Objective – Students will understand how Earth’s tilt on its axis changes the length of daylight and creates the
seasons.
Seasons Fact Sheet
Why do we have seasons? It’s the tilt, baby! The Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5o.
As the Earth
Tilt – 23.5o revolves around the
Sun, the Earth remains tilted. The
North Pole always points at the
Polaris, the North Star.
As the Earth revolves around the Sun, three things can
happen:
 The Earth tilts towards the Sun.
 The Earth tilts away from the Sun.
 The Earth tilts neither towards nor away from the Sun.
When the Earth tilts towards the Sun, we receive direct
sunlight (heat energy). The season is summer.
We receive the same amount of sunlight (heat energy) all
year long. During the summer months, we receive direct
sunlight (heat energy). This covers a small area of the
Earth’s surface. The sunlight (heat energy) is warmer.
The Sun appears high in the sky
during summer.
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Objective – Students will understand how Earth’s tilt on its axis changes the length of daylight and creates the
seasons.
Facts about direct sunlight (heat energy).
 We begin receiving direct sunlight (heat energy) around spring (Vernal Equinox –
March 21st).
 Sunlight (heat energy) covers a small area on the Earth’s surface. (Sunlight [heat
energy] is concentrated.)
 Sunlight (heat energy) is warmer because it covers a small area.
 Temperatures increase.
 We stop receiving direct sunlight (heat energy) around fall (Autumnal Equinox –
September 21st).
When the Earth tilts away from the Sun, we receive
indirect sunlight (heat energy). The season is winter.
We receive the same amount of sunlight (heat energy) in
the winter as we do in the summer. During the winter
months, we receive indirect sunlight (heat energy). The
same amount of sunlight (heat energy) now has to heat a
larger are of the Earth’s surface. This means the sunlight
(heat energy) is colder than in the summer.
The Sun appears low in the sky during winter.
Facts about indirect sunlight (heat energy).
 We begin receiving indirect sunlight (heat energy) around fall (Autumnal
Equinox – September 21st).
 Sunlight (heat energy) covers a larger area on the Earth’s surface. (Sunlight [heat
energy] is not concentrated.)
 Sunlight (heat energy) is colder because it covers a larger area.
 Temperatures decrease.
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Objective – Students will understand how Earth’s tilt on its axis changes the length of daylight and creates the
seasons.
 We stop receiving indirect sunlight (heat energy) around spring (Vernal Equinox
– March 21st).
During the spring and fall, we receive the same amount
of sunlight (heat energy) as we do in the summer and
winter. In the spring, it covers a smaller area than
during winter. In the autumn/fall, it covers a larger area
than it does in summer.
This is why temperatures begin to rise in spring and fall
in autumn/fall.
The Sun appears to change position in the sky through the year.
Sun in summer
Sun in fall & spring
Sun in winter
The Sun appears lowest in the sky during winter. When the Sun is low in the sky, we
receive indirect sunlight (heat energy) and our temperatures
are colder. The Sun is
(Summer)
appears highest in the sky during summer. When the Sun is high in the sky, we receive
direct sunlight (heat energy) and our temperatures are warmer. During spring and fall,
the Sun appears between its highest and lowest position in the sky. During spring,
sunlight (heat energy) becomes more direct and the temperatures become warmer.
During the fall, sunlight (heat energy) becomes more indirect and the temperatures
become colder.
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(Spring & Fall)
Objective – Students will understand how Earth’s tilt on its axis changes the length of daylight and creates the
seasons.
Look at the diagram. It’s summer. The Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the
Sun. What about the Southern Hemisphere? It’s winter. It is tilted away from the Sun.
Northern Hemisphere
Summer
Southern Hemisphere
Winter
When it is winter in Utah, what is the season in Australia? It’s summer! The Northern
Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. What about the Southern Hemisphere? It’s
summer. It is tilted towards the Sun.
Northern Hemisphere
Summer
Southern Hemisphere
Winter
Seasons Table
Northern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
Season
Season
Summer
Winter
Autumn/Fall
Spring
Winter
Summer
Spring
Autumn/Fall
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