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MS-ESS1-1 Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and seasons

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MS-ESS1-1 Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and seasons

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HOW TO SEE THE MILKY WAY FROM A CITY #astrophotography #photography #shorts

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MS-ESS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.

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MS-ESS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.

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MS-ESS1-3 Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

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MS-ESS1-3 Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

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Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions MS-PS2-4, MS-PS2-5

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Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions MS-PS2-4, MS-PS2-5

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Energy MS-PS3-2

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1. Introduce topic

2. Gauge understanding

3. spark curiosity

4. facilitate discuss with open ended Questions

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1. Hands on activity to explore idea or concepts

2. Collaborative Inquiry

3. Make observations

4. Teacher collects and validates

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1. What and how are things moving in the sky?

2. What moves the sun or the earth?

3. What moves the moon or the earth?

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1. Students generate what they know

2. small group and classroom connections and ownership of ideas

3. direct instruction and clarification

1. key terms

2. key processes

3. Use media

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Universe

galaxy

lunar

solar

eclipse

phase

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Asteroid

comet

parallax

orbit

telescope

solar nebula

protoplanetary disk

astronomical disk

light-year

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Apply and demonstrate gained knowledge

presentations

Projects

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Lesson 1: Observations Provide Evidence for the Structure of the Solar System pp214-237

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Lesson 1: Observations Provide Evidence for the Structure of the Solar System pp214-237

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Students explain patterns of the apparent motion of objects in the sky as seen from Earth and develop a model of the solar system's structure.

SEP Developing and Using Models, Analyzing and Interpreting Data

DCI ESS1.A The Universe and Its Stars, ESS1.B Earth and the Solar System

CCC Patterns; Scale, Proportion, and Quantity; Systems and System Models

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The sun, the earth and the earth's moon have a very special relationship that affects just about everything in our daily lives: the weather, tides, seasons, plants, insects, mood, the food we eat and much more. People have been tracking the sun and the moon for a long time and we have come to understand a lot about how they each move, along with how the earth moves.

In this solar system activity, we will explore that movement and begin to consider how it affects what we see in the sky every day. As we model the phases of the moon through an entire lunar month, you will become the earth-moon-sun system. Using a model of the earth, moon and sun, you will experience the phases of the moon and explore how the moon's shape changes in predictable patterns. Finally, you can even demonstrate solar and lunar eclipses using this model.

This activity will take about 15-20 minutes of preparation time and another 30-45 minutes of learning time. It is best suited for children in grades 2-8.

Materials:

Floor lamp (without lamp shade)

1 clear light bulb (40-75 watt)

1 extension cord

One 2 to 3-inch polystyrene (foam craft) ball with a hole large enough to fit a pencil (per learner)

One pencil to attach and hold polystyrene ball (per learner)

Preparation:

1. Ready your room. For this activity you will need a dark room, preferably one without windows, but any room you can darken in your home will work. If you cannot do this activity at night, use curtains, cardboard or black paper to darken your windows. Using an extension cord, plug the lamp into the center of the room. Tape the cord to the floor using duct tape to help prevent tripping. Have balls and pencils ready to give to each learner.

2. Make moonballs. Create a hole in each ball large enough for the pencil to fit in. The pencil does not need to go in more than one inch. If you are having trouble keeping the pencils attached, you may glue them in place. However, this is not necessary.

3. Test the room. Place your bulb in the lamp and darken the room. Turn the lamp on and hold a moon ball in your hand. Move it to your side observing the crescent shape. Make sure you have good contrast between the light and dark side. Experiment with brighter or dimmer bulbs if necessary.

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Learn and demonstrate the phases of the moon

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The sun, the earth and the earth's moon have a very special relationship that affects just about everything in our daily lives: the weather, tides, seasons, plants, insects, mood, the food we eat and much more.

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The Moon Adventure | Institute of Physics

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What’s it like to be an astronaut? Where did the Moon come from? What’s the future of humans in space? Read on to find out more!

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How It Works

As you move the moon, you'll begin to see different phases. Remember that the moon (represented by the foam ball) does not make its own light, it only reflects light from the lamp (represented by the sun). The phases are caused by how much reflected light we can see from earth (that's you!). Since the moon orbits around the Earth every 27 days, these phases repeat over and over. It's a cycle!

