Kinesthetic Astronomy
The Cause of Seasons on Earth
Objectives
Participants will:

Kinesthetically experience the orbital movements of the Earth causing the seasons on Earth.

Gain an understanding of why the seasons change on Earth.

Dispel assumptions learned or taught about the cause of seasons on Earth.
Suggested Grade Level
PreK-12
Subject Areas
Science
Timeline
1 to 2 class periods
Standards
NSS.K-12.4 Earth and Space Science
 Earth in the solar system
 Origin and evolution of the earth system
 Origin and evolution of the universe
Background
Studies have shown that children learn best through body movement, or kinesthetics until their brains are
more developed. The purpose of teaching astronomy through kinesthetics is to help children understand
abstract ideas such as orbits, scale of the solar system, and the universe in ways that they will be able to
understand.
In this exercise, students will learn why the seasons change and dispel any misconceptions they may have
learned through the years. A common misconception learned by students and sometimes taught in schools
is that Earth’s seasons are caused by Earth tilting toward or away from the sun. Another misconception is
that Earth’s varying distance from the sun causes the seasons. Both of the assumptions are incorrect and
will be corrected during this lesson. Earth’s seasons are due to the tilt of the Earth resulting in more direct
sunlight hitting either the northern or southern hemisphere, or that hemisphere receiving more sunlight
during the day.
Vocabulary
Solar system, rotational period, orbital period, axis, Summer Solstice, Fall Equinox, Winter Solstice, Spring
Equinox, northern hemisphere, southern hemisphere
Materials
“E” and “W” signs
An object to represent the sun (a yellow helium balloon on a string works well)
Four signs that read “Summer Solstice”, “Fall Equinox”, “Winter Solstice”, and “Spring Equinox”
Lesson
1. A common misconception learned by students and sometimes taught in schools is that Earth’s
seasons are caused by Earth tilting toward or away from the sun. Another misconception is that
Earth’s varying distance from the sun causes the seasons. Both of the assumptions are incorrect
and will be corrected during this lesson. Earth’s seasons are due to the tilt of the Earth resulting in
more direct sunlight hitting either the northern or southern hemisphere, or that hemisphere
receiving more sunlight during the day.
2. Start the lesson by reviewing what was learned during the previous Kinesthetic Astronomy lesson
involving the rotation and orbit of the Earth causing day and night. Include in your review the tilt of
Earth’s axis at 23.5 degrees. That fact will be the foundation for this lesson.
3. Have students form a large circle around the sun. Make sure there is enough room so they will not
run into another student.
4. Remind students that their head is the North Pole, their bottom is the South Pole and their waist is
the Equator.
5. Ask the students, “What causes the seasons?” Answers will vary.
6. Explain that today we will find out the cause of the seasons and we will see whose theories were
correct.
7. Start by having the students point their North Pole towards the North Star.
8. Explain to the students that each of them represents the Earth orbiting the sun during an orbital
period. The Earth always points towards the North Star.
9. Pick the student that is facing the sun directly (northern hemisphere towards the sun). Have the
other students stand strait and observe the selected student. Ask the students, “If we were all
living at the point where his/her nose is, what season would we be experiencing in the northern
hemisphere?” Answer: Summer. Let the students think about that for a minute.
10. Place the sign for Summer Solstice at that location. Explain that the word solstice means a point in
which the sun seems to have no northward or southward motion.
11. Ask the students, “Why it would be summer.” Answers may include, because the northern
hemisphere is closer. (Note: Technically the northern hemisphere is closer, but when you take
into consideration the immense scale of the solar system that minute amount of distance does not
make a difference in affecting the weather.) Answer: It is summer in the northern hemisphere due
to the area receiving more direct sunlight and longer periods of sun during the day.
12. Have that student do one rotational period so the other students can observe the northern
hemisphere receiving more sunlight than the southern hemisphere.
13. Ask the students, “If this Earth’s location during summer, where would Earth’s location be for winter
in the northern hemisphere?” Everyone should point to the student directly opposite the summer
student.
14. Have that student do one rotational period so the other students can observe the northern
hemisphere receiving less sunlight than the southern hemisphere.
15. Place the sign for Winter Solstice at that location.
16. Ask, “If we have summer in this location (pointing to the summer student) and winter in this location
(pointing to the winter student) what are the seasons in between winter and summer?” Answer:
Fall and Spring.
17. Moving counter-clockwise from summer would be fall, and moving counter-clockwise from winter
would be spring. Place the Fall Equinox sign and the Spring Equinox sign in the proper locations.
18. Explain to the students that equinox means equal. These two points are the times of the year
when the hours of daylight and darkness are approximately equal. Allow the students time for that
observation to make sense to them.
19. Have the students arrange themselves around the circle again with their north poles pointing to the
North Star. Have them observe the Earth (students) at different locations around the orbit and help
them to understand the different locations mean different amounts of daylight. Thus, resulting in
the changing of the seasons.
20. For an added activity, have students align themselves around the sun according to their birthdays
using the signs of equinox and solstice as reference marks.
Extensions
Have students draw the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Have them correctly label: northern hemisphere,
southern hemisphere, equator, Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Fall Equinox, and Spring Equinox.
Evaluation/Assessment
Observe student participation and understanding during the lesson. Assess the extension lesson after
returning to the classroom.
Resources
Kinesthetic Astronomy, Morrow, C and Zawaski, M.
http://www.spacescience.org/education/extra/kinesthetic_astronomy/index.html
National Science Standards:
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses
Summer
Solstice
June 20/21
Winter
Solstice
December 21/22
Fall
Equinox
September 22/23
Spring
equinox
March 20/21