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Reasons for the Seasons

Reasons for the Seasons

Assessment

Presentation

Science

6th - 8th Grade

Medium

NGSS
MS-ESS1-1, MS-ESS2-6, MS-ESS1-2

Standards-aligned

Created by

Michael Belmonte

Used 66+ times

FREE Resource

21 Slides • 51 Questions

1

Reasons for the Seasons

Do you know why we have fall, winter, spring, and summer seasons?

Give Theia credit !​

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2

Multiple Choice

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In which hemisphere do we live (in North Muskegon)?

1

Northern

2

Southern

3

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  • ​Earth's axis is not straight up and down (0 degrees).

  • Its axis is tilted 22 - 25 degrees.

  • ​The degree of tilt changes a little bit, it wobbles...

  • THEIA !​

4

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5

Common misconceptions_- Why we have seasons:

  • Seasons are caused by Earth's distance from the Sun

  • Seasons are caused by Earth's axis changing the degree of tilt

  • Earth orbits the Sun in a day

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6

Multiple Choice

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July brings summer to the Northern hemisphere and winter to the Southern hemisphere.

1

FALSE

2

TRUE

3

MAYBE

4

Thanos

7

Fill in the Blank

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The Earth rotates, and tilts, on it's ___________.

8

Open Ended

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What causes biomes like North Muskegon to have 4 seasons?

9

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​Earth revolves/orbits around the sun (365.25 days) with a ~ 23 degree tilt.

10

Fill in the Blank

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The Earth takes one year, or about ________ days to make one revolution around the sun.

11

Multiple Choice

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It takes one day, or ________ hours, for Earth to make 1 full rotation around its axis. This rotation gives us __________ and ____________.

1

48, night, day

2

48, summer, winter

3

24, night, day

4

24, winter, summer

12

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13

What Is a Leap Year?

leap year is a year with an extra day—February 29—which is added nearly every four years to the calendar year. Our next leap year is in 2024.

Why Are Leap Years Necessary?

Adding an extra day every four years keeps our calendar aligned correctly with the astronomical seasons, since a year according to the Gregorian calendar (365 days) and a year according to Earth’s orbit around the Sun (approximately 365.25 days) are not the exact same length of time. Without this extra day, our calendar and the seasons would gradually get out of sync. A leap year has 366 days instead of 365.

Here are the rules of leap years:

  1. A year may be a leap year if it is evenly divisible by 4.

  2. Years that are divisible by 100 (century years such as 1900 or 2000) cannot be leap years unless they are also divisible by 400. (The years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, but the years 1600 and 2000 were.)

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14

Multiple Choice

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What is a solar year? 
1
The time it takes the Earth to make one revolution around the sun 
2
The time it takes the Earth to make a full rotation on its axis 
3
The time it takes the Sun to make one revolution around the galaxy 
4
The time it takes the moon to make one revolution around the Earth 

15

Multiple Choice

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One solar year lasts _______ 365 days 
1
Less than 
2
Approximately 
3
Exactly
4
12 hours longer than 

16

Multiple Choice

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Leap day is a quadrennial occurrence. What does "quadrennial" mean? 
1
Occurring exactly once a year 
2
Occurring infrequently
3
Occurring exactly every four years 
4
Occurring exactly once per century 

17

Multiple Choice

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People born on leap days are called:
1
Leapfrogs
2
Leaplings
3
Leapdogs
4
Leaphumans

18

Multiple Choice

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How many days are in a leap year?
1
210
2
180
3
364
4
366

19

Multiple Choice

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How much extra time is actually a part of each year?

1

2 extra hours

2

9 extra hours

3

6 extra hours

4

16 extra hours

20

Multiple Choice

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Why should we always have a Leap Year every 4 years?

1

To keep Captain Leap happy.

2

We need to add in one day every 4 years. That way our seasons won't be all out of wack after only 30 years!

3

Everything will be fine. Nothing will happen.

4

Our planet will start rotating the wrong direction, and we will spin off into space.

21

22

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23

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​Winter Solstice - Sun travels the shortest, lowest path through the sky; least daylight & longest night.

Spring (Vernal) Equinox - the Sun is exactly above the Equator

Summer Solstice - Sun travels the longest, highest path through the sky; longest day & shortest night.

Fall (Autumnal) Equinox​ - the Sun is exactly above the Equator

24

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25

Fill in the Blank

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When it is Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is __________________ in the Southern Hemisphere

26

Multiple Choice

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Because of the amount of indirect sunlight, and the distance from the equator, the North and South poles have ...

1

the coldest temperatures and shortest days during winter

2

the coldest temperatures and longest days during winter

3

the warmest temperatures and shortest days during winter

4

the warmest temperatures and longest days during winter

27

Fill in the Blank

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When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, we experience __________________

28

Multiple Choice

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It is the tilt of the Earth that gives us ___________.

1

Seasons

2

Day time

3

Night time

4

Serenity

29

Multiple Choice

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As the Earth tilts on its axis, it is _________ on its axis as well.

1

Revolving

2

Orbiting

3

Skating

4

Rotating

30

Multiple Choice

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What is it called when the Earth goes around the sun?

