Rotation, Revolution, and Seasons Online Review (A)

Directions: For each section, you will find website(s) that you will need to visit in order to answer the questions. Each question needs to be answered using complete sentences.

Section 1: “A Day on Earth” Video

Visit: to answer the questions below.

  1. What is Zoe using to demonstrate the rotation of planets?

Zoe is using a ______to demonstrate the rotations of planets.

  1. ______ causes day and night. One rotation equals ______ day.
  1. Define in your words an axis.

The axis is ______

  1. One full orbit around the sun equals ______year.
  1. True or False: Decide if the following statements are true. If they are false, correct them.
  1. When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
  1. The longer the orbit, the shorter the year.
  1. The amount of ______and ______a planet receives depends on how far it is from the sun.

Section 2: What causes the seasons?

Visit: to answer the questions below.

  1. Why does the earth have seasons? Use your key terms to answer the questions.

Word Bank: Rotation, Revolution, Axis

The Earth has seasons because ______revolves around the ______on a tilted ______axis.

  1. What is the name of the big object that hit our Earth a long time ago?

The name of the big object that hit Earth was ______.

  1. What happened to the Earth’s axis when this big object (from question #2) hit it?

When Theia hit the Earth, it caused the Earth to ______over a bit.

  1. What do scientists believe this big object (from question #2) became? Do you agree? Explain your reasoning.

Most scientists believe that Theia became our ______.

  1. As Earth orbits the sun, its _______ axis always points in the same ______.
  1. Complete the table below using the diagram on the site.

Month / Season / Cause
December / Northern Hemisphere:
Winter
Southern Hemisphere:
Summer / The sun is shining directly on the Southern Hemisphere and indirectly on the Northern Hemisphere.
March / Northern Hemisphere:
Southern Hemisphere: / The sun shines ______on the ______Hemisphere and the ______Hemisphere.
June / Northern Hemisphere:
Southern Hemisphere: / The sun shines ______on the ______Hemisphere and the ______Hemisphere.
September / Northern Hemisphere:
Southern Hemisphere: / The sun shines ______on the ______Hemisphere and the ______Hemisphere.
  1. Why is it summer in June in the Northern Hemisphere, but winter in the Southern Hemisphere? Explain.

It is summer in June in the Northern Hemisphere, because the ______rays hit that part of the Earth more ______than at any other time of the year.

  1. Why is it winter in December in the Northern Hemisphere, but winter in the Southern Hemisphere? Explain.

It is winter in December in the Northern Hemisphere, because that is when it is the ______turn to be tilted towards the sun.

Section 3: Seasons Interactive

Visit: to answer the questions below.

  1. Click on Tropic/Equator. Make sure they are showing.
  1. Select Chicago, Il and Melbourne, AUS to show on the interactive. Chicago is in the Northern Hemisphere, while Melbourne is in the Southern Hemisphere.
  1. Complete the table below.

Month / Daylight Hours / Temperature / Season / Explain / Draw
March / Chicago:
11:48 hours
Melbourne:
12:22 hours / Chicago:
37oF
Melbourne:
64oF / Chicago:
Spring
Melbourne:
Fall / The Northern Hemisphere is tilted equally towards the Sun_, while the Southern Hemisphere is tilted _equally towards the Sun.
June / Chicago:
Melbourne: / Chicago:
Melbourne: / Chicago:
Melbourne: / The Northern Hemisphere is tilted ______, while the Southern Hemisphere is tilted ______.
September / Chicago:
Melbourne: / Chicago:
Melbourne: / Chicago:
Melbourne: / The Northern Hemisphere is tilted ______, while the Southern Hemisphere is tiled ______.
December / Chicago:
Melbourne: / Chicago:
Melbourne: / Chicago:
Melbourne: / The Northern Hemisphere is tilted ______, while the Southern Hemisphere is tilted ______.