Name
Period
The Seasons on Earth – Note Taking Guide
DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks below, using the word bank provided. Label all latitudes shown in the
diagram.
Axis
Changes
Daylight
Length
Seasons
Tilted
23.5o
1. The earth is
2. The tilt effects the
0o
23.5o N
23.5o S
66.5o N
66.5o S
90o N
90o S
on its axis
of our days and causes the
Arctic Circle
Antarctic Circle
North Pole
South Pole
Equator
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
.
of our
.
3.
4. Solar flux describes
.
5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is
.
6. Solar flux effects the
of a surface.
7. Low flux will make a surface
and high flux will make a surface
8. What two factors cause solar flux to be lower at higher latitudes?
.
,
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DIRECTION: Fill in as much information as you can about the movement of our planet around the Sun.
The word bank below will help you get started. You should be able to fill in every blank line provided.
1. Earth’s orbit around the sun is nearly
.
2. Earth is closest to the sun during N. Hemisphere
3. Earth is farthest away from the sun during N. Hemisphere
Circular
Elliptical
Orbit
Tilted
Perihelion
Aphelion
Summer Solstice
Winter Solstice
Vernal Equinox
Autumnal Equinox
. This is
.
. This is
March 22nd
September 22nd
June 22nd
December 22nd
Sun
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.
Name
KEY
Period
The Seasons on Earth – Note Taking Guide
DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks below, using the word bank provided. Label all latitudes shown in the
diagram.
Axis
0o
Arctic Circle
Changes
23.5o N
Antarctic Circle
Daylight
23.5o S
North Pole
o
Length
66.5 N
South Pole
Seasons
66.5o S
Equator
o
Tilted
90 N
Tropic of Cancer
23.5o
90o S
Tropic of Capricorn
tilted
1. The earth is
on its axis
2. The tilt effects the length
3.
23.5o
.
of our days and causes the changes
of our seasons
.
North Pole, 90o N
Equator, 0o
Arctic Circle, 66.5o N
Tropic of Cancer,
23.5o
Tropic of Capricorn, 23.5o S
N
Antarctic Circle, 66.5o S
South Pole, 90o S
Axis
4. Solar flux describes
amount of sunlight that strikes a given surface
.
5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is low solar flux
6. Solar flux effects the temperature
7. Low flux will make a surface
cool
.
of a surface.
and high flux will make a surface
hot
.
8. What two factors cause solar flux to be lower at higher latitudes? Tilt of axis, Earth is a sphere.
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KEY
DIRECTION: Fill in as much information as you can about the movement of our planet around the Sun.
The word bank below will help you get started. You should be able to fill in every blank line provided.
1. Earth’s orbit around the sun is nearly
circular
2. Earth is closest to the sun during N. Hemisphere
winter
.
. This is perihelion
.
3. Earth is farthest away from the sun during N. Hemisphere summer. This is aphelion
.
Circular
Elliptical
Orbit
Tilted
Perihelion
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Summer Solstice
June 22
First day of summer
North Pole tilts
toward sun
South Pole tilts away
from sun
More than 12 hours
daylight in northern
hemisphere
Less than 12 hours
daylight in southern
hemisphere
The area above the
Arctic Circle has 24
hours daylight
The area below the
Antarctic Circle has
24 hours of darkness
5.
6.
Aphelion
Summer Solstice
Winter Solstice
Vernal Equinox
Autumnal Equinox
Vernal Equinox
March 22
First day of spring
All latitudes receive 12 hours of
daylight
All latitudes receive 12 hours of
darkness
Axis points neither towards, nor away
from the sun
March 22nd
September 22nd
June 22nd
December 22nd
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Sun
8.
9.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Winter Solstice
December 22
First day of winter
South Pole tilts
toward sun
North Pole tilts away
from sun
More than 12 hours
daylight in southern
hemisphere
Less than 12 hours
daylight in northern
hemisphere
The area below the
Antarctic Circle has
24 hours of daylight
The area above the
Arctic Circle has 24
hours of darkness
Autumnal Equinox
September 22
First day of fall
Orbit
All latitudes receive 12 hours of daylight
All latitudes receive 12 hours of darkness
Axis points neither towards, nor away from the sun
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Noon Sun Angle Worksheet
Name
Equinox
Equinox
Solstice
Solstice
Name
Subsolar Point (Latitude where the sun is overhead at noon)
0o
0o
23.5˚ N
23.5˚ S
Date
March 22nd
September 22nd
June 22nd
December 22nd
Noon Sun Angle = 90 – Zenith Angle
Zenith Angle = latitude where you are at  subsolar point
If the subsolar point and your latitude are in the same hemisphere, subtract.
If the subsolar point and your latitude are in different hemispheres, add.
Note: if you get a negative number, it means that no sunlight is received at that time of year… or it is
dark for 24 hours, use 0o as your answer.
Instructions: complete the table.
Problem
Time of Year
Subsolar
Point
Example
September 22
1
Equinox
23.5˚N
90 –
=
2
March 22
80˚N
90 –
=
3
September 22
80˚S
90 –
=
4
June 22
80˚N
90 –
=
5
June 22
80˚S
90 –
=
6
June 22
0˚
90 –
=
7
December 22
80˚S
90 –
=
8
December 22
80˚N
90 –
=
9
December 22
23.5 ˚S
90 –
=
10
March 22
34˚N
90 –
=
11.
