Seasons
What causes the seasons on Earth?
(The Earth's tilt and its orbit around the Sun.)
What are auroras also known as?
(Northern Lights or Southern Lights.)
What causes day and night on Earth?
(Earth’s rotation on its axis.)
How many seasons do the Woodland Cree recognize?
(Six.)
What would happen if Earth didn’t tilt on its axis?
(We wouldn’t have seasons.)
What are equinoxes?
Days when day and night are nearly equal.)
Where can you see auroras?
Near the Earth's poles.)
How long does it take the Earth to complete one rotation?
(Approximately 24 hours.)
What is the Woodland Cree term for early spring?
(Break-Up, or Sikwan.)
What is daylight saving time, and why do we use it?
(Adjusting clocks to make better use of daylight during specific times of the year.)
What is the solstice, and how does it affect the length of the day?
The solstice marks the longest or shortest day of the year.)
What color is the most common aurora, and what causes it?
Green, caused by oxygen particles at about 100 km above Earth.)
Why do we experience different time zones?
(Because different parts of Earth face the Sun at different times.)
Why do the Woodland Cree have a special season for berry picking?
(To mark the time when berries ripen and can be harvested for winter.)
What would happen if Earth’s rotation slowed down significantly?
Days and nights would be longer, and it could impact weather and ecosystems.)
Which season occurs in the Northern Hemisphere when it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere?
Summer.)
What is solar wind?
Particles released from the Sun that interact with Earth’s magnetic field.)
What is polar night?
(When there is continuous darkness for more than 24 hours at the poles.)
What happens during the “Break-Up” season?
Snow melts, and ice breaks up on lakes and rivers.)
If you could name a new constellation, what would you call it?
(Again, no wrong answer—encourage creativity!)
Why do regions near the equator experience little change in seasons?
Name two First Peoples’ interpretations of the aurora borealis.
(Tlingit: spirits of ancestors; Haida: fire of a supernatural being, Raven.)
Why do places near the equator have approximately 12 hours of sunlight all year?
(Because they are not tilted significantly away from or toward the Sun.)
How does the Woodland Cree’s six-season model differ from the standard four seasons?
(It aligns more closely with natural and ecological changes.)
What is the name of the closest star to Earth?
The Sun