1. Earth Science Review A student wants to know if plants can be grown without soil. The student removes a healthy plant from a pot of soil, and places the plant in a bowl of water. The plant dies after several days. What is the most likely reason the plant could not live in the water? a. The clear water let the sun burn the roots of the plant. b. It was a bad plant to begin with. c. The sunlight caused the water to change. d. Soil contains nutrients that are not found in water.

2. Earth Science Review Which of the following is best classified as a non- renewable resource? a. Coal b. Grass c. Oxygen d. Sun

3. Earth Science Review Humans depend on which natural resource from the environment? a. Electricity b. Houses c. Water d. Roads

4. What Causes the Seasons?

5. We know that the reason we have day and night is because the Earth rotates. Rotate means to turn. The Earth rotating on its ______ gives us day and night. axis Earth’s axis is the imaginary line that goes through the center of the Earth.

6. But guess what! Rotating isn’t the only way the Earth moves in space! The Earth also revolves. Revolve – When one object moves around another object

7. It takes the Earth one year, or 365 ¼ days to orbit the sun. Does anyone know what orbit means? Orbit - The path that an object follows as it revolves around another object. How long does one revolution take?

8. But why do we have four seasons? It’s because the Earth’s axis is tilted. Take a good look at our globe. It‘s not tilted like that because it looks nice. No way. That’s the way the Earth is tilted in space. That tilt gives us seasons!

9. Look at this diagram. Notice how the Earth is always tilted in the same direction. As the Earth ________ the part of Earth tilted toward the sun changes. revolves http://science.discovery.com/videos/wonders-of-the-solar-system- earth-in-fast-forward.html

10. During part of the year the North Pole tilts towards the sun. This season is _______. summer

11. During another part of the year, the North Pole points away from the sun. This season is ______. winter

12. Let’s Start with some Observations Using free downloaded computer program, Stellarium: http://www.stellarium.org/ Using free downloaded computer program, Stellarium: http://www.stellarium.org/http://www.stellarium.org/ Stellarium is planetarium software that shows exactly what you see when you look up at the stars. It's easy to use, and free. Stellarium is planetarium software that shows exactly what you see when you look up at the stars. It's easy to use, and free. Let’s look at sunrise & sunset, and Sun’s height in the sky. Let’s look at sunrise & sunset, and Sun’s height in the sky.

13. When the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun, the Sun travels higher overhead in the sky. The Sun’s rays shine straighter down on that part of the Earth. It is summer in that part of the Earth. It’s like pointing a flashlight at a piece of paper. When you hold the flashlight straight above the paper, the rays from the flashlight shine down straighter.

14. When the North Pole is tilted away from the Sun, the Sun stays lower in the sky. It is then winter in that part of the Earth. If you point your flashlight at a piece of paper at an angle, the rays from the flashlight spread out.

15. You Tube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiQvPL WziQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiQvPL WziQ

16. Seasons Pamphlet

17. “What Causes Seasons” Inquiry Materials Needed AB

18. Chart for Journal Direct Beam Area A= ___square units Angled Beam Area B= ___square units

19. Seasons Lab Journal Page

20. Procedure for Chart A Label one piece of graph paper A. Label one piece of graph paper A. Measure and hold the flashlight 4 cm directly above graph paper A. Measure and hold the flashlight 4 cm directly above graph paper A. Shine a direct beam and use a map color to outline the brightest area covered by the beam. Shine a direct beam and use a map color to outline the brightest area covered by the beam. Count the area and label your chart for square units. Count the area and label your chart for square units. A

21. Procedure for Chart B Place the flashlight directly on graph paper B and raise one edge of the flashlight lens 4 cm off the paper. Place the flashlight directly on graph paper B and raise one edge of the flashlight lens 4 cm off the paper. The flashlight beam should shine on the paper. The flashlight beam should shine on the paper. Use a map color to outline the brightest area covered by the beam. Use a map color to outline the brightest area covered by the beam. Count the area and label your chart. Count the area and label your chart. B

22. Application How does this relate to how the Earth’s Seasons are developed? How could this difference affect the weather? (areas where the sunlight is direct would be heated more than areas where the sunlight is angled) How could this difference affect the weather? (areas where the sunlight is direct would be heated more than areas where the sunlight is angled) How does this relate to the latitude where you live? (areas near the equator get direct sunlight all year while areas at the poles get angled sunlight all year) How does this relate to the latitude where you live? (areas near the equator get direct sunlight all year while areas at the poles get angled sunlight all year) How does this relate to the sun’s position in the sky from sun up to sun down? (we received angled light in early morning and late afternoon and therefore are not heated as much during these times of day as when the Sun is directly overhead) How does this relate to the sun’s position in the sky from sun up to sun down? (we received angled light in early morning and late afternoon and therefore are not heated as much during these times of day as when the Sun is directly overhead)