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If you are on a school computer or network, ask your tech person to whitelist these URLs: *.wistia.com, fast.wistia.com, fast.wistia.net, embedwistia-a.akamaihd.net Sometimes a simple refresh solves this issue. If you need further help, contact us. As you move the moon, you'll begin to see different phases.

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You’re going to love these moon phase activities for upper elementary and middle school!

By the time students get to sixth grade, they have been exposed to the phases of the moon, but often lack a real understanding of WHY and HOW the moon goes through phases.

Here are a few of my favorite moon phase activities to help your students go deeper and understand why we see the different phases of the moon.

1. MOON MODELS

Moon models are a great way for students to explore and make connections with the moon and its phases! This is often one of the first activities I do when teaching phases of the moon.

Bonus! It’s also a great way to pre-assess and see how much they really know!

A moon model is quick and easy to make using only a 2 inch Styrofoam ball and a skewer or durable plastic stick.

Modeling the phases of the moon

Once students have their moon models, place a lamp in the center of the room.  I like to take the lampshade off of mine to be sure the light they are getting is direct.

Turn out the lights and spread out the students around the lamp – be careful no one is blocking their light and creating an eclipse!

Tell the students they will be using their head as the ”observer on Earth” and lamp as the sun.

Then issue some challenges!

Here are a few ideas:

Can you simulate the phases of the moon?

Where would the moon be in order for the observer to see a full moon?

Where would be moon be in order for the observer to see a new moon?

How would you position yourself so that the observer sees a first quarter moon?

How would you position yourself so that the observer sees a 3rd quarter moon?

Does the moon make its own light?  Explain.

2.  MOON PHASE STORYBOARD ACTIVITY

Sometimes I feel like so many of our students are getting burned out with the constant use of technology.  Especially this year!

In this project, students read short descriptions about the phases of the moon. Then they create label a scientific diagram to summarize what they read.

This story board activity is a great way to reinforce and assess the phases of the moon with a creative twist!

3. VOLLEYBALL MOON PHASE ACTIVITY

Save the post for later!

The volleyball moon activity is a quick and easy way to demonstrate how the moon’s position relative to the Earth affects the phase we see.

This is especially good to do after students have learned to identify the phases of the moon.

Materials: volleyball (from the PE department….), strong light source such as a spotlight or old fashioned overhead projector

The set up for this is simple.  Place the volleyball on one end of the room. Shine the bright light on the ball.

Turn off the lights and go around the room asking students to identify the phase of the moon they see from where they’re sitting.

Because the students are seated in different areas of the room, they are viewing different amounts of the volleyball being lit up.  For example, one student may see a full moon, while another sees a first quarter or a waxing crescent. Don’t forget to have a student observe the ball from a new moon position!

This quick simulation sets up for great discussion of “who’s right?” (or wrong) since we all came up with different answers!  Hint: this makes a great writing activity!

After the volleyball demonstration, students are able to easily make the connection that the moon’s position affects the phase of the moon we see from Earth.

4.  NORTH POLAR VIEW MOON PHASE WORKSHEET

While not flashy, the north-polar view model is one of the best moon phase activities to REALLY help students understand the relationship between what we see from Earth and how the moon is positioned in the sky.

I am a huge fan of students adding a concrete, written explanation to hands on activities.  The north-polar view diagram is  one of the best ways I’ve found to really drive home the understanding of the phases of the moon!

5. INTERACTIVE MOON MODEL

The moon model is a huge “aha moment” for both teachers and students alike!

Honestly, I’ve had teachers share that this is the first time they “truly understood” why we see the phases of the moon.

The moon model is so simple and inexpensive to make:

1.  Cut a hole in the middle of a black, sturdy poster board. The hole should be big enough for a student to poke their head through.

2. Spray paint or use a black Sharpie marker to color 8 ping pong balls so that they are half black and half white.

3. Glue them to the board around the circle (hot glue works well!). The white side of the ping pong balls should be facing the “sun.”

4. Label the direction the sun is coming from on the board.

How it works: Students take turns putting their head through the hole and rotating the board counter clockwise to see the phases of the moon.

Ideas:

1.  Students can make a flip grid video to explain how to use the moon model and how it works.

2. Number the different phases with sticky notes (out of order) and have students work in partners to identify the different phases they see.

