Day 3: Seasonal Changes (Part I)
Objectives
Students will:
Students will:
- define the terms tilt and hemisphere.
- model and describe how the sun's rays strike Earth to cause seasons.
- describe characteristics of the four seasons - autumn, spring, winter, and summer.
Materials
- book - The Reasons for Seasons, by Gail Gibbons
- "A to Z About" handout
- students' science notebooks
- video clip - How Seasons Work
- globe
- lamp
- plain white computer paper
- coloring utensils
- Earth pictures handout
Instructional Sequence
- Read aloud book - The Reasons for Seasons, by Gail Gibbons
- Implement "A to Z About" brainstorming activity
- Students will write as many words that begin with the letters A-Z that relate to any of the four seasons
- Students will share some of their words aloud
- Review rotation and revolution of the Earth and explain that it takes Earth 365 days (1 year) to make one complete revolution around the sun and during those 365 days, four seasons occur
- Introduce the terms tilt and hemisphere and have students write definitions in their science notebook
- Lead discussion about the seasons by asking questions such as: What are the four seasons? What types of weather occurs during each of the seasons? What are some signs in nature that might tell us the seasons are changing? When it is summer in the U.S., is it summer in China? Why do you think different parts of the world experience different seasons at the same time?
- Play video clip
- Demonstrate how the sun's rays strike the Earth using a lamp to represent the sun and a globe to represent Earth
- Discuss how the pattern of seasonal changes takes place because Earth’s axis is tilted toward or away from the sun during its revolution around the sun
- Explain foldable activity - Students will create a foldable that includes the sun and four pictures of the Earth tilted on its axis around the sun causing seasons
Assessments
Formative: Students will answer questions such as: What are the four seasons? What types of weather occurs during each of the seasons? What are some signs in nature that might tell us the seasons are changing? When it is summer in the U.S., is it summer in China? Why do you think different parts of the world experience different seasons at the same time?
Summative: Students will create a foldable that will help students understand the reason for the seasons.
Formative: Students will answer questions such as: What are the four seasons? What types of weather occurs during each of the seasons? What are some signs in nature that might tell us the seasons are changing? When it is summer in the U.S., is it summer in China? Why do you think different parts of the world experience different seasons at the same time?
Summative: Students will create a foldable that will help students understand the reason for the seasons.
Resources
"A to Z About" Brainstorming Page
Video - How Seasons Work
Students may visit an interactive website where they will listen to a review of why we have seasons and play a game in which they will move the Earth around the sun according to which season is listed.
"A to Z About" Brainstorming Page
Video - How Seasons Work
Students may visit an interactive website where they will listen to a review of why we have seasons and play a game in which they will move the Earth around the sun according to which season is listed.
References
Lanley, Jimmy. (2012). The notebooking fairy. Retrieved from http://notebookingfairy.com/2012/02/a-to-z-brainstorming-page/
Young, Doris. (2011). Third grade thinkers. Retrieved from http://thirdgradethinkers8.blogspot.com/2011/11/science-earth-cycles.html
Lanley, Jimmy. (2012). The notebooking fairy. Retrieved from http://notebookingfairy.com/2012/02/a-to-z-brainstorming-page/
Young, Doris. (2011). Third grade thinkers. Retrieved from http://thirdgradethinkers8.blogspot.com/2011/11/science-earth-cycles.html