7th Grade Science

Earths Seasons
NGSS:
MS-ESS2-6.

Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth
cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional
climates.

Goals for Students:

1. Students will demonstrate a deep & robust understanding of STEM content

and apply that knowledge wherever possible.
2. Students will be confident, curious & open-minded individuals.
3. Students will support their position by using factual evidence & make
informed decisions.
4. Students will communicate and collaborate critically and effectively through
written and verbal methods.
5. Students will think critically and use problem-solving skills.
6. Students will be active and respectful members of their communities.
7. Students will use technology appropriately.
8. Students will use creativity and imagination.
9. Students will demonstrate a strong understanding of the nature of STEM.
10.
Students will be autonomous, self-motivated learners who will develop
goals and utilize resources to seek out information to become lifelong
learners.
Instructional Sequence:
1) Opening Question:
a. What do you think causes the seasons on Earth? (Think, Ink, Pair,
Share)
2) Ideas about seasons
a. What causes the Earths seasons
b. List all of them on the board
i. Common Responses:
1. Earths distance to sun
2. Earths tilt (although misconceptions are still often
present)
3) Path of the Earth around the Sun
a. In your groups, on white boards, draw What you think the path of the
Earth around the Sun looks like?
b. Encourage those who think the Earths Axis tilt is the cause to draw in
the angle of the axis at multiple points along Earths path.

c. Discuss each groups ideas as a class

4) Confronting Misconceptions
a. Pick one student idea at a time on the board
b. In summer we are closer to the sun (common misconception)
i. How are the seasons different in other parts of the world?
ii. If the entire Earth is closer to the sun in the summer, which
parts of the Earth would be experiencing summer?
iii. (Write, Pair, and Share) We said that (1) seasons are opposite in
the Southern Hemisphere, and (2) The Earth is farther away
from the sun in winter. Why cant both of these statements be
true?
iv. How can we explore whether the seasons are different in other
parts of the world? (let students come up with ideas, below is a
method often brought up, if not, scaffold questions to this
method)
1. Make a table for the average temperature (In Celsius) of
Des Moines, London, Galapagos Islands and Buenos Aires
Argentina
a. (Different cities can be used, just make sure to
have at least one in northern hem, southern hem,
and one on the equator)
b. Average Monthly Temperature of ______
worldweatheronline
2. Create a graph of this data on white boards (with group)
a. Indicate which months represent which season
v. Write an explanation saying why the distance from the sun
model does not work.
vi. So we have identified that the distance model doesnt work.
What observations or evidence does our new model have to
explain?
5) New Ideas scaffolding
a. What happens to the amount of sunlight that we get over time?
b. How is sunlight different near the poles than at the equator?
c. How is sunlight different in the summer? (Talk with groups)
i. There are towns in the northernmost parts of Alaska, that will
not see the sun for over 60 days straight in the winter, and in
the summer, they will have over 60 days of only sunlight,
meaning its sunny at midnight in the summer, and pitchblack at
noon in the winter. What does that say about the amount of
sunlight the poles get?
ii. How can we explain this?
iii. (When tilt is brought up) How can we be more certain that this
idea is accurate?
6) Walk around the room with globe

a. What do you notice about the movement of the Earth that might
explain the different seasons? (keep the axis pointing the same
direction all the way around)
b. How might the way the Earth is tilted affect the season? (talk with your
groups)
7) Point flashlight at the board and draw a circle
a. What will happen if I tilt the flashlight?
b. (Think, pair share) How do you think the sunlight affects the
temperature of the Earth?
c. How do these two flashlight examples compare to each other?
d. If the light from the flashlight were rays of sunlight, why would the
perpendicular light be hotter? (discuss with groups)
i. Introduce Indirect and direct light
8) Hold
a.
b.
c.

globe in the light of a flashlight

Which parts of the Earth are getting the most direct light?
What do you know about the temperature in those areas?
Considering what you know about indirect light, why are the poles of
the planet so cold? (Discuss with groups)
d. What will be different when the Earth is on the other side of the sun?
(walk globe over there)
e. The Earth moves around the sun one full time in a year. Draw on the
white boards what you think the motion around the Earth looks like,
and note which season it is at different times.
f. Show images of Earths radiation in June and January.
i. Have student predict which month is which.