6. MOON PHASE TASK CARDS

Task cards are one of my favorite ways to add some extra reinforcement to the learning about a topic.  These phases of the moon task cards are a great way to add some extra practice  or review in the classroom.

Take a look at this blog post filled with ideas to make task cards fun in the middle school classroom.

Take your Moon Phase Investigation to the Next Level!

Save time with this moon phase bundle! Everything you need to teach moon phases is included in this bundle plus save 20%!

Presentation & Foldable

Practice Worksheets

North Polar View

Task Cards (digital and print)

Storyboard Activity

Teaching remotely this year?

Check out this post “5 Virtual Moon Phase Activities” Your Students Will Love.”

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6 Proven Moon Phase Activities to Engage your Students

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These six moon phase activities will help your students understand the relationship between the sun, Earth, and moon.

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Published: December 2, 2022

Historical Date: November 23, 2020

An enduring myth about the Moon is that it doesn't rotate. While it's true that the Moon keeps the same face to us, this only happens because the Moon rotates at the same rate as its orbital motion, a special case of tidal locking called synchronous rotation. The animation shows both the orbit and the rotation of the Moon. The yellow circle with the arrow and radial line have been added to make the rotation more apparent. The arrow indicates the direction of rotation. The radial line points to the center of the visible disk of the Moon at 0°N 0°E.
Download options

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The Moon's Orbit and Rotation - Moon: NASA Science

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Animation of both the orbit and the rotation of the Moon.

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Overview From Space

Imagine you're in a spaceship, traveling away from Earth. As you sail onward, you see our planet and its Moon locked together in their endless, circling, gravitational embrace. Your distant view gives you a unique perspective on the Moon that can be hard to visualize from the ground, where the Moon appears to sweep through the sky as an ever-changing globe of light.

From your astronaut's viewpoint, you can see that the Moon is an average of 238,855 miles (384,399 km) from Earth, or about the space that could be occupied by 30 Earths. It travels around our planet once every 27.322 days in an elliptical orbit, an elongated circle. The Moon is tidally locked with Earth, which means that it spins on its axis exactly once each time it orbits our planet. Because of this, people on Earth only ever see one side of the Moon. We call this motion synchronous rotation.

The Moon's orbit is tilted about 5 degrees compared to the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun. Because of this tilt, the Moon as seen from Earth's perspective usually passes above or below the Sun when it passes between us and the Sun. The tilt of the Moon's orbit prevents us from having monthly solar and lunar eclipses.

This animation illustrates how the tilt of the Moon's orbit often keeps it out of alignment with the Sun and Earth, preventing frequent eclipses. Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

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Overview | Phases, Eclipses & Supermoons - Moon: NASA Science

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Moon.nasa.gov is NASA's deep dive resource for lunar exploration from astronauts to robots.

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We're always on the move! Even when you're standing still, you're moving! You are moving because the Earth and everything in our solar system is constantly moving.

Our solar system includes the Sun, nine planets and their Moons, comets and asteroids. These objects are sometimes called celestial bodies, and they are constantly moving, too.

At the center of it all is the Sun. It takes the Sun 25 days to spin, or rotate, completely around.

The Earth, which is the third planet from the Sun, takes 24 hours to rotate. This is what causes day and night. As the Earth rotates, it also moves, or revolves, around the Sun.

The Earth's path around the Sun is called its orbit. It takes the Earth one year, or 365 1/4 days, to completely orbit the Sun.

As the Earth orbits the Sun, the Moon orbits the Earth. The Moon's orbit lasts 27 1/2 days, but because the Earth keeps moving, it takes the Moon two extra days, 29 1/2, to come back to the same place in our sky.
This site has been designed to give your class an overview of astronomy and help them understand why a Total Solar Eclipse can happen. Each section leads with a simple question which is answered through the use of words, pictures, animations and activities. Each section requires approximately 5 minutes, each activity varies.
Dolores Peterson was a New York City School Teacher in Community School District 3 for nine years when she produced this lesson plan for Kidseclipse. She has a Masters in Education from the City University of New York.

Lesson 2 of Kidseclipse TEACH

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How do the Sun, Earth, and Moon move? | KidsEclipse

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We're always on the move! Even when you're standing still, you're moving! You are moving because the Earth and everything in our solar system is constantly moving. Our solar system includes the Sun, nine planets and their Moons, comets and asteroids. These objects are sometimes called celestial bodies, and they are constantly moving, too.

