Name: _____________________________

How does Earth move?

Earth and the Sun
Think about a time thousands of years ago, before telescopes had been invented
and before astronauts had ever traveled into space. If you look at the daytime sky, the
sun rises in the easts and sets in the West. People naturally thought the sun was
moving around the Earth.
We now know that the sun is the center of our solar system. Earth and the other
planets move around the sun. Earth spins, causing the sun and other objects, such as
other stars to appear to move across the sky.
1. Compare and
contrast: Use the
graphic organizer
to the side to list
what is alike about
and different
between the way
people used to
think about Earth
and the sun and
what we know now.

Earths Rotation
Earth and the other planets of the solar system rotate, or spin, much like a top
spins. They each rotate around an imaginary line called an axis. The northern end of the
Earths axis is the North Pole. The southern
end of the Earths axis is the South Pole.
One whole spin of an object on its axis is
called a rotation. One full rotation of the
Earth
a day.
on its axis is called
Earth rotates around its imaginary axis
from west to east. As Earth spins, the sun,
moon, stars, and planets only seem to rise.
2. Explain: Why does the sun appear to
move from east to west across the
sky?
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3. Fill in the blank:

a. Earth completes one _________________ in about 24 hours.

b. Earths ______________ is an imaginary line around which Earth
rotates.

4. Infer: Draw
a representation
of the moons
orbit in the
diagram to the
side.

5. Compare and Contrast: How are the orbits of Earth and the moon alike?
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__How are they different?
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Seasons
Earth always tilts the same way during its revolution around the sun. Earths tilt
affects how much sunlight parts of Earth receive. The amount of sunlight an area
receives affects its climate and seasons. Seasons change as Earths axis tilts either
toward or away from the sun at different times during its revolution. When the North
Pole is tilted away from the sun, sunlight is less concentrated in the Northern
Hemisphere. Temperatures drop, and winter sets in. At the same time, the South Pole
is tilted toward the sun. The Southern Hemisphere receives concentrated sunlight and
has the warm temperatures of summer.

The number of daylight hours also changes as the seasons change. On the first
day of its summer, a hemisphere has more hours of daylight than at any other time of
the year. The least number of daylight hours occurs on the first day of winter. Twice a
year the hours of day and night are equal. At this time, Earths axis points neither
toward or away from the sun.
6. Challenge: In the Northern Hemisphere summer, Earths axis points toward the
sun. Describe how you think the axis looks in the spring.
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7. Identify: In the diagram, label each part of Earths orbit with the Northern
Hemisphere Season it represents.

A.
B.
C.
D.

June 21-22 _
______________
Sept. 22-23 _______________
Dec. 21-22 _
______________
Mar. 21-22 _______________

8. Calculate: Earths distance from the sun in

January is about 147,000,000 km. In July
its distance from the sun is about
152,100,000 km. About how much closer
is Earth to the sun in January than in July?
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9. Describe:
a. What is a rotation?
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b. What is a revolution?
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10. Explain: In what direction do stars, the moon, and the sun seem to move
across the sky? Why?
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STOP! I need help with _____________________________

WAIT! I have a question about
_________________________
GO! Now I know
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