Seasons

Seasons

Ch-ch-ch-changes, turn and face the change, ch-ch-changes...time may change me, but I can't change time

Learning Objective:

• We will model and illustrate how the tilted Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night, and revolves around the Sun causing changes in seasons.

What is Rotation?

• Turning or spinning on an axis.

• Axis – an imaginary line that runs through both poles of Earth.

• Earth’s rotation causes day and night to occur.

• Earth completes one rotation on its axis every 24 hours.

Example

You spin me right round, baby, right round like a record, baby, right round round round

Example

Spinning in an Office Chair, try not to vomit

Example

A spinning top...was it all a dream?

Example

Spinning a ball on your fingertip

Open Ended

What is an axis?

Poll

Which example helped you understand Rotation best?

• The record.

• The chair.

• The top.

• The ball.

Multiple Choice

Thought Exercise: What spins fastest in a rotating object?

• The center.

• The middle.

• The edge.

Multiple Choice

How does rotation affect the Earth?

• Day and Night Cycle.

• Keep the Moon in Orbit.

What is Revolution?

• The action of one object moving completely around another in an orbital path.

• Orbit - the path an object takes as it revolves around another object.

• Earth’s tilt and revolution around the Sun causes seasons.

• It takes the Earth 365 days (1 year) to revolve around the Sun one time.

Example

Race cars moving around a track

Example

The Moon orbiting the Earth

Example

Planets in orbit around the Sun

Poll

Which example helped you best understand Revolution?

• NASCAR.

• The Moon.

• The Solar System.

Multiple Choice

How does the Earth revolve around the Sun?

• Clockwise.

• Counterclockwise.

Let's Talk about Hemispheres

• The equator divides Earth into 2 equal hemispheres (half spheres).

• The northern hemisphere is located above the equator and the southern hemisphere below the equator.

• The northern and southern hemispheres experience opposite seasons.

Multiple Choice

If it is Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, then the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing …

• Spring.

• Summer.

• Autumn.

• Winter.

Multiple Choice

What divides the Earth in Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

• Prime Meridian.

• Equator.

What's up with the Solstice?

• Occurs 2 times per year when the Sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon.

• A solstice is marked by the longest or shortest day of the year.

• Summer Solstice – marks the longest day of the year (most sunlight); generally occurs around June 21-22 in the northern hemisphere.

• Winter Solstice – marks the shortest day of the year (least sunlight); generally occurs around December 21-22 in the northern hemisphere.

Multiple Select

When are the Solstices? The longest day and the shortest day.

• June.

• March.

• December.

• September.

The Equinoxes

• Occurs 2 times per year when the Sun crosses the plane of the equator.

• An equinox is marked by equal day and night – 12 hours of each.

• Vernal Equinox – equal day and night; generally occurs around March 21-22 in the northern hemisphere.

• Autumnal Equinox – equal day and night; generally occurs around September 22-23 in the northern hemisphere.

Multiple Select

When are the Equinoxes? When the day and night is equal length.

• June.

• March.

• September.

• December.

Poll

Is the Earth's orbit and axis tilt consistent over time?

• Yes.

• No.

Multiple Choice

Do Milankovitch Cycles contribute to long-term Climate Change?

• Yes.

• No.

Deep Dive into Seasons

• The Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees on its axis.

• Remember - Seasons occur due to the Earth’s tilt on its axis and revolution around the Sun.

Multiple Choice

What is the current tilt of the Earth's axis?

• 24.5^o

• 23.5^o

• 22.5^o

Multiple Choice

When the Earth moves around the Sun we call it:

• Revolution.

• Rotation.

How We Experience Seasons

• Summer – the warmest season of the year; longer days and shorter nights.

• Autumn (Fall) – the weather becomes colder and leaves begin to fall from plants; equal days and nights

• Winter – the coldest season of the year; shorter days and longer nights.

• Spring – the weather becomes warmer and plants and flowers begin to grow again; equal days and nights.

Poll

Which Season is your favorite?

• Spring.

• Summer.

• Autumn.

• Winter.

Poll

Do you believe we should get rid of daylights saving time?

• Yes.

• No.

Multiple Choice

Which season has the longest days?

• Spring.

• Summer.

• Autumn.

• Winter.

Multiple Select

Which seasons have more equal days and nights?

• Spring,

• Summer.

• Autumn.

• Winter.

Multiple Choice

Which season has the longest nights?

• Spring.

• Summer.

• Autumn.

• Winter.

Open Ended

Brainstorm: What happens to the length of daylight hours as winter approaches?

Open Ended

Brainstorm: Why do the northern and southern hemispheres experience opposite seasons?

Open Ended

Brainstorm: Identify one example of rotation and one example of revolution. Do not use an example that has already been discussed.

Open Ended

How can I make this lesson better? Use complete sentences with capitalization and punctuation in your response.

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