Name: _______________________________ Period: _________ Date: ____________
Webquest: Path of the Sun and the Seasons
Background & Directions: We learned that the path of the sun changes in altitude (height) and
duration (length) because the Earth revolves around the sun on a tilted axis. Now, use the
websites to fill in the diagrams, charts, and answer the questions below.
Write your answers or mark the charts/diagrams directly on this page. When you have finished,
turn this page in. You will have two class periods to work on this assignment in the computer
lab.
All writing must be in your own words,
or you will not get credit for this assignment.
http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::800::600::/sites/dl/free/0072482621/78778/Season
s_Nav.swf::Seasons%20Interactive
http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/coordsmotion/eclipticsimulator.swf
http://www.sepuplhs.org/students/iaes/simulations/SEPUP_Seasons_Interactive.swf
http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/coordsmotion/daylighthoursexplorer.html
Questions, Charts, Diagrams:
1) Draw the Earth’s revolution around the sun during the four seasons in the box below.
Include the sun and an axis for each Earth that you draw, as well as arrows to show the
direction of Earth’s revolution. Be sure to label the diagram with the names of the seasons
for the Northern Hemisphere and include the dates.
2) Fill out the chart below:
Season
Name
Date in
the
Northern
Hemisphere
Axis tilt
(towards,
away,
neither
towards nor
away)
Length of
Path
Across
the Sky
(longest,
shortest,
medium)
Duration of
Daylight
(shortest
daylight, longest
daylight, 12
hours daylight)
Altitude of
Sun at
Noon
(highest,
lowest,
medium)
Intensity of
Insolation
(highest, lowest,
medium)
3) Draw in a terminator—the dividing line between daylight and darkness—on the diagram
below. Then, shade in the half of the Earth in darkness. Winter Solstice has already been done
for you.
4) Using the diagram in # 3 and the websites, fill in the chart below for length of daylight,
latitudes, and seasons.
NORTH LATITUDE
SOUTH LATITUDE
Date
90 °
66½
23½
0°
23½
66½
90 °
Vernal Equinox
March 21
Summer Solstice
June 21st
Autumnal Equinox
September 21st
Winter Solstice
December 21st
5) Using the information on the websites and in Questions 1-4 above, write your conclusions
about the path of the sun, length of daylight, and the seasons. Use complete sentences. Include
the key works earth’s revolution around the sun, North Pole, tilt of the axis, length of daylight,
altitude of the sun, equinox(es), solstice(es) and include dates and names of seasons. Tell about
where the sun is directly overhead using latitude names and measurements. Summer Solstice
has been done for you. Fill in the blanks, and then follow the model to tell about Winter Solstice
and the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes. (Hint: you can write one paragraph for the equinoxes).
In the Northern Hemisphere, summer occurs when the northern axis is tilted
___________________________. On Summer Solstice, __________________________ , the
Northern Hemisphere receives the _____________ length of daylight and the sun reaches the
_______________ altitude in the sky. The Sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer,
_________________. Everywhere between _____________________ latitude and
___________________ latitude receives _________________ hours of daylight. Everywhere
between __________________ latitude and ______________________ latitude receives
________________________ hours of darkness.