Day and Night
What causes day and night on Earth?
Earth's rotation on it's axis
How long does it take Earth to orbit the sun?
365 days
What is a constellation?
A pattern of stars in the sky
What force keeps the planets in orbit around the sun?
Gravity
Draw a diagram of Earth’s rotation showing where day and night occur.
Earth’s rotation shows one side in daylight, the other in darkness
How long does it take for Earth to make one full rotation on its axis?
What does Earth’s orbit around the sun cause?
The seasons to change
Why do we see different constellations at different times of the year?
Because Earth orbits the sun
True or False: Gravity only affects objects on Earth.
False
Draw a diagram of Earth’s orbit around the sun and label the seasons.
Show Earth’s orbit and tilt with different seasons labeled
What direction does the sun rise due to Earth's spin?
East
What is the name of the imaginary line that Earth spins around?
Axis
Name one constellation that is visible in winter but not summer
Orion
What force keeps the moon in orbit around Earth?
Gravity
Using the spinning model, explain why the stars appear to move in the night sky.
The stars appear to move due to Earth’s spin from west to east
Why does the sun appear to move across the sky?
Because Earth spins on its axis
What happens to constellations as Earth orbits the sun?
Different constellations become visible at different times of the year
Why can’t we see certain constellations all year long?
Earth's position in its orbit changes which stars are visible
What happens if gravity stops working on Earth?
Objects, including people, would float into space
Explain how Earth’s orbit changes which constellations we see throughout the year.
Earth’s position in its orbit faces different parts of space at night, so different stars are visible
What direction do stars appear to move in the night sky due to Earth's spin?
East to West
What part of Earth causes the seasons?
Earth’s tilt and orbit around the sun
What does the simulation tool help us understand about constellations?
It shows how constellations change position throughout the year
True or False: Earth’s gravity keeps the sun in orbit around Earth
False
Using the orbiting model, explain why we see different stars at different times of the year.
As Earth orbits the sun, the nighttime sky faces different regions of space, revealing different stars