Names: __________________________________________________________________________ Per: _____
Sepup Seasons Interactive: http://sepuplhs.org/middle/iaes/students/simulations/sepup_seasons5.html
Essential Questions: What is the relationship between the axial tilt of the Earth, latitude and temperature? How
do these work together to give us our seasons? (to be answered at the conclusion of this activity)
Go to the website listed above. Fill in the definitions/descriptions of the following:
*Equator:
*Latitude:
*Fill in the latitudes of some other locations: Circle if this location is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.
North Pole: ____________________________________
Northern
Southern
South Pole: ____________________________________
Northern
Southern
Chicago, Illinois: ________________________________
Northern
Southern
Anchorage, Alaska: ______________________________
Northern
Southern
Quito, Ecuador: _________________________________
Northern
Southern
Melbourne, Australia: ____________________________
Northern
Southern
*Tropic of Cancer:
*Tropic of Capricorn:
Click on CONTINUE TO INTERACTIVE: What is the tilt degree of the Earth on its axis? _____________
*Click the right arrow to go through each month. What happens to the tilt in each month?
*What is the distance (in km) of the Earth from the sun in each of the months?
January: _____________________
February: ____________________
March: ______________________
April: _______________________
May: ________________________
June: ________________________
July: _________________________
August: ______________________
September: ____________________
October: ______________________
November: ____________________
December: ____________________
*Circle IN RED the month(s) when the Earth is the farthest from the sun. HIGHLIGHT the month(s) when the
Earth is closest to the sun.
Press SHOW TROPICS/EQUATOR. Answer each question with Tropic of Cancer,
Equator, and/or Tropic of Capricorn
*In January, which receives the most direct sunlight? ______________________________________________
*In July, which receives the most direct sunlight? _________________________________________________
*In March (and September), which receives the most direct sunlight? __________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
*Chicago is closest to ________________________________________________________________________
*Fill in the number of daylight hours in Chicago for each of the months and then circle the correct answer.
December: _________________
The hours of
day
March: ____________________
The hours of day are
night
shorter
are longer.
longer
about the same
as the hours of night.
June: ______________________
The hours of
day
September: _________________
The hours of day are
night
shorter
are longer.
longer
about the same
as the hours of night.
*The Summer Solstice has the longest day so based on this data, this solstice happens in the month of
_____________________ in Chicago, but in the month of _______________________________ in Melbourne.
*The Winter Solstice has the shortest day so based on this data, this solstice happens in the month of
__________________________ in Chicago but in the month of __________________________ in Melbourne.
*The Equinox (equal) refers to the times of the year when the hours of day and night are equal. In which month
would Chicago experience the Vernal (spring) Equinox? ____________________________ In which month
would Chicago experience the Autumnal (fall) Equinox? ___________________________________________
*Write a statement about the number of daylight hours in Quito throughout the year and EXPLAIN why Quito
is different from the other locations in this interactive.
*Change the tilt to 0. What does this do to the number of hours of daylight and temperature?
Summary Statement: (Answer your essential questions here. Be sure to reference the evidence you observed
in this interactive.)