Name: ___Justin Powers__________ Class Period __1_______ Date ___9/11/14_____

SEASONS WEBQUEST
Click on the following link to answer the following questions:
http://www.astronomy.org/programs/seasons/
1. During which season is the earth closest to the sun, summer or winter? _winter_
2. Scroll down to the Direct Energy vs. Indirect Energy picture of the flashlights.
2. Direct energy always produces _no_ shadows while indirect energy creates _long_
shadows.
3. Why is this important to how warm we feel?
If the suns rays are directly hitting you then they are transferring more energy, or heat, to your
body. No shadows are just a byproduct of direct energy.
Click on the following link to answer more questions.
http://vortex.plymouth.edu/sun/sun.html

Click on Why are there seasons?
1. Explain the difference between an equinox and a solstice:
An equinox is when the amount of daylight hours and the amount of night hours are exactly
equal at 12 hours each. A solstice is when the amount of either daylight or night hours are at
their maximum and the opposite is at its minimum.
.
2. How many of each do we have each year? 2
Name them:
Solstices: Equinoxes:
a. Summer Solstice a. Vernal Equinox
b. Winter Solstice b. Autumnal Equinox

Click on Rotation
1. In which direction does the Earth spin on its axis? Counterclockwise
2. Click on Solstices
2. In which direction is the Northern Hemispere tilted during mid-Spring and summer?
It is tilted toward the sun.
3. How does this affect the amount of daylight we have during this time?
The Earth is exposed to the suns rays for longer periods of time.
4. During what time of year does the North Pole experience 24 hours of sunlight?
Right around the time of the summer solstice.

South pole? Around the time of the winter solstice
Click on Our Orbit
5. Draw and label the Earths position in relation to the sun during each of the 4 seasons:
















Click on Temperatures

1. During what season does the Northern Hemisphere receive more concentrated energy
from the sun? (look at the flashlight example for a clue)
During the season of summer.
2. During what season (time of year) does the Sun have to travel through more atmosphere?
During winter.
If you were having to explain the reasons for the seasons to a 5
th
grader who is convinced that
seasons come from being closer or further away from the Sun explain how you would do it
below: (Include at least 3 things you learned from these sites!)

I would first explain to them that the Earth is tilted on an axis, because that is the main reason
that we have seasons. After explaining this I would show them a picture to help them visualize
what I meant by tilted on an axis. The picture would most likely be the one I included above,
with pictures and labels as to what season occurs when the Earth is in a certain position. I would
use that to explain the difference between summer and winter, and show them that summer is
happening when one half of the Earth is facing the sun, and winter is happening when the other
half is facing away. I would explain that the sunlight is directly hitting the half experiencing
summer, and the light hitting the other hemisphere is at a less direct angle so some of the suns
rays and heat are lost. I would also include that the direct sunlight means no shadows and the
slanted sunlight means long shadows, because they would probably find that interesting. While
explaining that idea I would show them the flashlight diagram.