Earth's Spin & Orbit

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Space Exploration|Ages 7—9|ID: mt_w2xiMNkyyX

Understand that Earth moves in two ways: it rotates (spins) on its axis once every 24 hours causing day and night, and it orbits (travels around) the Sun once every 365 days, which is one year

Mastery Evidence

Demonstrate with a globe or ball that Earth's rotation causes day on the Sun-facing side and night on the opposite side
State that one full rotation takes about 24 hours (one day)
State that one full orbit around the Sun takes about 365 days (one year)

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] explain that we have day and night because the Earth spins, and that a year is the time it takes Earth to go all the way around the Sun?”

Prerequisites2

Seasons & Weather Patterns
softAges 5—7
The Sun is a star
hardAges 7—9

Show full prerequisite tree

Seasons & Weather Patterns soft
Seasons concept benefits from knowing Earth orbits Sun
- Seasonal changes soft
  Seasons/weather patterns parallels curriculum four seasons topic
  - Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
    Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
    - Ordering Events in Time hard
      Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
- Types of Weather soft
  Seasons benefit from weather vocabulary
The Sun is a star hard
Must know the Sun-centred system before understanding Earth's rotation and orbit within it
- Sun, Moon & Stars hard
  Must know the Sun is a sky object before learning it is a star
  - Why seasons change soft
    Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification
    - Naming the Planets soft
      Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary
    - Seasonal changes soft
      Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition
      - Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
- Our Solar System hard
  Must know about the solar system before learning the Sun is at its centre
  - Sun, Moon & Stars hard
    Must know the Sun and stars before learning about planets and the solar system
    - Why seasons change soft
      Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification
      - Naming the Planets soft
        Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary
      - Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically

Unlocks5

The Moon's Orbit
softAges 7—9
Seasonal Constellations
hardAges 9—11
Changing Ideas About Space
hardAges 9—11
Earth's rotation and day/night
softAges 9—11
Gravity Pulls Things Down
hardAges 9—11