Curated OER
DAY AND NIGHT
Students use a lamp as the sun and his/her body as the earth. They rotate in different directions to explain how the earth moves around the sun. Using specific questions in their discussion, students discover the reasons for day and night.
Magic of Physics
Rotating Sky
Ever found it difficult to observe the night sky with pupils because school takes place during the day? Host a stellar lesson using a detailed night sky interactive! Scholars view the apparent rotation of the sky from the comfort of the...
Curated OER
The Starry Night Time and Day Time
Second graders complete a unit of lessons on the solar system. They complete various art projects inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' create a moon phases book, create a moon phase wind chime, develop a timeline of space exploration,...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Our Restless Planet
Students examine the topic of the Earth's rotation, revolution, and orbit. They observe teacher-led demonstrations, explore various websites, write journal entries, conduct a demonstration of why Earth experiences day and night, and...
Q Continuum
Planets
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what constellation you were seeing or whether that bright object was a star or a planet? Are you searching for the best tilt-to-view constellation and planet app that money can't buy?...
Curated OER
NIGHT AND DAY: DAILY CYCLES IN SOLAR RADIATION
High schoolers examine how Earth's rotation causes daily cycles in solar energy using a microset of satellite data to investigate the Earth's daily radiation budget and locating map locations using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Curated OER
Space Jeopardy Game
Young scholars explore space. For this space lesson, students analyze the sky and what causes its changes. Young scholars describe the moon patterns and use a model to show changes in its shape. Students also describe the first trip to...
Curated OER
Bill Nye Video: Earth's Seasons
In this earth's seasons activity, students answer fill in the blank questions after seeing Bill Nye's video. Topics include the rotation of the earth around the sun, the tilt of the earth, the time zones and sunlight.
Curated OER
Day and Night in the Desert
Learners illustrate scenes showing day and nighttime activities in the desert. They include plant and animal life including predators and prey.
Curated OER
Earth's Movement in Space
Students explain how the Earth's tilt and rotation causes night and day. In this earth science lesson, students determine how seasonal changes are caused by Earth's revolution. They play a jeopardy team game at the end of the unit to...
Curated OER
Why Do We Have Night?
Learners engage in a fun, creative way to discover how the Earth moves. This lesson helps students explain why there is day and night. It can also create curiosity to further study the solar system and eclipses!
Lake Afton Public Observatory
Shadows, Angles, and the Seasons
Shine some light on the topic of seasonal change with this collection of activities. Whether it's by measuring the change in the length of their shadows, or modeling the earth's orbit around the sun using a lamp and a globe, these simple...
Curated OER
The Sun Affects Earth
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders examine how the sun effects the Earth's...
Curated OER
The Sun
In this earth science learning exercise, 3rd graders go outside on a day that has both sun and clouds. They explain, without looking at the sun, how they can tell when the sun is hidden by clouds. They look at pictures that show the sun...
Curated OER
How Big Are Earth, Sun, and Moon?
Third graders draw what they believe is in space on a dry erase board. In groups, they are given a beaker half filled with water and they add a teaspoon of oil, observing the different layers that form. To end the lesson, they identify...
Curated OER
Day and Night
Students using experiments try to demonstrate how observations can be affected by the cycles of night and day.
Curated OER
Moon Phases, Day/Night
Fifth graders observe a demonstration that shows how the alignment of the sun, moon, earth relate to the phases of the moon that occur each month. They describe the moon's phases after experimenting in a small group setting and recording...
Curated OER
The Four Seasons - Earth's Axis
Young scholars discover that it is the tilt of the earth's axis that results in the seasons. They clarify common misconceptions about the earth's orbit around the sun.
Curated OER
Earth, Sun and Moon
Students investigate that the sun is at the center of the solar system through role play. One student is the sun and one student is the Earth. The students then show how the Earth orbits around the sun. Students view a flashlight and...
University of Texas
Observing the Moon
Why does it look like there is a man on the moon? Why does the moon look different every night? These are the focus questions of a lesson that prompts class members to observe and record the nightly changes of Earth's natural satellite.
Weber State University
The Sun and the Seasons
Why is there more daylight in June than in December if you live above the equator? How does the angle of sunlight shift throughout the year? Answer these questions and more with an interactive article about the sun, its path through the...
Curated OER
Shadow Trackers
Students use online websites to inquire about the cycle of day and night. In this web based lesson, students are able to see the movement of the sun and Earth. Students can look at different parts of the Earth as if they were on the Sun...
Curated OER
Seasons
Students investigate the reason for seasons on Earth during three activities. They construct a model of the Earth and Sun to identify patterns in the changes of the angle of light on the Earth's surface. Then they conduct a heat...
Curated OER
As the Earth Turns
First graders explore why the sun and moon seems to disappear and reappear creating day and night.