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Language Arts Connections Aristole and Ptolemy

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Language Arts Connections Aristole and Ptolemy

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Early Astronomers p.222

Aristotle and Ptolemy

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Have you ever looked up at the sky and noticed how the Moon changes shape each night? Ever wondered why... And how?
Well, here's the answer - it doesn't 'change shape' at all! Let's take a look at the phases of the Moon...

Phases of the Moon

The Moon doesn't emit (give off) light itself, the ' moonlight ' we see is actually the Sun's light reflected off the lunar surface.

So, as the Moon orbits the Earth, the Sun lights up different parts of it, making it seem as if the Moon is changing shape. In actual fact, it's just our view of it that's altering...

Zoom in for a closer look!

Changing faces

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite (a celestial body that orbits a planet). It takes the Moon 27.3 days to make a complete orbit around the Earth, but because the Earth is moving around the sun at the same time, it takes the moon 29.5 days to go through its eight different 'phases' - a lunar month.

Zoom in for a closer look!

Did you know we have a FREE downloadable Phases of the Moon primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

When the Moon appears to be getting bigger, it's ' waxing' and when it looks like it's getting smaller, it's ' waning'. Once the face of the Moon is fully turned towards the Sun, it's a Full Moon, and we see it all. But, as the Moon moves around the Earth, the face pointing towards us gradually becomes hidden from the Sun until we can hardly see it at all - this is a New Moon. Cosmic!

Did you enjoy our phases of the Moon feature? Be sure to check out our ten top facts about the Moon, too!

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The phases of the moon | National Geographic Kids

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Learn all about the phases of the moon here at National Geographic Kids and discover why it appears to change shape each night. How long does it take for the moon to orbit Earth? Why does the moon shine bright at night? What are the names of the different phases of the moon?

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In this Mystery, students will realize that the setting Sun isn’t moving, Earth is spinning. In the activity, they’ll compare two different models of what’s happening.

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StarChild is a learning center for young astronomers ages 5-13 to learn about the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and the universe beyond. Use the links above to explore the site's topics. If you are looking for something a bit more advanced (ages 14+), then head on over to Imagine the Universe!

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StarChild: A Learning Center for Young Astronomers

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This site is intended for students in grades K through 8.

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Our Sun is a 4.5 billion-year-old yellow dwarf star - a hot glowing ball of hydrogen and helium - at the center of our solar system. It's about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from Earth and it's our solar system's only star. Without the Sun's energy, life as we know it could not exist on our home planet.

10 things

The part of the Sun we see from Earth - the part we call the surface - is the photosphere. The Sun doesn't actually have a solid surface because it's a ball of plasma.

The Sun would have been surrounded by a disk of gas and dust early in its history when the solar system was first forming 4.6 billion years ago. Some of that dust is still around today, in several dust rings that circle the Sun. They trace the orbits of planets, whose gravity tugs dust into place around the Sun.

As a star, the Sun doesn't have any moons, but the planets and their moons orbit the Sun.

Once material leaves the corona at supersonic speeds, it becomes the solar wind, which forms a huge magnetic "bubble" around the Sun, called the heliosphere. The heliosphere extends beyond the orbit of the planets in our solar system. Thus, Earth exists inside the Sun's atmosphere. Outside the heliosphere is interstellar space.

In one of the Sun's biggest mysteries, the corona is much hotter than the layers immediately below it. (Imagine walking away from a bonfire only to get warmer.) The source of coronal heating is a major unsolved puzzle in the study of the Sun.

Solar activity can release huge amounts of energy and particles, some of which impact us here on Earth. Much like weather on Earth, conditions in space - known as space weather - are always changing with the Sun's activity. "Space weather" can interfere with satellites, GPS, and radio communications. It also can cripple power grids, and corrode pipelines that carry oil and gas.

Another solar flare on March 13, 1989, caused geomagnetic storms that disrupted electric power transmission from the Hydro Québec generating station in Canada, plunging 6 million people into darkness for 9 hours. The 1989 flare also caused power surges that melted power transformers in New Jersey.

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From our vantage point on Earth, the Sun may appear like an unchanging source of light and heat in the sky. But the Sun is a dynamic star, constantly changing and sending energy out into space. The science of studying the Sun and its influence throughout the solar system is called heliophysics.

