Earth's Seasons
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Provided by: Rochester Museum & Science Center|Published on: March 20, 2021
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Synopsis
- 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.
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: Rochester Museum and Science Center Strasenburgh Planetarium
Region: North America, USA - Northeast, United States, Global, New York, Central & Western NY
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
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.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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