1

The Earth ORBITS the sun

2

The Earth REVOLVES around the sun

3

The Earth ROTATES around the sun

4

Option one and two are both correct, ORBITS and REVOLVES mean the same thing.

31

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32

Multiple Choice

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Roughly how many times does Earth rotate during each complete revolution?

1

24

2

28

3

60

4

365

33

Fill in the Blank

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When it is Winter in Arizona, what season is Australia experiencing?

34

Multiple Choice

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Which of the following motions causes day and night?

1

the sun's movement in the sky

2

Earth's revolution around the sun

3

Earth's movement in space

4

Earth's rotation on its axis

35

Multiple Choice

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Earth’s tilted axis affects the strength of sunlight in different places on Earth’s surface. If you are in an area that is usually receiving less direct sunlight, where are you located?

1

near the equator

2

near the North Pole

3

near the South Pole

4

near the North or South Pole

36

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37

Multiple Choice

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Earth’s rotation takes about _____, whereas its revolution takes about _____

1

one day; one year

2

one year; one day

3

one month; one year

4

one day; one eclipse

38

Multiple Choice

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What time of the year is the Earth closest to the Sun?

1

in the summer

2

in the winter

3

in the fall

4

in the spring

39

Multiple Choice

Mother Earth's hemispheres are NOT tilted towards or away from our sun twice a year.

1

TRUE

2

FALSE

3

MAYBE

4

THANOS

40

Multiple Choice

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What is the Earth's tilt in degrees?

1

25.3 degrees

2

32.5 degrees

3

28.5 degrees

4

23.5 degrees

41

42

Multiple Choice

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What are the reasons for the seasons?

1

Earth's tilt and rotation.

2

Earth's rotation and revolution.

3

Earth's tilt and revolution.

4

Earth's tilt and resolution

43

Fill in the Blank

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When the Northern Hemisphere is pointing towards the sun, what season is the Southern Hemisphere?

44

Fill in the Blank

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NORTHERN HEMISPHERE - What season is letter A?

45

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Have you ever noticed how the angle of sunlight changes as we move through our season?

46

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47

48

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Summer Solstice - Sun is almost directly overhead and we receive more direct sunlight

Winter Solstice - Sun is lower in the sky, more towards the north, and we receive indirect sunlight

49

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50

Multiple Choice

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The term equinox means....

1

Equal amount of daylight and equal amount of night

2

The longest day of the year

3

Equal amounts of candy for everyone

51

Multiple Choice

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What is it called when the length of day and night are equal?

1

revolution

2

orbit

3

equinox

4

dormant

52

Multiple Choice

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Which day is the autumnal equinox?

1

March 20

2

September 22

3

December 21

53

Multiple Choice

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First day of fall

1

Autumnal Equinox

2

Summer Solstice

3

Winter Solstice

4

Vernal Equinox

54

Fill in the Blank

Mother Earth's hemispheres are NOT tilted towards or away from our sun twice a year, during the spring and fall ________.

55

56

Multiple Choice

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On the day that the northern hemisphere has it's longest day, the southern hemisphere will have it's shortest day.

1

True

2

False

57

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58

Multiple Choice

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When daylight hours are almost equal to night time hours, it is called

1

equinox

2

solstice

59

Multiple Choice

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The day of the year with the fewest daylight hours is called the

1

spring equinox

2

fall equinox

3

summer solstice

4

winter solstice

60

Fill in the Blank

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In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice happens in which month?

61

Fill in the Blank

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In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice happens in which month?

62

Multiple Choice

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What season is letter A?
1
Winter
2
Summer
3
Spring
4
Fall

63

Open Ended

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The seasons are all about what? Please write intelligently and explain the process. Use words such as:

tilt, Earth, direct sunlight, indirect sunlight, Summer, Winter, Northern and Southern hemispheres.

You can use your notes ....

64

Multiple Choice

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What is letter B's Equinox date?
1
June 21
2
December 21
3
March 21
4
September 21

65

Multiple Choice

When the Northern Hemisphere is pointing towards the sun, what season is the Southern Hemisphere?
1
Winter
2
Spring
3
Fall
4
Summer

66

Multiple Choice

What are the reasons for the seasons?
1
Earth's tilt and rotation.
2
Earth's rotation and revolution.
3
Earth's tilt and revolution.
4
Earth's tilt and resolution

67

Multiple Choice

What time of the year is the Earth closest to the Sun?
1
in the summer
2
in the winter
3
in the fall
4
in the spring

68

Multiple Choice

What is the Earth's tilt in degrees?
1
25.3 degrees
2
32.5 degrees
3
28.5 degrees
4
23.5 degrees

69

Multiple Choice

Which definition explains what a solstice is?
1
When the days and nights are equal?
2
When the Sun is at its lowest or highest.
3
When the Sun moves.
4
When we don't see any light for 6 months.

70

Multiple Choice

In what month does the Sun's light strike Utah at the lowest angle?
1
March
2
June
3
September
4
December

71

Multiple Choice

What season is March 21st?
1
Spring
2
Fall
3
Summer
4
Winter

72

Multiple Choice

What direction does the Earth's axis always point?
1
West
2
East
3
North
4
South

Reasons for the Seasons

Do you know why we have fall, winter, spring, and summer seasons?

Give Theia credit !​

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