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For 4.5 billion years, the Sun has generated energy to power the solar system. Visible light is the most obvious form of that energy. Every day the Earth turns, and the new day starts with sunlight. Here on Earth, the Sun's light causes day and night, shadows, eclipses, and seasons. As the Earth moves on its journey around the Sun, the people on Earth experience changes in light. You experience those changes all the time. Have you ever noticed that the days are longer in summer, that it's colder in winter, or that your shadow practically disappears at noon? These natural phenomena are caused by the movement of the Earth around the Sun. With a little know-how, you can use some simple experiments to track those movements and model them.

Can't wait to get started? Jump to the experiment!

Changing Light And Shadows

The Earth is moving in space, so the light from the Sun doesn't shine on it the same way every minute of every day. Over a year, the planet revolves around the Sun, moving along its elliptical orbit. Because of the shape of that orbit, there are times when Earth is closer to the Sun and times it is farther away. You may be tempted to assume that when the Earth is closest to the Sun, we experience summer, but that's not how it works. In reality, it's all about the Earth's 23.5 degree tilt on its axis.

Days And Years

That tilted axis is essential to the seasons. Because of that tilt and the shape of Earth's orbit, different parts of the planet receive the Sun's most direct rays at different times of the year. When the North Pole tilts towards the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere gets the most dire ct rays of light, absorbs more energy which becomes heat, and e xperiences summer. When the North Pole tilts away from the Sun, the light is more indirect, causing winter. In addition, the part of the Earth that tilts towards the Sun receives more hours of sunlight during the day than the part tilted away from the Sun.

You can model this at home. Take a flashlight, turn it on, and point it straight toward a wall. You get a concentrated bright light on a small area of the wall. When you tilt the flashlight a bit, the light spreads out. It's the same amount of light, but because it's spread over a larger area, it looks dimmer. Because the light is less concentrated, less energy is absorbed, and less heat is generated. That's winter.

Meanwhile, it takes 24 hours for the Earth to complete one rotation on its axis. That means the Earth spins, a bit like a tilted toy top. This rotation exposes parts of the Earth to sunlight as it turns. When a part of the Earth faces the Sun, it experiences day. As that part of the Earth turns away from the Sun, it experiences night. The part of the Earth nearest the Sun at any moment gets the most direct sunlight.

Sometimes that light gets blocked. You see this every time you observe your shadow or stand under the shade of a tree. Because the Earth rotates, the angle of that tree relative to the Sun changes during the day. So the size and direction of the shadow change too.

Really Big Shadows

Shadows play a role in eclipses as well. An eclipse happens when a planet or moon gets in the way of the Sun's light. In the case of a lunar eclipse, the Earth moves between the Sun's light and the Moon. The Earth's shadow covers the Moon. Because the moon's orbit is tilted, we don't get an eclipse every month, but they are more common than solar eclipses.

For a solar eclipse, the Moon gets between the Sun's light and the Earth. That causes it to get dark during the day. A total solar eclipse happens somewhere on Earth about every year and a half. However, the Moon's shadow on Earth isn't that big , so you need to be in just the right place to see a solar eclipse. That makes them very special. The next total solar eclipse in the United States will happen on April 8, 2024 .

We may need to wait a while to experience another eclipse, but we can explore shadows and light any day of the year. So grab your materials and get ready to experiment with light!

Materials

Chalk

Tape Measure

Compass or GPS app (optional)

Lamp or flashlight (optional)

Safety and clean-up notes: Never look directly at the sun while doing any of these activities! It can seriously hurt your eyes. While outside, take care to be aware of your surroundings.

Tracking Visible Light Across Time

It's best to perform shadow tracing outdoors on a sunny day. You will need a safe, clean, dry, and open space of pavement or concrete for your work. Since you'll need to visit the location several times during the day, ensure the area will be available.

If you cannot draw on the ground, you can lay down newspaper, cardboard or a dropcloth instead. Use masking tape, rocks, or other easily removed materials rather than chalk to mark the shadow if needed. Even if you don't have helpers, you can still do these activities. Just find a doll, a vase, or some other tall opaque item to substitute as a person in this activity.

