover what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
Curated OER
Apparent Motion of the Sun
Demonstrate the path of the sun across the sky at different times of the year with an engaging science lesson. Learners use a series of questions and diagrams to examine the movement of the sun and appearance of the sky around their...
Curated OER
Hello, Sunshine!
Students investigate how the sun travels across the sky at different latitudes using Solar Motion Demonstrator. In this earth science lesson, students explain why seasons change. They study how the tilt of the Earth's axis affects seasons.
Curated OER
Astronomy Test
In this astronomy test, middle schoolers answer 50 true/false and multiple choice questions about the relationships of the earth, moon, and sun. The test also includes questions about the solar system, galaxies, and the universe. An...
Curated OER
The Seasons
Learners determine the effect of the earth's tilt on the amount of incoming solar radiation throughout the year. They simulate the earth's orbit around the sun using a light bulb and a globe to simulate the seasons. Assessment questions...
Curated OER
Orbit, rotation, revolution of Earth
Eighth graders define orbit, rotation and revolution. They demonstrate the orbit, rotation and revolution of the Earth. Students identify the types of measurements and the instruments that used for orbit, rotation and revolution. They...
Curated OER
I Can See and Feel the Change in the Seasons
Students use their senses to investigate changes in the seasons. Identify the seasons and represent each with pictures and songs. Observe and describe typical weather for each of the seasons. Describe the information each of the five...
Curated OER
Seasons in 3D: Student Exploration
In this seasons exploration worksheet, students review vocabulary and answer prior knowledge questions, then use the Seasons in 3D Gizmo to complete exploration activities.
Curated OER
Earth's Energy Balance Performance Standard
Students examine how Earth-Sun relationships affect Earth's energy balance and the pattern of world temperatures. Students study a Surface Temperature Regions map and write a paragraph describing the temperature pattern from the Equator...
Curated OER
Weather and Climate
It's hot today, but is that the weather or the climate? This colorful presentation isolates both concepts to allow for better understanding by covering the positioning of the planet, making comparisons of land versus water, and looking...
Curated OER
It's A Meteor
Students complete a webquest to find Earth's relationship to the sun. In this webquest instructional activity, students complete tasks to understand the effect of the sun on weather and time. Students create a multimedia presentation as...
Curated OER
Seasons and Cloud Cover, Are They Related?
Students use NASA satellite data to correlate cloud cover over Africa to the solar declination.
Curated OER
Surface Air Temperature Trends of the Caribbean
Students use real satellite data to determine the changes in near-surface air temperature at different times of the year over the Caribbean Sea. They discover how Earth's tilt causes seasonal differences in incoming solar energy. They...
National Wildlife Federation
Summer Midnight Sun
Sunlight hours and climate have a clear connection. Young researchers collect data about the sunrise and sunset times in an Arctic climate as well as the average temperatures. They then graph their data to make connections between the...
Curated OER
Around the Sun We Go
Sixth graders complete a short survey on the relationship between the Earth and the Sun. In groups, they participate in an experiment in which they test the angle of the Earth and compare it to the sun. To end the lesson, they discuss...
Glynn County School System
Terrestrial Planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are collectively known as the terrestrial planets. Although part of the same group, each planet has its own set of characteristics. Scholars explore the characteristics that make the planets unique and...
Curated OER
Apple: Bare to Pick
Young scholars investigate the seasons of the apple tree. In tree seasons instructional activity, students use a sun model and a globe to study the tilt of the Earth to create the seasons. Young scholars discuss the tilt and the seasons....
Curated OER
Celebrating the Solstice and Equinox
Fourth graders graph the number of daylight hors throughout the year and examine why day length varies. They discover that seasonal changes and latitude on Earth affect the number of hours of daylight in each day. Students listen to...
Curated OER
Investigating the Dynamic Martian Polar Caps
Pupils download NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of the Martian polar ice caps in summer and winter, and measure and compare various images of the changing Martian and Earth polar ice caps.