1. The Mission You are an alien on a mission. Your job is to bring back information about the Earth to your planet. Where you live it is always dark and cold. Your alien neighbors want to know what causes day and night on Earth. They also want to know why there seems to be four different seasons that humans enjoy. Use the following resources to find the answers Next These materials are © 2005 Beth Champney, Charlton Street School, all rights reserved.

2. Information Sources Looking out your spaceship window you notice the Earth is moving in two different ways, rotating on its axis, and revolving around the sun. These movements seem to be effecting the day and night pattern as well as the seasonal changes. Use Chapter 12 of your science textbook, other classroom and library books, as well as the websites listed on the next page to gather more information for your alien neighbors. Looking out your spaceship window you notice the Earth is moving in two different ways, rotating on its axis, and revolving around the sun. These movements seem to be effecting the day and night pattern as well as the seasonal changes. Use Chapter 12 of your science textbook, other classroom and library books, as well as the websites listed on the next page to gather more information for your alien neighbors Next These materials are © 2005 Beth Champney, Charlton Street School, all rights reserved..

3. The Student Activity Next These materials are © 2005 Beth Champney, Charlton Street School, all rights reserved.. You need to bring home your information in the form of the graphic organizer provided by your alien leader. You must also provide an oral explanation using a flashlight and a globe to explain what causes day and night, as well as the seasonal changes on Earth, to an alien audience.graphic organizer Use the links below to find out what you need to know. Earth’s movements Earth’s movements Earth’s rotation Earth’s rotation Earth’s revolution movie Earth’s revolution movie You need to bring home your information in the form of the graphic organizer provided by your alien leader. You must also provide an oral explanation using a flashlight and a globe to explain what causes day and night, as well as the seasonal changes on Earth, to an alien audience.graphic organizer Use the links below to find out what you need to know. Earth’s movements Earth’s movements Earth’s rotation Earth’s rotation Earth’s revolution movie Earth’s revolution movie

4. The Assessment Activity Now that you have gathered all your information on your graphic organizer you are ready to plan your oral presentation for the alien audience at home. You see that you will need some help holding the flashlight and moving the globe to demonstrate. You decide to take a human home to help out. Ask a partner to be that human and work with you. Be sure that you and your partner can show and explain how the Earth moves to cause day and night, as well as what happens to cause the seasons. Sign up with the alien leader for the day and time you will be doing your presentation. Now that you have gathered all your information on your graphic organizer you are ready to plan your oral presentation for the alien audience at home. You see that you will need some help holding the flashlight and moving the globe to demonstrate. You decide to take a human home to help out. Ask a partner to be that human and work with you. Be sure that you and your partner can show and explain how the Earth moves to cause day and night, as well as what happens to cause the seasons. Sign up with the alien leader for the day and time you will be doing your presentation Next These materials are © 2005 Beth Champney, Charlton Street School, all rights reserved..

5. Enrichment Activities To learn more about space check out these sites: The Solar System The Solar SystemThe Solar SystemThe Solar System The Universe The UniverseThe UniverseThe Universe Other Space Stuff Other Space Stuff Other Space Stuff Other Space Stuff Sun position in the sky Sun position in the skySun position in the skySun position in the sky To play some out of this world games try: Space Vocabulary Space VocabularySpace VocabularySpace Vocabulary Planet Word Search Planet Word SearchPlanet Word SearchPlanet Word Search Solar System Facts Solar System FactsSolar System FactsSolar System Facts To learn more about space check out these sites: The Solar System The Solar SystemThe Solar SystemThe Solar System The Universe The UniverseThe UniverseThe Universe Other Space Stuff Other Space Stuff Other Space Stuff Other Space Stuff Sun position in the sky Sun position in the skySun position in the skySun position in the sky To play some out of this world games try: Space Vocabulary Space VocabularySpace VocabularySpace Vocabulary Planet Word Search Planet Word SearchPlanet Word SearchPlanet Word Search Solar System Facts Solar System FactsSolar System FactsSolar System Facts Next These materials are © 2005 Beth Champney, Charlton Street School, all rights reserved.

6. Teacher Support Materials Massachusetts Standards Science Recognize that the sun supplies heat and light to the earth and is necessary for life. Science Identify some events around us that have repeating patterns, including seasons of the year, day and night. Massachusetts Standards Science Recognize that the sun supplies heat and light to the earth and is necessary for life. Science Identify some events around us that have repeating patterns, including seasons of the year, day and night These materials are © 2005 Beth Champney, Charlton Street School, all rights reserved. Clip Art from Clipartheaven.com

Movements of the Earth What repeating pattern on the Earth does the Earth’s rotation cause? How long does it take for the Earth to make one complete rotation? Draw a picture of the Earth rotating on its axis. Be sure to include the sun, the Earth, and arrows to explain. RotationRotationRevolution What repeating pattern on the Earth does the Earth’s orbit cause? How long does it take for the Earth to make one complete orbit? Draw a picture of the Earth orbiting the sun. Be sure to include the sun, the Earth, season labels, and arrows to explain. back