Solstices and Equinoxes Activity - Flipped Out Science ...

Name: _________________________________

Date: __________

Period: _____

Solstices and Equinoxes Activity

TEKS: 8.7A - model and illustrate how the tilted Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night, and revolves around the Sun causing changes in seasons ATL Skill: Critical thinking skills - Draw reasonable conclusions and generalizations Goals: Students will learn about the following ?

? Know how the Earth's rotation and axis causes the seasons of the year, by varying the length of the local day and the angle at which the Sun's rays strike the Earth.

? Recognize that seasons in the southern and northern hemisphere occur at opposite parts of the year

? Seasons are different dependent on where you are on Earth (equator vs. North America) ? Know that the polar day, where the Sun never sets and the polar night, where it never rises Directions: Use provided links to answer the following questions. Part 1: Get the facts! Go to the Nat Geo links (one is a website and one is a video). 1. Define "Equinoxes" - __________________________________________________________

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2. What are the "average" dates for the equinoxes? ____________________________________

3. What is the angle of the Earth's tilt? ___________________________________

4. The top of the Earth (the North Pole) does not always tilt toward the sun. It stays in the same position. So, as the planet revolves, sometimes it tilts toward the sun and sometimes the North Pole tilts away. How are those times connected to the seasons of the year? ______________

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5. Why does winter in the northern hemisphere (e.g. in the US) correspond to summer in the southern hemisphere (e.g. Argentina), and vice versa? ______________________________

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6. What are the solstices and when do they occur? ___________________________________

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7. Explain Stonehenge: __________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

8. Choose one solstice celebration. Discuss and explain it: _______________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Part 2: Make Connections! Go to the Sun Movement Simulation link. Change where the sun moves in the sky by moving the slider. Watch the Sun move by hitting the play button.

Month of Summer Solstice:

Month of Fall Equinox:

Month of Spring Equinox:

Month of Winter Solstice:

1. Why is the Sun so low in the sky for the Winter Solstice? _______________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

2. Why is the Sun in the same position or angle for both the Spring and Fall Equinoxes? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Day/Night Boundary on the World Map:

Go to the link and find out which part of the world is in shade (night) right now. Check out different times of day and observe how the light and dark move across the map. Pick the current time ("Now") for North America and draw your observations on the map below.

Today's Date: ____________

Current Time: _________

Under the map there are options to choose from. Explore the differences that occur on the map between the solstices and equinoxes. Write down any observations you have on the changing light: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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