Website
Beacon Learning Center

Beacon Learning Center: As the Earth Turns

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Join Audrey on her learning adventure as she discovers how the Earth's rotation causes day and night.
Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Our Solar System: A Day on Earth

For Students 3rd - 5th
A video and a short multiple-choice quiz on how the Earth's tilt on its axis, its rotation, and its orbit around the Sun give us a 24-hour day, a 365-day year, and our seasons.
Graphic
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Cosmology and Astronomy: Season Simulator

For Students 9th - 10th
This season simulator takes Earth through an entire year cycle allowing the viewer to observe the tilt of the Earth and the intensity of the sunlight.
Unknown Type
McREL International

Mc Rel: Earth's Axis [Pdf]

For Students 6th - 8th
A worksheet regarding the path of the Sun around the Earth and the Earth's tilt on its axis.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Rotation of Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How the Earth rotates around its axis.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Rotation of Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How the Earth rotates around its axis.
Website
NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Scijinks: Seasons

For Students 3rd - 9th
An explanation about the rotation of the Earth and why the Earth has seasons.
Activity
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Plix: Seasons: Earth's Orbit

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An interactive animation demonstrating the Earth's tilted axis and how that causes the seasons. Also included on the site is a short quiz on the topic.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Mn Step: Rotation of the Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
A KWL activity combined with a demonstration model. Young scholars record their ideas and questions about why we have day and night. They then shine a flashlight (the Sun) on a rotating styrofoam ball (the Earth) and record their...
Website
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Project Ideas: The Reasons for the Seasons

For Students 6th - 8th
In this astronomy science fair project, investigate how the earth's axial tilt creates seasons. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on...
Unit Plan
E-learning for Kids

E Learning for Kids: Science: Atlantic Ocean: Day and Night

For Students Pre-K - 1st
This module explores day and night. Learn about what we see during the day and night and why we see what we see.
Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Trb 3:1: Investigation 4: Day and Night

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
A lesson for third graders in which they learn about the rotation of the Earth on its axis and how this movement creates day and night. They also examine the orbit of the moon about the Earth and the Earth's orbit around the sun.
Handout
NASA

Nasa: Imagine the Universe: Speed of Earth's Rotation

For Students 9th - 10th
Presents an informative answer to the question "What is the speed of the turning of the Earth?"
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: What Causes the Seasons?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this activity, students' will explore how the tilt of the earth's axis results in different amounts of solar radiation at different times of the year, causing seasons. They will simulate the earth's warming using a light bulb that...
Article
Other

Astro Methods: Earth's Nutation Visualized

For Students 9th - 10th
Nutation is a small cyclical motion superimposed upon the steady 26,000-year precession of the Earth's axis of rotation. It is mainly caused by the gravitational effect of the 18.6-year rotation period of the Moon's orbit. The main...
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Fifth Grade Science: Earth Science: Earth's Motion in Space

For Students 5th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses the motion of the Earth with its day and night cycle, the seasons, the Earth's orbit around the Sun, and its year-long cycle.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Modeling Earth's Seasons by Rotation and Revolution

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this lesson, students will discuss, define, and demonstrate the Earth's rotation and revolution around the sun in a counterclockwise position. They will be able to predict seasons based on the amount of light that hits the Earth.
Article
NOAA

Noaa: Weather Systems and Patterns

For Students 9th - 10th
Imagine our weather if Earth were completely motionless, had a flat dry landscape and an un-tilted axis. This, of course, is not the case; if it were, the weather would be much different. The local weather that impacts our daily lives...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Science of the Game of Thrones

For Students 9th - 10th
The popular television show, Game of Thrones, and the novel series it is based on, A Song of Fire and Ice, take place in another world. Joe Hanson explores possible scientific explanations of the phenomena exhibited on the show. [8:01]
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: A Scientific Explanation to What Causes Day and Night

For Students 4th - 8th
Explains how the rotation and the axial tilt of the Earth are responsible for the phenomenon of day and night. Provides information about the Sun, the solar system, and the Earth, and how the circumference of the Earth was first measured...
Handout
Science U

Science U: Reasons for the Seasons

For Students 9th - 10th
This webpage uses diagrams and video to explain the causes of the seasons.
Handout
Curated OER

Weather Dude: The Seasons

For Students 3rd - 8th
Especially for kids, the Weather Dude provides a simple explanation of the seasons. Includes a music clip titled "Circle of Our Four Seasons," and suggested lesson plans and school assignments.
Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Weather & Climate: Seasons

For Students 3rd - 5th
A slideshow and a short multiple-choice quiz on the topic of seasons and how they are caused by the Earth's rotation and orbit.
Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: As the World Turns

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders use their bodies to act out the motions of earth.