Objective – Students will understand how Earth’s tilt on its axis changes the length of daylight and creates the seasons.
Seasons Review Guide
Seasons Vocabulary You Should Know and Use
Axis – An imaginary line going from the North Pole to the South Pole. The Earth spins on this line.
Direct Sunlight – Covers a small surface area; heat is concentrated and warmer; Sun is high in the sky; summer heat energy is direct.
Indirect Sunlight – Covers a large surface area; heat is spread out and colder; Sun is low in the sky; winter heat energy is indirect.
Orbit – The path that a planet travels as it goes around the Sun or a moon takes as it goes around a planet.
Revolution – The circling of the Earth around the Sun.(The Moon also revolves around the Earth.)It takes 365 days (one year) for the Earth to revolve once around the Sun.
Rotation – The Earth spinning on its axis.It takes the Earth 24 hours (one day) to revolve one time around its axis.
Seasons – Due to the tilt of Earth as it travels around the Sun, we have spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Tilt – The Earth’s axis is not straight up and down, instead it leans at a 23.5-degree angle.
I. Earth’s Tilt
a. Earth is tilted 23.5o.The Earth’s axis always points towards the North Star (Polaris).
II. Earth’s Revolution
a. Earth moves (revolves) around the Sun.
b. Earth’s orbit is almost a perfect circle as it
revolves around the Sun.
III. Identify the position of the Earth and Sun at the beginning of each season.
IV. Identify the dates of the equinoxes and solstices in both hemisphere.
a. Equinox – “Equal Nights.” Daylight and nighttime hours are both 12 hours long.
b. Solstice –The dates when the Sun appears at its highest in the sky and lowest in the sky.
Date / Event Northern Hemisphere / Event Southern HemisphereMarch 21st / Vernal Equinox / Autumnal Equinox
June 21st / Summer Solstice / Winter Solstice
September 21st / Autumnal Equinox / Vernal Equinox
December 21st / Winter Solstice / Summer Solstice
V. Identify the position of the Sun in the sky during each seasons.
VI. Identify the correct appearance of the Earth in a diagram at each season (with Earth & Sun).
Earth – Northern Hemisphere Summer Earth – Northern Hemisphere Winter
(Summer Solstice) (Winter Solstice)
Northern Hemisphere Autumn (Autumnal Equinox) & Spring (Vernal Equinox)
VII. Define the difference between direct and indirect heat energy from the Sun.
a. In the winter, light comes in at a lower angle. The same amount of heat energy/Sunlight covers a large
area.
b. In the summer, light comes in at a high angle. The same amount of heat energy/Sunlight covers a small
area.
VIII. Compare and contrast revolution and rotation.
a – Rotation b - Revolution
a. Rotation – Earth turns around its axis; rotates once every 24 hours (day).
b. Revolution – Earth revolves around the Sun; revolves once every 365 days (one year).
IX. Describe what causes day and night.
a. Day and night is caused by the rotation of the Earth.
b. When where you are is pointed toward the Sun, it is day. Then the Earth rotates you away from the
Sun, and it is night.
X. Compare hours of daylight during each season.
6 Months Later
Season Northern Hemisphere / Season Southern HemisphereSummer / Winter
Autumn/Fall / Spring
Winter / Summer
Spring / Autumn/Fall
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