Earth's Movement

Earth's Movement

Unit 3 Science

Earth

Our planet, Earth, moves in two ways. The Earth circles around the sun. It takes about 365 days, which is one year, for Earth to orbit the sun.

Earth

Earth also moves by spinning, or rotating, on its axis. It is this spinning that makes day and night on Earth and the motion of the sun across the sky from sunrise to sunset. It takes one day for Earth to make one complete rotation on its axis. As Earth rotates and spins, different parts of it face the sun. When the part facing the sun gets sunlight, it is daytime on that side of Earth. The part that faces away from the sun gets no sunlight. So, on that side of Earth, it is nighttime. Did you know that when it is daytime where we live, it is nighttime on the other side of Earth?

Multiple Choice

The Earth spins on its

• equator

• axis

• hemisphere

Multiple Choice

How many days does it take for the Earth to orbit around the sun?

• 1 day

• 24 days

• 365 days

Open Ended

When our side of the Earth is facing AWAY from the sun it is what time of day?

Earth spins on its axis. On the side of Earth facing the sun, it is daytime. On the side facing away from the sun, it is nighttime.

Earth

When Earth rotates on its axis, it is tilted. At certain times of the year, one part of Earth is tilted toward the sun. The sunlight is more direct and it feels hotter. For people living on this part of Earth, it is summer. For people living on the part of Earth tilted away from the sun, there is less sunlight and it is winter. So, when it is summertime for us, there are people living on other parts of Earth where it is winter! So, the fact that Earth is tilted on its axis is what creates the seasons of the year.

Multiple Choice

Earth is NOT tilted, it is up straight.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

When Earth is tilted AWAY from the sun it is what season?

• Summer

• Winter

When Earth is tilted on its axis towards the sun, it is spring and summer. When Earth is tilted on its axis away from the sun, it is fall and winter.