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Unit Plan
DOGO Media

Dogo News: Week of 6 27 16: Summer Solstice and Strawberry Moon a Perfect Day!

For Students 6th - 8th
Today, June 20, happens to be the first day of summer or summer "solstice." Derived from the Latin words "sol" for "sun" and "sisto" for "stop," it is the day when the North Pole is most inclined towards the sun. As a result, residents...
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Website
NASA

Nasa: Sci Jinks: What's a Solstice?

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out how the Earth's tilted axis affects the seasons on the Earth.
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Handout
University of St. Andrews (UK)

University of St. Andrews: Zu Chongzhi

For Students 9th - 10th
The University of St. Andrews offers a biography of Zu Chongzhi, a Chinese astronomer and mathematician.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Longest and Shortest Days

For Teachers K
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the longest and shortest days of the year in the United States. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
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Activity
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Plix: Seasons

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This site contains an animation showing how the seasons are produced by the tilt of Earth's rotating axis. Site also includes a short quiz over the topic of seasons.
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Website
NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Scijinks: Seasons

For Students 3rd - 9th
An explanation about the rotation of the Earth and why the Earth has seasons.
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Article
National Earth Science Teachers Association

Windows to the Universe: The Winter Solstice

For Students 9th - 10th
Short explanation of the winter solstice, with a diagram. Available in three versions, Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced. There is also a tab that accesses a Spanish-language version.
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Website
NASA

Nasa Star Child: A Song for All Seasons

For Students 9th - 10th
After listening to excerpts from four of the violin concertos from "The Four Seasons" by Italian composer and violinist, Antonio Vivaldi, decide which excerpt was meant to go with which season, and also decide where the earth would be in...
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Handout
University of St. Andrews (UK)

University of St. Andrews: Claudius Ptolemy

For Students 9th - 10th
This site, which is provided for by the University of St. Andrews, contains biological information as well as the works of Ptolemy.
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Handout
Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement

Our Year

For Students 3rd - 8th
The concept of a year in time and the various kinds of year used in human timekeeping are discussed.
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Website
Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement

Web Exhibit: The Chinese Calendar

For Students 9th - 10th
This website gives very detailed information about all aspects of the Chinese calendar.
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Website
Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement

Web Exhibit: The Christian (Julian) Calendar

For Students 9th - 10th
This website gives very detailed information about all aspects of the Christian (Julian) calendar.
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Graphic
Fundación Cientec

Cientec: Equinoccios Y Solsticios

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about equinoxes and solstices. You will also find a table with date and time of the future equinoxes and solstices in the coming years.
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Website
Instituto Latinoamericano de la Comunicacion Educativa

Red Escolar: Ensalada De Solsticios Y Equinocios

For Students 6th - 8th
In Spanish. This is a quick visual introduction about the autumn equinox and summer solstice.
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Website
Geography 4 kids

Geography4 kids.com: Earth Around the Sun

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find out what all results from Earth revolving around the sun every 365 days as well as the rotation of the Earth every 24 hours.
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Activity
Math Is Fun

Math Is Fun: The Seasons

For Students 3rd - 8th
Learn about the four seasons, when they occur in the northern and southern hemispheres, and why the seasons change as the Earth rotates around the Sun.
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Earth and Space the Seasons

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart explores the relationship between the sun and earth and how the seasons happen. Vocabulary of the equinox, solstice, etc. is included.
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Article
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies

Mocomi: Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

For Students 2nd - 8th
Provides interesting facts about the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and why they are important.