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Topic 4: Earth and Space

LO: SWBAT demonstrate and explain that Earth
ROTATES on its axis once approximately every 24 hours
causing the day-night cycle.

DOL: Given problems, SW correctly explain that Earth
rotates on its axis once approximately every 24 hours
causing the day-night cycle in at least 4 of 5 questions.

SCI 5.9A Demonstrate that Earth rotates on its axis once approximately every 24 hours and explain how that causes the day-night cycle and the
appearance of the Sun moving across the sky, resulting in changes in shadow positions and shapes.
SEPs: 5.1B, 5.1E, 5.1G, 5.2A, 5.2D, 5.3A, 5.4A
RTCs: 5.5A, %.5B, 5.5D, 5.5E, 5.5G

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Essential Understandings &

Guiding Questions

How does Earth’s rotation cause its day-night cycle?
Conversation starter: I think Earth's rotation causes day and night by....

​Word Bank
Earth, Rotation, Sun, Day/night cycle, Orbit, Northern/southern Hemisphere, Toward, Away

Why does the sun disappear every night?

​Grab a response card and answer the questions.

Sentence/Conversation starter:
The sun disappears every night because...
I think the sun disappears because

Think deeper... What causes day and night? How do we know?
Think about your daily routines.
Sentence Starter: What I think causes day and night is.....
I know day and night happens because....

​Word Bank
Earth, Rotation, Sun, Day/night cycle, Orbit, Northern/southern Hemisphere, Toward, Away

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Day-Night Cycle

How can we model day and night on Earth?

​Where should the globe face to show day time? What about night time?
What do we know about the Day and night cycle after modeling it?

​Conversation/sentence starter: The globe should
face...
What I now know about the day/night cycle is...

​Word Bank
Earth, Rotation, Sun, Day/night cycle, Orbit, Northern/southern Hemisphere, Toward, Away

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Earth’s Axis

Why does the globe spin?
I think the globe spins because....

Earth rotates, or spins, on
its axis. Rotation means to
spin in a circle around on
an axis. The Earth rotates
from west to east or
counterclockwise.

​​Word Bank
Earth, Rotation, Sun, Day/night cycle, Orbit, Northern/southern Hemisphere, Toward, Away

Day and Night

Time of Day

sunrise

daytime

sunset

nighttime

Orientation

starting to face away from Sun

facing away from Sun

starting to face toward Sun

facing toward Sun

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Match the items to describe how the part of Earth you are located
on is positioned during each time of day.

1.

2.

3.

4.

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Day-Night Cycle

How many hours of night are we expected to have?

​Grab a whiteboard, look at the image and answer the question.

​Think of the amount of hours in a day.

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Given problems, SW
correctly explain that
Earth rotates on its
axis once
approximately every
24 hours causing the
day-night cycle in at
least 4 of 5
questions.

Demonstration of Learning