Activity 1: Shadow Tracing Over Time

1. Find a safe, clean, open space of pavement or concrete that you can visit several times throughout the day. Plan to visit at least three times during the day-morning, midday, and afternoon-so that you can trace a shadow.

2. Select who will be the Shadow Maker and the Shadow Tracer.

3. Starting in the morning, draw a box on the ground using chalk.

4. Have the Shadow Maker stand in the box with their back to the Sun. If using a compass or GPS, have the Shadow Maker stand facing west. Make sure they stand in a comfortable position that they can repeat in the future.

5. Using the chalk, have the Shadow Tracer outline the shadow of the Shadow Maker. Write the time of day by the head of the shadow.

6. Use your tape measure to measure the length of the shadow starting from the edge of the box you drew to the top of the head. Write the number next to the head.

7. Repeat the shadow tracing at least twice more.

8. Record all your data in a notebook or take a picture of your tracings.

After making the first tracing make a prediction. Do you think the shadow will be in the same place when you next check? Why do you think that is?

Once you have completed your tracings, take a look at them.

Is there a pattern to the tracings?

Is the shadow the same length in inches as your height?

At what time of day is the shadow the longest? At what time is it the shortest?

Is the shadow always pointing in the same direction? Why do you think that is?

How can shadows on the ground tell you where the Sun is in the sky?

When the Sun goes down at night, what happens to your shadow? Why?

One way scientists analyze data is to summarize it by making a visual representation of the data . For example, you could create a line graph to show the change in your shadow over time. The x-axis, the horizontal line, could be the time of day, and the y-axis, the vertical line, could be the height of the shadow. Does your graph show any patterns or trends? Compare your chart with others if possible.

If you do not have an appropriate place to perform your shadow tracing outside, that's ok! Using a lamp or flashlight to model the Sun, you can simulate the process indoors. For this activity, you will need three people-the Shadow Maker, the Shadow Tracer, and the Light Holder.

As the Earth rotates on its axis each day, the Sun appears to follow an arched path across the sky, traveling from east to west. From our reference point on Earth, the Sun looks like it's moving around the Earth. It's important to remember that the apparent movement of the Sun is actually due to the motion of the Earth. This video shows the sun's apparent movement in the sky over the course of 12 hours.

Activity 2: Shadow Tracing Indoors

1. Have the Shadow Maker stand in the box with their back to the light holder. Make sure the Shadow Maker stands in a comfortable position that they can hold.

2. Have the Light Holder stand about two feet to the right of the Shadow Maker and hold the light facing the Shadow Maker's back. Hold the light at roughly the shoulder height of the Shadow Maker.

3. Next, the Shadow Tracer should outline the Shadow Maker's shadow. Label this tracing as "morning." Measure the shadow using your tape measure.

4. Repeat the shadow tracing. This time have the Light Holder stand directly behind the Shadow Maker, with the light at least the height of the Shadow Maker's head. Label this as "noon" and measure the shadow.

5. For the third tracing, repeat step 2 but have the light holder to the left of the shadow maker. Label this as afternoon and measure the shadow.

6. You can add additional tracings, testing other places along the arc.

As you moved the light, what happened to the shadow? How does this model the apparent movement of the Sun across the sky? In what ways is this simulation limited?

Even if you can go outdoors for Activity 1, performing Activity 2 as a follow-up provides an opportunity to think about the Sun's apparent movement across the sky by directly simulating it with a flashlight.

What other ways can you use this technique to model other phenomena, such as an eclipse?

Use What You've Learned

Now that you've traced and tracked shadows throughout the day, try using what you've learned to make a sundial . People have been tracking the sun's apparent movement across the sky for thousands of years. Long before we had watches, clocks, and calendars, people used the placement of the Sun as a way to tell time and track the seasons. You can do the same with simple supplies from around the house and this tutorial from Sky & Telescope . Or learn more about how places like England's Stonehenge, Machu Picchu's Temple of Sun, and New Mexico's Sun Dagger were used to track important solar events by building your own Sun tracker .

Keep Learning And Sharing

The last total solar eclipse in the US was in 2017. The next is coming up in 2024. Start planning now with Science Friday articles and activities to help you become an eclipse expert and view the eclipse safely.

