Embedded Files
Introduction
Introduction
Why Do We Have Day and Night
Have you ever noticed how the sun rises in the morning, moves across the sky, and then disappears at night? What cause day and night?
In this lesson, we are going to uncover the science behind day and night. You will find out how the Earth’s rotation creates light and darkness in different parts of the world. When your side of the Earth turns toward the sun, it is daytime. When your side turns away, it becomes night.
In this lesson, you’ll become a science detective to figure out:
Why we have day and night
How the Earth’s rotation makes shadows move
What’s really happening when we say “the Sun is rising”
This activity supports English outcomes EN2-HANDW-02, EN2-CWT-01, EN2-CWT-03, and EN2-VOCAB-01 as students express their ideas in writing using relevant vocabulary, and it links to Geography outcome GE2-1 as they explore how the Earth’s movements affect the rising and setting of the Sun (NSW Education Standards Authority, 2017).
Lets find out below to see what is spinning to create day and night. Click on the video to get learning!
The big idea
The big idea
You now know It is the Earth spinning not the Sun moving that causes day and night! Over this lesson you will need to remember that.
The Earth spins on its axis, and this spinning causes day and night.
As you explore this page, think about how the Earth's movement changes what we see in the sky and why some places are in light while others are in darkness. Look at the diagram below to understand how the earth is spinning to create day and night not the sun.
Think about a globe, it is spinning on its axis. This is just like how the real Earth moves. As it spins, different parts of the Earth face the Sun, which gives us day and night.
As the earth spins to create day and night it also means that shadows are going to be in different places depending on the position of the earth facing the sun
Which countries are in daylight right now? Which are in darkness? Pin day and night into the map below
NOTE: Choose a place in the world where you think it’s daytime or nighttime. Add a pin, label it with the location, and write:
“It is day/night in [location] because…”
Where is day? where is it night?
This activity helps students to achieve outcome ST2-10ES-S by investigating how the Earth and Sun cause regular changes like day and night.
Draw
Draw
Using google drawing to draw what you think happens when it turns night.
What i think - Google Drawings
This task supports outcome ST2-2DP-T as children select and use tools and materials to create a model or design that shows their understanding.
References
Cunnington, S. (2025). Engage. engage - Google Forms
Cunnington, S. (2025). What do YOU think?. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1pAkMFCPJyE-11C3Vij0vRS5dxBUbzOXvGLJ63DOyJwc
Cunnington, S. (2025). What I think. What i think - Google Drawings
Cunnington, S. (2025). Where is day? Where is it night?. https://padlet.com/stephc04/where-is-day-where-is-it-night-b5olfhspy6r74185
eBay. (n.d.). Globe of the Earth. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/658AAOSwYjdgQUfq/s-l1600.jpg
Learning Junction. (n.d.). Day and night || video for kids. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr-CRKsTYGs
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). (2017). English K–10 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/english
NSW Education Standards Authority. (2015). Geography K–10 Syllabus. https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/
Time and Date AS. (n.d.). Day and night world map. Time and Date. https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunearth.html
Unknown author. (n.d.). Shadow diagram. Blogspot. https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8qW526UcFyM/YRjboZZqT6I/AAAAAAAAElo/Oqhd37_NVRYvw5VqSVi0E-BGIibP6HStwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1029/02%2B-%2BCopy.jpg
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