Curated OER
Stargazers And Skywatchers
Students recognize the daily motion of the Sun across the sky, defining the main directions of east, west, south and north. They see how the first calendars were based on changes in the Sun's noontime elevation, and on locations of...
Curated OER
Stargazers and Skywatchers
Young scholars observe the daily motions of the sun and relate them to the functions of a sundial. They determine the locations of sunrises and sunsets and determine how the elevation of the sun effects temperature.
Curated OER
Visiting the Arctic Circle
Students familiarize themselves with the Arctic Circle by locating it on a globe and wall map. They discuss they climate in the North Pole and the reasons for its low temperatures. They compare and contrast the climates of the Arctic...
Curated OER
Tracking Sunrise and Sunset
Students collect, record, and graph the sunrise and sunset times. They explain how the relationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and its yearly orbit around the sun produces the seasons.
Curated OER
Navigation
Students study the basic methods for finding one's position on Earth. Latitude can be deduced from the height above the horizon of the pole star or of the noontime Sun, while longitude requires an accurate clock giving universal time.
Curated OER
The Celestial Sphere
Students are introduced to the celestial sphere, describing its apparent rotation and the special role of the pole star.
Curated OER
Seasons in 3D: Student Exploration
For this seasons exploration worksheet, students review vocabulary and answer prior knowledge questions, then use the Seasons in 3D Gizmo to complete exploration activities.
Curated OER
Measuring The Earth
Students use their geometry and trigonometry skills to determine the distance between their school and another school.
Curated OER
The Role of Dragons in Chinese Culture
Students discuss the concept of symbolism in China and America and create their own "dragon boats" for evaluation and display. This Art instructional activity can be easily integrated into an elementary unit on China.
Curated OER
Winter Holidays
Students investigate the traditions associated with winter holidays. They examine why most of the holidays are associated with light. They examine the origins and customs of these holidays before creating an original holiday.
Curated OER
Reasons for Seasons
Learners track photoperiod (daylight hours) over time and predict how daylight change during different seasons. This helps build their understanding that ever-changing daylight is the driving force for migrations and all other seasonal...
Curated OER
What Causes the Seasons?
Third graders investigate why the seasons occur throughout the year. They read a traditional wisdom story pertaining to the seasons. They create their own wisdom stories about the seasons and act them out for the class.
Curated OER
Length of the Day & the Seasons
Students answer questions for each of the graphs and record their answers on the Student Observation Sheet. They use the data they have collected, hypothesize which graph represents which month of the year using each graph. They then...
Curated OER
Properties of Earth: Word Search
In this word search worksheet, students search for words related to the Earth, the sun and it's movements. Terms include seasons, features, and movements.
Curated OER
Vocabulary Quiz: Grade Three
In this vocabulary worksheet, learners match vocabulary words to the left with definitions to the right, 15 total. Worksheet contains links to additional activities.
DOGO Media
Dogo News: Week of 6 27 16: Summer Solstice and Strawberry Moon a Perfect Day!
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...
Other
Earth Sky: Everything You Need to Know: December Solstice 2014
Winter solstice, earliest sunset, latest sunrise. It seems that, in the Northern Hemisphere anyway, these three events should happen on the same day. Read this explanation of the changing of the seasons and learn why the winter solstice...
Environmental Education for Kids
Eek!: Seasonal Observations: Summer
While many of us consider it summer once school is released, this season technically begins with the summer solstice - the longest day of the year - on June 21 and continues until the fall equinox in September.
Other
Lunar and Planetary Institute: Sky Tellers: Myths, Magic, Mysteries of Universe
Very nice website with excellent graphics depicting the change of the seasons and how the seasons are different between the northern and southern hemisphere. Also has a nice informational table of the spring and fall equinox and summer...
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey: The Seasons
Find out what the seasons are and how they change. Through the use of excellent graphics, content explores the Earth's orbit around the sun and how sunlight reaches the earth at equinox and the winter solstice.
National Geographic
National Geographic: A Reason for the Season
This site provides a learning activity that can be adapted for all age levels that deals with the seasons. Students are asked to become a "season sleuth" and discover what causes the seasons to change.
Instituto Latinoamericano de la Comunicacion Educativa
Red Escolar: Ensalada De Solsticios Y Equinocios
In Spanish. This is a quick visual introduction about the autumn equinox and summer solstice.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Sands of Time
In this activity, students can use a graphing calculator to find a regression equation and then interpolate the data from the equation using integration. They will explore the length of day during the winter and summer solstice at...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Confluence Creations: Chaco Canyon Tour
Take a tour of the Chaco Canyon archaeological site. The map takes you to the many dwellings and important astronomical sites. Virtual tours are available if you have Quick Time.