Want to keep learning about light? Try What Makes Day and Night by Franklyn M. Branley. If you discover a great book, make sure you share your recommendation with Science Friday. We'd love to see your satellite models too. Share photos of your project with the hashtag #SciFriSunCamp on social media or send them to educate@sciencefriday.com .

NGSS Standards

1-PS4-2: Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated.

1-PS4-3: Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.

1-ESS1-1 : Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.

K-2-ETS1-1 : Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

3-5-ETS1-3 : Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

This activity is supported by the NASA Heliophysics Activation Team (NASA HEAT), part of NASA's Science Activation portfolio.

Credits:

Written by Sandy Roberts.Edited by Ariel Zych.Illustration by Carrie Lapolla.

Digital Production by Sandy Roberts.

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Kids can do these simple at-home investigations to model the light from the Sun as they explore the science of day and night, the seasons, and shadows.

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The Seasonal Tracks of the Sun

The tilt of Earth's axis determines where the Sun appears in the sky throughout the year. During summer in the northern hemisphere, the Sun rises north of east and sets north of west. It is high in the sky at noon. During winter in the northern hemisphere, sunrise and sunset appear farther south along the horizon. The winter-time Sun is lower in the sky throughout the day.

The Sun in a Year

We see sunrise and sunset at different points on the horizon during the year. At the start of spring and fall (the equinoxes), the Sun rises due east and sets due west. On the summer solstice (around June 21), the Sun rises and sets at its most northerly points along the horizon. On the winter solstice (around December 21), the Sun rises and sets at its most southerly points.

This composite uses three images of sunrise over a small town in Greece, taken on three different days. It shows sunrise points on the eastern horizon for the solstices and equinoxes.

The Sun Appears to Move Against the Backdrop of Stars

The night sky changes throughout the year. Just as the Sun seems to move from east to west during the day, the stars and planets appear to make the same journey at night. What you see depends on when you observe.

The Sun's path crosses certain familiar star patterns (the ecliptic paths). During the day, we don't see them because the Sun is so bright. At night, we see the stars on the opposite side of the ecliptic path, when Earth's night side points away from the Sun. Six months later, they are behind the Sun and other stars are up at night.

Earth's position in its orbit determines which stars we see. As our planet moves through space, its day and night sides face out toward different parts of space.

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Sun & Stars Paths - Griffith Observatory - Southern California's gateway to the cosmos!

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Every day, the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars appear to rise in the east and set in the west. Actually, these celestial objects aren't moving that fast, but Earth is. It spins on its axis from west to east approximately every 24 hours.

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Get the latest updates about solar activity!

Solar Cycle 25 has begun. Solar minimum occurred in December 2019, marking the transition into a new solar cycle.

The solar magnetic field changes on an 11-year cycle.

Every solar cycle, the number of sunspots, flares, and solar storms increases to a peak, which is known as the solar maximum.

Then, after a few years of high activity, the Sun will ramp down to a few years of low activity, known as the solar minimum. This pattern is called the "sunspot cycle", the "solar cycle", or the "activity cycle".

The regions overlying sunspots are called active regions. Here the sun's magnetic field becomes concentrated and twisted because of the motions of the solar atmosphere at and below the solar surface. As these regions become more complex they can eventually become unstable causing the release of the magnetic energy. This is analogous to twisting a rubber band tighter and tighter until it snaps releasing energy in the form of heat and motion. The same thing happens in the solar atmosphere with the active region magnetic fields. This release of energy heats up and accelerates solar material.

The Sun is stirring from its latest slumber.

As sunspots and flares, signs of a new solar cycle, bubble from the Sun's surface, scientists are anticipating a flurry of solar activity over the next few years. Roughly every 11 years, at the height of this cycle, the Sun's magnetic poles flip-on Earth, that'd be like the North and South Poles' swapping places every decade-and the Sun transitions from sluggish to active and stormy. At its quietest, the Sun is at solar minimum; during solar maximum, the Sun blazes with bright flares and solar eruptions. In this video, view the Sun's disk from our space telescopes as it transitions from minimum to maximum in the solar cycle.

