Seasons and Reasons

This short article tells the reason for seasons using simple graphics and good explanations. The article also includes some simple activities to demonstrate that not only is it the tilt of ... See More

This short article tells the reason for seasons using simple graphics and good explanations. The article also includes some simple activities to demonstrate that not only is it the tilt of the Earth but also the position of the sun at different locations on the Earth that causes seasons. This is a basic explanation that everyone should learn. It might even be good enough to use as is with fifth graders.

Tilt of the Earth/Indirect Sunshine Background

I love reading Bill Robertson and his NSTA Press book series, Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It. This article carefully explains that the tilt of the Earth ... See More

I love reading Bill Robertson and his NSTA Press book series, Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It. This article carefully explains that the tilt of the Earth causes the seasons, rather than the commonly held misconception that the Earth is closer to the Sun in the summer. Step by step, he leads the curious teacher through the planetary science, including the uneven distribution of sunlight and the orbit of the Earth. My only hesitation is that he depends on the trick of shining a flashlight on a balloon. In my classes, the balloon is not nearly big enough to demonstrate the angle of the Sun's rays. My kids remain confused. So, although I can understand this background article well, I can't take it directly to my kids; which, to be fair, was not his intention. I just hope that the confused science teacher who needs this information can make it work better than my students. For the teacher who needed just a brush-up, this is an excellent source.