CHANGING
SEASONS
By Stacee Green
Texas Essesntials Knoledge and
Skills (TEKS)
• (b)Knowledge and skills.
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(13) Science concepts. The student knows components of our solar
system. The student is expected to:
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(A) identify and illustrate how the tilt of the Earth on its axis as it
rotates and revolves around the Sun causes changes in
seasons and the length of a day;
QUESTIONS
TO THINK ABOUT
Essesntial Question
• Why do the seasons
change?
Unit Question
• What are the
differences between
the four seasons?
Content To Be Learned
• Students will be able to identify defining
characteristics and describe the differences
between fall, spring, summer, and winter.
• Students will learn and understand new
vocabulary terms.
• Students will understand what happens to the
earth to make the seasons change.
Class Activities
• Students in groups will pick out different clothes that are worn
for each season.
• Signs of Autumn-a global project on the internet, which
enables students to learn about the changing seasons
around the world.
• Seasons Story Book- students make a story book individually
including the four seasons and add pictures of relevant
seasonal items. Students will present their books to the
class.
• I will read the book Ro Everything There is a Season by Leo
Dillion and Diane Dillo to the whole class.
Class Activities
• Have students work in pairs with the Earth in
Motion Flash Interactive, which introduces the
basic concepts behind the seasons. As the
students use the interactive activity, they will create
a vocabulary list of relevant terms.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resources/ess05/sc
i/ess/eiu/seasonsgame/index.html
• Students will review these vocabulary words as a
class and write out the definitions for them
individually: Northern Hemisphere, Southern
Hemisphere, equator, North Pole, South Pole, axis,
rotation, day, night, orbit, year, summer, winter,
autumn, spring, equinox, solstice, and revolution.
What is the Cause of the
Seasons?
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The primary cause of the
seasons is by the tilt of the
Earth’s axis of rotation.
The Earth is tilted on its axis
at a 23.5 degree angle, as it
moves around the sun to
cause the seasons.
When the Earth revolves
around the sun, the Earth’s
axis is tilted away from the
sun for part of the year and
toward the sun for part of the
year.
Summer occurs when the
Northern Hemisphere tilts
toward the sun and during
this time, the Southern
Hemisphere is tilted away
from the sun this half
experiences winter.
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Two Types of Solstice
Summer Solstice is the first
day of summer and known as
the longest day of the year,
which is June 21st.
Winter Solstice is the first day
of winter and the shortest day
of the year, which is December
21st.
Two Types of Equinox
Autumnal equinox is the
beginning of fall and occurs
on September 21st.
Vernal equinox is the
beginning of spring and starts
on March 21st.
Terms
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Northern Hemisphere - the half of the earth that is north of the equator.
Southern Hemisphere- the half of the earth that is south of the equator.
Equator- an imaginary circle around the middle of the earth, halfway between the
North Pole and the South Pole.
North Pole- the northern end of the earth’s axis.
South Pole- the southern end of the earth’s axis.
Axis- a straight line about which an object turns or seems to turn.
Rotation-a turning round a center or axis.
Day
Night
Orbit-the curved, usually elliptical, path of a heavenly body, planet, or satellite about
another body in space.
Summer-the warmest season of the year between spring and fall.
Winter-the coldest of the four seasons.
FallSpring-season after winter, when plants begin to grow.
Equinox-either of the two times in the year when the center of the sun crosses the
equator, and day and night are of equal length in all parts of the earth.
Solstice-either of the two times in the year when the sun is at its times in the year
when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equator.
Revolution-a complete cycle.
What goes with what season?
REFERENCES
• Seasons (Science U)
• The Youth Online Club – Seasons
• http://www.globe.gov/fsl/elementaryglob
e/seasons/EGLOBE_SeasonsActivity2.
pdf