Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Competency
4e – DOK 2
8th Grade –
Lesson 8.2
Name: ____________________________________ Period: ____
Explain how the tilt of Earth’s axis and the position of the Earth in
relation to the sun determine climatic zones, seasons, and length of
the days.
I can explain that the tilt of the Earth’s axis causes seasons. I can
determine the season in a hemisphere based on how sunlight hits it.
Page
2
Unit 8 – Weather: Earth’s Seasons
Quick Review:
1. The molecule that is found inside of all cells that contains the instructions for how the
cell functions = DNA
2. A section of DNA that determines a specific trait = gene
3. The four nucleotides that make up DNA are adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine
4. For the instructions in DNA to be turned into action by the cell, the DNA is used to
make RNA by transcription, and RNA is used to make protein by translation.
5. A scientist has one strand of DNA below. What is the complementary strand?
A–T–C–C–G–A–T–T–A–G
Key Points on Earth’s Seasons:
1. The Earth rotates around its axis which is titled at an angle of 23.5°. The tilt of the
Earth’s axis is what gives us seasons.
2. The tilt of the Earth’s axis does NOT change. As the Earth revolves (orbits) around the
Sun, parts of the Earth are pointed toward the Sun and parts are pointed away from
the Sun.
a. The hemisphere that is pointed toward the Sun has summer.
b. The hemisphere that is pointed away the Sun has winter.
3. When a hemisphere is not pointed toward or away from the Sun, it is either spring or
fall.
4. The Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere have opposite seasons. When
it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
a. The Northern Hemisphere is above the equator and the Southern Hemisphere is
below the equator.
b. The United States is located in the Northern Hemisphere.
Earth’s Seasons: Guided Practice
Use the picture at the right to answer questions 1 through 4.
1. Which hemisphere is experiencing summer?
2. Which hemisphere is experiencing winter?
3. Put an X on the picture to show where the Northern
Hemisphere would be located when it is summer
there.
4. Put a star on the picture to show where the Northern Hemisphere would be located
when it is fall there.
5. A climatologist states that regions near the equator have very little change in
temperature throughout the year. Using you knowledge of why seasons exist, explain
this phenomenon.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Competency
4e – DOK 2
8th Grade –
Lesson 8.2
Name: ____________________________________ Period: ____
Explain how the tilt of Earth’s axis and the position of the Earth in
relation to the sun determine climatic zones, seasons, and length of
the days.
I can explain that the tilt of the Earth’s axis causes seasons. I can
determine the season in a hemisphere based on how sunlight hits it.
Page
2
Unit 8 – Weather: Earth’s Seasons
Quick Review:
1. The molecule that is found inside of all cells that contains the instructions for how the
cell functions =
2. A section of DNA that determines a specific trait =
3. The four nucleotides that make up DNA are
,
,
, and
4. For the instructions in DNA to be turned into action by the cell, the DNA is used to
make
by transcription, and
is used to make protein by
.
5. A scientist has one strand of DNA below. What is the complementary strand?
A–T–C–C–G–A–T–T–A–G
Key Points on Earth’s Seasons:
1. The Earth rotates around its
which is titled at an angle of
. The tilt of
the Earth’s axis is what gives us
.
2. The tilt of the Earth’s axis does
change. As the Earth
(orbits)
around the Sun, parts of the Earth are
the Sun and parts are
from the Sun.
a. The hemisphere that is pointed
the Sun has
.
b. The hemisphere that is pointed
the Sun has
.
3. When a hemisphere is
pointed
or
from the Sun, it is
either
or
.
4. The Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere have
.
When it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, it is
in the Northern Hemisphere.
a. The
Hemisphere is
the
and the
Hemisphere is
the
.
b. The United States is located in the
Hemisphere.
Earth’s Seasons: Guided Practice
Use the picture at the right to answer questions 1 through 4.
1. Which hemisphere is experiencing summer?
2. Which hemisphere is experiencing winter?
3. Put an X on the picture to show where the Northern
Hemisphere would be located when it is summer
there.
4. Put a star on the picture to show where the Northern Hemisphere would be located
when it is fall there.
5. A climatologist states that regions near the equator have very little change in
temperature throughout the year. Using you knowledge of why seasons exist, explain
this phenomenon.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Name: ____________________________________ Period: ____
Earth’s Seasons: Independent Practice
Answer the following questions as a scientist would. Explain WHY using COMPLETE sentences!
1. If a hemisphere is pointed away from the sun, which season will it experience?
2. If a hemisphere is pointed neither toward nor away from the sun, which two seasons
could it be experiencing?
3. If a hemisphere is pointed toward the sun, which season will it experience?
Use the image at the right to answer questions 4 and 5.
4. Which season is the Southern Hemisphere experiencing?
5. Which season is the Northern Hemisphere experiencing?
Challenge Questions:
6. If the Earth’s axis was not tilted 23.5° but was vertical instead, what impact would this
have?
Follow the instructions below to add the following objects to the diagram.
7. Draw the location of the Earth when the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing summer.
Label this A.
8. Draw the location of the Earth when the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing summer.
Label this B.
9. Draw the location of the Earth when the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing fall and the
Northern Hemisphere is experiencing spring. Label this C.
10. Draw the location of the Earth when the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing spring and
the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing fall. Label this D.