Shared by Heather Norman
Details
Space:
inside
Subject:
Science
Grades:
5th Grade
Key Terms:
axis
day
Earth
night
rotation
Sun
sunrise
sunset
Materials:
Light source (Sun)
styrofoam ball (Earth)
skewer (axis)
Lesson Overview
Teacher Overview:
Students will explain what causes day and night on Earth.
Student Summary:
Create a model to explain what causes day and night on Earth.
Lesson Phases
Materials
What represents the Sun in your model?
What is an axis?
The lamp represents the Sun, it is placed in the center of the room. We slid the skewer straight through the styrofoam ball from the top to the bottom. This represents the Earth's axis that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole.
Description:
Describe the materials you're using and what they are representing in your Earth/Sun model.
Day
What is day?
Where does the Sun rise?
What causes the Sun to rise?
The part of Earth that faces the Sun is in daytime. The Sun rises in the east and appears to travel across the sky due to the Earth rotating on its axis.
Description:
Use your model to show daytime.
Night
What is night?
Where does the Sun set?
What causes the Sun to set?
The part of the Earth that is facing away from the Sun is dark and it's nighttime. The Sun sets in the west. The Earth rotating on its axis causes the Sun to appear to move.
Description:
Use your model to show night.