Embedded Files
Introduction
Introduction
In this lesson you will:
learn about objects visible in the sky during night and day
discover how the Earth and Moon move in relation to each other and the Sun
explore the rotation of the Earth.
Inquiry question and intentions
Inquiry question and intentions
Inquiry question:
How does the rotation of Earth cause day and night?
Learning intentions
To identify natural objects that can be seen in the day and night skies.
To understand that the movement of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars across the sky is due to the rotation of Earth.
To describe the rotation of Earth, as being from west to east.
To explain how the rotation of Earth causes day and night on Earth.
To explain why different locations on Earth experience day and night at different times.
To distinguish between an observation and inference.
To compare the length of a day on Earth with other planets in our solar system.
Activity 1 - Spot the difference
Activity 1 - Spot the difference
Background information
Background information
Have you ever wondered why part of the world has daytime while other parts have night? What makes the sun rise in the morning and set at night? We often do not think about what our planet is doing or how it is moving.
Day and night are caused by the rotation of the Earth. Rotation is another word for spinning. You have probably seen models of the Earth as a globe used to show how Earth rotates.
Task 1
Task 1
Use the scroll bar below each image in the interactive to see changes over time.
Describe what you see in the text field below.
When you are finished, export your work as a Word Document to send to your teacher.
Task 2 - Day and night
Task 2 - Day and night
Drag and drop the images in the interactive to classify them as day or night.
Complete these questions in your exercise book or folder:
List at least three natural objects visible in the night sky from the pictures or your own observations.
List at least three natural objects visible in the sky during the day from the pictures above or your observations.
What key features did you use to decide whether it was day or night?
Compare both lists and give reasons to explain any differences or similarities.
Task 3 - True or false questions.
Task 3 - True or false questions.
Answer the questions in the interactive to see what you know so far.
Scroll down the interactive to see all the questions.
Task 4 - Observation
Task 4 - Observation
Read the Google slide to see a year 7 student's observation of the sky during the day and night over a number of weeks.
Complete the following in your exercise book or folder:
If you were going to develop your own explanation about why we have day and night:
What type of data, observations or evidence could you gather to develop your theory?
Outline how you would collect your data, observations or evidence.
Based on your observations of day and night, how would you explain why we have day and night? Support your theory with reasoning and evidence gathered.
Task 5 - Movement of moon and Earth
Task 5 - Movement of moon and Earth
Click on the image to open the Movement of moon and Earth simulation interactive in a new tab.
This simulation shows a person standing on Earth.
The top section shows what you would see in the sky at different times.
The bottom section shows the relative movements of Earth, Sun and Moon. The view of Earth is above the North Pole.
Use the Play and pause button to watch each day.
Move the person to each of the positions where day and night meet.
Observe the motion of Earth, the Moon and the Sun.
What do you notice about when the Moon is in the sky:
during the day?
during the night?
Task 6
Task 6
Complete the cloze passage by dragging the words into the text.
Task 7 - Qualitative and quantitative observations
Task 7 - Qualitative and quantitative observations
Read the information on both slides and complete the questions underneath
Activity 2 - Earth's rotation
Activity 2 - Earth's rotation
Background information
Background information
The orbits of Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around Earth, together with the rotation of Earth about its axis, cause observable patterns. These include day and night, and seasonal changes through the year.
Earth’s rotation on its axis causes the day–night cycle. The Earth’s surface facing towards the Sun experiences daylight, while the other half not facing the Sun experiences night.
Task 1
Task 1
Watch the video, Earth's Rotation and Revolution.
Use information from the video to complete the See, Think, Wonder Google Doc.
Click on the button to open a new tab and view the Google Doc.
Click on the Use Template button to create a copy for you to edit.
Earth's Rotation and Revolution
Duration 4:00
Task 2
Task 2
Match each of these words with their correct description.
Task 3
Task 3
One day on Earth is about 24 hours. More precisely, one day is 23 hours 56 minutes.
The table in the embedded Google Doc shows the length of one day on different planets in our solar system.
Complete the activity using the Google Doc.
Click on the button to open a new tab and view the Google Doc.
Click on the Use Template button to create a copy for you to edit.
Activity 3 - Day and night cycles
Activity 3 - Day and night cycles
Task 1
Task 1
Look at carefully at the three images below.
In your exererise book or folder, describe how each image could be used to explain day and night.
Task 2
Task 2
Read the Letter from Stephanie: Day and Night cycles page on the American Museum of Natural History website.
Watch the video, Frozen South: Antarctica 24 hour Sun at Scott base.
In your exercise book or folder:
Use information from the webpage and the video to explain why there is 24-hour daylight in Antarctica during summer.
Sketch a rough labelled diagram to suport your explaination.
Frozen South: Antarctica 24 hour Sun
Duration 2:07
Exit slip
Exit slip
Handing in your work
Handing in your work
Don't forget to hand in the work you completed today!
Your teacher will have told you to do one of the following:
Upload any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your Learning Management system (MS Teams, Google Classroom for example).
Email any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your teacher.
Make sure you keep any hand written work you did in your exercise book or folder as your teacher may need to see these when you are back in class.
Student reflection
Student reflection
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