June 22
34˚N
90 –
=
12.
December 22
34˚N
90 –
=
0˚
Latitude
where you
are "at"
14˚
Zenith Angle
Noon Sun Angle
Calculation
14 – 0 = 14
90 – 14 = 76
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Noon
Sun
Angle
76˚
More about Noon Sun Angles
North
South
This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33˚N. The
diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon on the
December 22nd Solstice.
13. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ___________.
Show your work here:
14. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)?
___________________. Show your work here:
Bonus Questions
15. The original diagram is not correct. The summer angle should both be more vertical and the winter
angle should be shallower. Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture. Use the white
in the middle of the picture as the guide for your protractor.
16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why?
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KEY
Problem
Time of Year
Subsolar
Point
Zenith Angle
Noon Sun Angle
Calculation
Noon
Sun
Angle
0˚
Latitude
where
you are
"at"
14˚
Example
September 22
14 – 0 = 14
90 – 14 = 76
76˚
1
Equinox
0˚
23.5˚N
23.5 – 0 = 23.5
90 – 23.5 = 66.5
66.5˚
2
March 22
0˚
80˚N
80 – 0 = 80
90 – 80 = 10
10˚
3
September 22
0˚
80˚S
80 – 0 = 80
90 – 80 = 10
10˚
4
June 22
23.5˚ N
80˚N
80 – 23.5 = 56.6
90 – 56.5 = 33.5
33.5˚
5
June 22
23.5˚ N
80˚S
80 + 23.5 = 103.5
6
June 22
23.5˚ N
0˚
23.5 – 0 = 23.5
90 – 103.5 = -13.5
this means no
sunlight is received
90 – 23.5 = 66.5
0˚
24 hours
of night
66.5˚
7
December 22
23.5˚ S
80˚S
80 – 23.5 = 56.5
90 – 56.5 = 33.5
33.5˚
8
December 22
23.5˚ S
80˚N
80 + 23.5 = 103.5
9
December 22
23.5˚ S
23.5 ˚S
23.5 – 23.5 = 0
90 – 103.5 = -13.5
this means no
sunlight is received
90 – 0 = 90
0˚
24 hours
of night
90˚
10
March 22
0˚
34˚N
34 – 0 = 34
90 – 34 = 56
56˚
11.
June 22
23.5˚ N
34˚N
34 – 23.5 = 10.5
90 – 10.5 = 79.5
79.5˚
12.
December 22
23.5˚ S
34˚N
34 + 23.5 = 57.5
90 – 57.5 = 32.5
32.5˚
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KEY
Original- not correct
North
South
Correct
North
South
This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Let’s pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33˚N.
The diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon
on the December 22nd Solstice.
13. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ___________.
Show your work here:
Zenith Angle = 33 - 23.5 = 9.5
Sun Angle = 90 – 9.5˚ = 80.5˚
14. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)? __________.
Show your work here:
Zenith Angle = 33.5 + 23.5 = 56.5
Sun Angle = 90 – 56.5 = 33.5˚
Bonus Questions
15. The original diagram is not correct. The summer angle should both be more vertical and the winter
angle should be shallower. Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture. Use the white
in the middle of the picture as the guide for your protractor.
See correction in diagram at the top of this page
16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why?
The diagram shows that the sun is always shining from the south. The shade is always cast to
the north of the tree. The smart place to put a shade tree would be on the south side of the house.
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Name
Instructions: FILL IN THE CIRCLE BY THE CORRECT ANSWER
1. Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere in June?
 A. Earth is closer to the sun in June
 B. Sun angles are high and days are long
 C. The sun sends out giant solar flares in June
 D. The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.
2. Which statement about the Vernal Equinox is correct?
 A. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all latitudes.
 B. Sun angles are low and days are short.
 C. It is the first day of fall.
 D. Earth’s axis is pointed way from the sun.
3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer?
 A. In Antarctica
 B. In the Southern Hemisphere
 C. At the Equator
 D. In the Northern Hemisphere
4. Where can you go on Summer Solstice (June 21st) and have 24-hours of daylight?
 A. The Equator
 B. The Tropic of Cancer
 C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole
 D. All of the latitudes from the Antarctic Circle to the South Pole
5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is
 A. high solar flux and warm temperatures.
 B. high solar flux and cool temperatures.
 C. low solar flux and warm temperature.
 D. low solar flux and cool temperatures.
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KEY and Explanation for Geography Assessment
1. Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere in June?
 B. Sun angles are high and days are long. When the hemisphere on Earth "tilts towards the
sun,” as it does in the Northern Hemisphere in June, days are longer and sun angles are
higher. This means that a lot more sunlight is received, making it summer.
2. Which statement about the Vernal Equinox is correct?
 A. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all latitudes. There are 12 hours of
darkness and light because on the both the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox, the axis points
neither towards, nor away from the sun. The Vernal Equinox is the first day of spring.
3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer?
 D. In the Northern Hemisphere. The sun is overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, making higher sun
angles with more intense sunlight. Also, days are longer.
4. Where can you go on Summer Solstice (June 21st) and have 24-hours of daylight?
 C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole These latitudes receive sunlight for
all 24 hours as Earth spins on its axis.
5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is
 D. low solar flux and cool temperatures. Solar flux describes amount of sunlight that strikes a
given surface. The higher the solar flux the hotter the surface.
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