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Science topics ages 9 - 10
Earth, Sun and Moon
Curriculum relevance | Online lesson plan
Offline lesson plan |
Worksheet |
Activity |
Quiz
Offline lesson plan
Objectives
Understand that it is the Earth that moves, not the Sun, and the Earth spins on its axis once every 24 hours
Know that it is daytime in the part of the Earth facing the Sun and night-time in the part of the Earth away from the Sun
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National Curriculum
England: Key Stage 2, Science, Sc4 4c
Wales: Key Stage 2, Physical processes 4.4
Northern Ireland: Key Stage 3, Physical processes, Earth in space, b
Scotland: 5-14 Guidelines, Science, Earth in space, Level B
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Resources required
Copies of the Earth, Sun and Moon worksheet printed from the Science Clips website
Globe, light source (e.g. overhead projector light)
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Teaching activities
Introduction
Ask a child to act as the Sun. Explain that the Sun is at the centre of the Solar System. Ask another child to act as the Earth and show how the Earth orbits around the Sun. Then ask the 'the Earth' to spin as it orbits the Sun. Does anyone know how long it takes for the Earth to spin once on its own axis?
Activitives
Set up the globe and the light so they are level and the light is shining on the globe. Explain to the children that the light represents the Sun, and the globe represents the Earth. How much of the Earth is in light and how much is in shadow? In which half would it be night-time and in which half would it be daytime?
Locate the UK on the globe. Turn the globe so the UK is directly opposite the light, in shadow. Is it daytime or night-time in the UK? Explain that it is precisely midnight. Rotate the globe anticlockwise and stop where the change from darkness to light occurs. What would we be experiencing in the UK now? What time would it be? Continue to rotate slowly. Stop when the UK faces the light beam directly. What time would it be now in the UK (midday)? Slowly continue to rotate. Stop where the change from light to darkness occurs. What we would be experiencing in the UK now? What time would it be? Continue to rotate slowly until the UK is facing directly away from the light again. What time is it now? How long does it take for the Earth to complete one spin? Ensure children understand that one complete turn takes 24 hours (one day).
Hand out copies of the worksheet. Let children complete it independently, shading in each diagram where it is night on Earth.
Plenary
Review the worksheet. Discuss how it doesn't appear to us on Earth that the Earth is moving, but it appears that the Sun moves and it appears to rise and set in the sky.
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Extension
Fasten a matchstick to the UK on the globe with a piece of blu-tack. Ask children to make observations of the shadow as they rotate the Earth through a day.
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Suggested homework
Ask children to calculate, using their age, the answers to the following questions. How many times have they rotated with the Earth?
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