Year level: Year 6/7

Topic: Space - Earth and Sun

Content description (ACARA):
Grade 7
Predictable phenomena on Earth, including seasons
and eclipses, are caused by the relative positions of
the sun, Earth and the moon (ACSSU115)
Elaborations
investigating natural phenomena such as lunar and
solar eclipses, seasons and phases of the moon
Comparing times for the rotation of Earth, the sun
and moon, and comparing the times for the orbits of
Earth and the moon
Explaining why different regions of the Earth
experience different seasonal conditions
Modelling the relative movements of the Earth, sun
and moon and how natural phenomena such as solar
and lunar eclipses and phases of the moon occur

Lesson objectives:
1. Students will understand the orbiting patterns of the
earth around the sun
2. Students will be able to determine how days, years
and day and night are controlled by the earths
movement around the sun
3. Students will be able to understand the concept of
seasons and how they effect different parts of the earth
Assessment:
Formative - student work in science books, class
discussion.
Materials:
- Model earth (pre-purchsed or made)
- Torch
- SMARTboard
- Single light bulb (from home)
Resources:
- Big Ideas: Science Resource - Chapter 5: The Earth,
Sun and Moon

Introduction (10 mins)

Ask students 3 facts that they remember from Natashas lesson. Let them know that today we will be looking at
those things in more detail and specifically focussing on the earth and sun. Ask if anyone remembers the orbiting
patterns of the earth? Get students to demonstrate orbiting pattern - talk about rotation, orbit and tilt. If students
don't remember tilt - tell students that it is about 23.4 degrees - demonstrate what this looks like.
Explore (65 mins)
Tell students we are going to conduct a number of experiments as a class with challenge questions attached to two
of the experiments. The 3 experiments will be conducted at 20 (ish) minute intervals throughout the lesson so
students have time to address the challenge questions attached to the experiments. Ask students to set out their
science books like this (see below) for each experiment.
Activity 1:
Tell students that we are going to look at day and night. Ask students to make a prediction/hypothesis (in their
science books) about how day and night happens.
Demonstrate day and night using a torch and a model earth (instructions below)
Ask students - which way should the earth spin? and why? Get them to write their thoughts in their books. Hint: It is
dawn in Melbourne two hours before the Sun comes up in Perth. Discuss with class.
Challenge (see below)
Activity 2:
Tell students we are now going to look at the concept of a year. Ask students to make a prediction/hypothesis about
how a year happens.
Demonstrate a year using light globe and model earth (instructions below)
Ask students - how many times should the Earth spin in one orbit? why? Get them to write their thoughts in their
books. Discuss with class. Mention the leap year - does anyone know why we might have a leap year? (rotates
365.25 times so every 4 years a day is added to February to make up for it)
Activity 3:
Tell students we are now going to look at the seasons. Ask students to make a prediction/hypothesis about how the
seasons happen.
Demonstrate the seasons using light globe and model earth (instructions below).
Ask students (after having stopped at halfway around the circle in the demonstration) - How is it different? Which
part of the Earth is having summer? Which part is having winter?
Challenge (see below)
End point (10 mins)
If time, ask students 3 things they found interesting about the lesson. Let students know about homework (see
below for problem based inquiry questions) and be clear about expectations (eg. they will have time in class on the
Monday to complete this assessment task so this is for them to start researching some ideas)

Science book layout >

Title of Experiment
Prediction/hypothesis:
What actually happened:
Answer to experiment questions:
Answer to challenge questions:

Experiments
Day and Night demonstration*
Make classroom as dark as possible
Shine light from torch onto model earth (light side is day, dark side is night)
Rotate the model earth so that dawn, then dusk, then dawn appear
Year demonstration*
Darken classroom and set single light on a stand in the middle of the room (the sun)
Hold model earth and walk in a circle around lamp (make sure to spin the earth)
Seasons demonstration*
Hold model earth so that it is tilted slightly (imagine the earth is tilted to point 1 and 7 on a clock
face.
Walk slowly in a circle around the lamp while rotating model earth.
Stop halfway around the circle and look at model earth.
*Taken from Big Ideas: Science Resource - Chapter 5: The Earth, Sun and Moon

Challenge questions:
Day and night
If you lived in the North pole or South pole, what might your days and nights look like?
Demonstrate with a diagram.
Seasons
Looking at the sunrise and sunset times for seven days in winter and summer (shown on
SMARTboard) - calculate the length of the day and length of the night. Present your findings in a
table. What do you notice about day and night length for each season? How can you explain the
difference?

Earth has been struck

by a small Asteroid!
Dont worry you survived. The asteroid was small but still it has
caused significant changes to Earth!
WHAT YOU KNOW:

You have discovered that Earths tilt of 23.4 degrees is gone. Earth appears
to be well no longer tilted on its axis.
Also, you believe that earth is not rotation as fast.
You know that this means significant changes to our seasonal cycle, days and
nights, climate, and other aspects of life on Earth.

ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

How will the length of a year change?

How will the length of a day change?

How will the length of length of day and length of a night change?

How will the seasons change?

What will our new climate be like?

What will tides be like?

The South Pole is

Melting and Earth is
Tipping Over!
WHAT YOU KNOW:

Ocean levels have been on the slow and steady rise but due to drastic and
rapid climate change the South Pole is melting even faster now, super fast,
like an ice cube on hot pavement. You believe that because of this, the earth
it going to be unevenly weighted and it will start to tip over. You have
discovered that Earths tilt of 23.4 degrees is changing. In fact it is increasing
and quickly. Currently it is at 28.5 degrees and changing.

You know that this means significant changes to our seasonal cycle, days
and nights, climate, and other aspects of life on Earth.

ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

How will the length of a year change?

How will the length of a day change?

How will the length of length of day and length of a night change?

How will the seasons change?

What will our new climate be like?

What will tides be like?

Did you see the Moon

explode last night?
NO What, we have two Moons?
The Earths Moon has been struck by an asteroid. You did not see the
collision because it was during the full moon and it happened during
your day time. Too bad!
WHAT YOU KNOW:
Our moon is not the same. In fact we have two Moons!
The original moon is now smaller and missing a chunk off its side. Our
second moon appears to be the missing chunk off the original moon. The
new moon appears to be revolving around the old moon. You know that this
means our old lunar cycle is obsolete. You have been working very hard to
determine a new Lunar Cycle and what effects this new cycle will have on
Earth.
ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
How are the two objects now moving in space?
How many Moon Phases will there be?
What effect will two moons have on tides?
Will this affect other aspects of life on earth?
Come up with a new lunar calendar that will match the two new moon
phases and cycles.

The Sun is
Gigantic and
Summer Was Really
Cold This Year
Over the past year the sun has been increasing in size. It looks
really cool! However summer break was strange, it was really
cold.
WHAT YOU KNOW:
The sun has been increasing in size over the past year. But it has not gotten
any hotter. You are certain that the Earth is revolving around the sun much
faster twice as fast in fact! You are also observing that days are really long
and the sun s rising and setting strange times, you are pretty sure it is
rotating 25% slower, meaning days are longer.
You know that this means significant changes to our seasonal cycle, days and
nights, climate, and other aspects of life on Earth.

ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

How will the length of a year change?
How will the length of a day change?
How will the length of length of day and length of a night change? How will
the seasons change?
What will our new climate be like?
What will tides be like?
Construct a new calendar that will match the new length in year