Earth's Seasons
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by Rochester Museum & Science Center
What it is
- This video explains how the tilt of the Earth and its position in orbit around the Sun cause the four seasons.
- Students will learn about the March and September equinoxes and why the Northern and Southern hemispheres get different amounts of daylight during the June and December solstices.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This video will be helpful for visual learners because it shows the Earth's position on its axis and in relation to the Sun.
- The animation helps to reinforce lessons about the seasons and how the Earth moves around the Sun.
Additional Prerequisites
- Teachers may want to provide students with a summary or guide of what they should observe in the animation.
- Teachers should emphasize that the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is only slightly elliptical.
Differentiation
- Earth science classes can use this video to start several discussions. Students could talk about the fact that the tilt of Earth does not change direction throughout the year as it orbits the Sun and that is why Polaris is the North Star.
- This is a good video to show after doing a physical seasons modeling activity.
- Other resources on this topic include this Khan Academy video about the seasons and this resource on the effect of latitude on climate.
From the scientist review
This resource includes a 2-minute video describing why the seasons are the way they are on the planet Earth, as well as supporting tips and science notes. The video is clear and the supporting notes are thorough. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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