The Earth, The Moon and The Sun

Learning Outcomes
Pupils will be able to:

• state that the Earth and the Moon rotate on their axes.
• state that the Earth rotates and at the same time moves around the Sun.
• state that the Moon rotates and at the same time moves around the Earth.
• state that the Moon and the Earth move around the Sun at the same time.
• describe the changes in the length and position of a shadow throughout the day.
• conclude that the Earth rotate on its axis from the west to the east.

            Earth rotates on its axis from the west to the east.

        It takes 24 hours to make one complete rotation.

Simple animation of the Earth and the Moon 

moving around the Sun.

The Sun is the centre of our solar system. The Earth and the Moon move around the Sun at the same time. 

       

How long does the Earth take to move around the Sun?

The Earth also moves around the Sun at the same time. 

                   It takes one year to move around the Sun.    

                                                                                         

The Moon also rotates on its axis. It takes about 28 days to make one complete rotation 

At the same time, the Moon moves around the Earth. It also takes about 28 days to move around the Earth.

• In early morning and afternoon, the Sun rises on the horizon and makes long shadows.
• At noon, the Sun is directly overhead and makes short shadows.
• The rotation of the Earth on its axis causes the length and position of a shadow to change.

Starry, Starry Night

Learning Outcomes

Pupils will be able to:

• state what constellation is
• identify constellations
• state the importance of constellations

What are constellations?

Constellations are a group of stars that seem to resemble something familiar to those who named them. They are not real objects but are just patterns that we see in the sky. Constellations have imaginary boundaries formed by connecting the stars. All of the stars within those boundaries are labelled with the name of that constellation.

Importance of Constellations

1) Farmers         - to remind them of planting and harvesting seasons.

2) Astronomers - to map the sky. 
3) Explorers      - for navigation and determine the direction 
                            especially on the ocean.

Examples of Constellations

  

 1) Southern Cross

Is a well known cross-shaped southern hemisphere constellation.
Southern Cross shows the south pole.


2) Big Dipper

Big Dipper is a group of seven bright stars
that forms a pattern of a handle and bowl.
Big Dipper shows the North Pole.

*Big Dipper and Southern Cross can be seen between April and June.

3) Scorpion

Scorpion contains many bright stars. 

The brighest star in Scorpion is Antares.

It can be seem clearly with its head, long body, tail

and stinger between June and August.

4) Orion

Orion can be seen clearly as a hunter with a belt and sword 

between December and February.

Day and Night

Learning Outcomes
Pupils will be able to:

• state that it is daytime for part of the Earth facing the Sun.
• state that it is nightime for the part of the Earth facing away from the Sun.
• explain that day and night occur due to the rotation of the Earth on its axis.\

• The Earth rotates on its axis. This rotation causes day and night.
• The part of the Earth that is facing the Sun experiences daytime.
• The part of the Earth that is facing away from the Sun experiences night-time.

The Occurence of Day and Night

Planets, Planets How Are You?

 

Inner Planets	Outer Planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars	Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
Made of rocks	Made of gases
Has an atmosphere	Do not have a suitable atmosphere for living things to survive
Temperature is hotter	Temperature is colder

PLANETS	CHARACTERISTICS
MERCURY	Too close to the Sun.  The temperature is too hot to support life.
VENUS	A great amount of the heat  from the Sun is trapped in its atmosphere. This makes it hotter than Mercury.
EARTH	Has water, air and a suitable temperature to support life. The position is just right for it to receive enough heat to support life.
MARS	Almost all of its water is frozen.  Scientist have not found any life there.
JUPITER	It is so big that all the other planets could fit inside it.
SATURN	Has three wide rings.  They can be seen with a telescope.
URANUS	Is lying on its side as it goes round the Sun.
NEPTUNE	Is covered with a blue ocean of liquid methane.
PLUTO	Is very cold because it is very far from the Sun.

                                                                                                        

How Far and How Big?

The distance from Earth to the Sun is 400 times the distance from Earth to the Moon.

    
Earth is 4 times the size of the Moon and the Sun is 100 times the size of Earth.   

                     We can assume that the:

                       (a) sago represents the Moon

                       (b) glass marbles represents Earth

                       (c) basketball represents the Sun.