Understanding the Sun's behavior is an important part of life in our solar system. The Sun's outbursts-including eruptions known as solar flares and coronal mass ejections-can disturb the satellites and communications signals traveling around Earth, or one day, Artemis astronauts exploring distant worlds. Scientists study the solar cycle so we can better predict solar activity.
CREDIT: NASA / Music: "Observance" by Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS] from Universal Production Music

C. Alex Young is interviewed about the current solar cycle and what a magnetic flip means for the earth and NASA's study of magnetic fields. Credit: NASA/GSFC/PFSS

Magnetism Facts

All magnetic fields are produced by moving or spinning charged particles...somewhere

Lines of magnetic force do not actually exist.

Magnetic poles always come in pairs.

The strongest magnetic field in nature is from the magnetar star SGR 1806-20, which has been estimated as 800 trillion Gauss.

A typical galaxy like the Milky Way has a magnetic field strength of about 0.000003 Gauss.

A refrigerator magnet has a strength of 100 Gauss.

A sunspot can have a magnetic field with a strength up to 10,000 Gauss, but they live very short lives!

Most magnetic storms on Earth happen during the Equinoxes in March and September

The sun's magnetic poles flip their location on the sun every 22 years, called the Hale Magnetic Cycle.

Earth's magnetic poles reverse their geographic locations every 300,000 years. The last event happened 780,000 years ago.

Magnetic pole 'reversals' have no effect on the rotational poles of a star or planet.

The geographic location of Earth's North Magnetic Pole is currently moving nearly due-North at a speed of 100 meters per day.

Earth's magnetic field is declining in strength by 5% every century.

Depending on your rate and direction of motion, a pure magnetic field can be turned into an electric field and vice versa.

Magnetic fields and electric fields are aspects of a more basic field in nature called the electromagnetic field.

A toy magnet produces more force on a paperclip than the entire mass of Earth through its gravity.

This visualization shows the position of the sun's magnetic fields from January 1997 to December 2013. The field lines swarm with activity: The magenta lines show where the sun's overall field is negative and the green lines show where it is positive. A region with more electrons is negative, the region with less is labeled positive. Additional gray lines represent areas of local magnetic variation.

The entire sun's magnetic polarity, flips approximately every 11 years - though sometimes it takes quite a bit longer - and defines what's known as the solar cycle. The visualization shows how in 1997, the sun shows the positive polarity on the top, and the negative polarity on the bottom. Over the next 12 years, each set of lines is seen to creep toward the opposite pole eventually showing a complete flip. By the end of the movie, each set of lines are working their way back to show a positive polarity on the top to complete the full 22 year magnetic solar cycle.

At the height of each magnetic flip, the sun goes through periods of more solar activity, during which there are more sunspots, and more eruptive events such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. The point in time with the most sunspots is called solar maximum.
Credit: NASA/GSFC/PFSS

Understanding the Sun's behavior is an important part of life in our solar system. The Sun's powerful outbursts can disturb the satellites and communications signals traveling around Earth, or one day, Artemis astronauts exploring distant worlds. NASA scientists study the solar cycle so we can better predict solar activity. As of 2020, the Sun has begun to shake off the sleep of minimum, which occurred in December 2019, and Solar Cycle 25 is underway. Scientists use several indicators to track solar cycle progress.
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center * Music: "Infinite" by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; "Reflective Sensations", "Ideas For Tomorrow", "Think Tank" by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; "Wonderful Orbit" by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS], via Universal Production Music

The Difference Between a CME & a Solar Fare

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and flares are both solar events, but they are not the same. This video shows the differences between the two by highlighting specific features of each.

CREDIT: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Get the latest updates about solar activity!

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Solar Activity - The Sun Today with Dr. C. Alex Young

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The Sun is not just a big bright ball. It has a complicated and changing magnetic field, which forms things like sunspots and active regions.

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The sun is an ordinary star, one of about 100 billion in our galaxy, the Milky Way. The sun has extremely important influences on our planet: It drives weather, ocean currents, seasons, and climate, and makes plant life possible through photosynthesis.

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Our Sun is a 4.5 billion-year-old yellow dwarf star - a hot glowing ball of hydrogen and helium - at the center of our solar system. It's about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from Earth and it's our solar system's only star. Without the Sun's energy, life as we know it could not exist on our home planet.

10 things

The part of the Sun we see from Earth - the part we call the surface - is the photosphere. The Sun doesn't actually have a solid surface because it's a ball of plasma.

The Sun would have been surrounded by a disk of gas and dust early in its history when the solar system was first forming 4.6 billion years ago. Some of that dust is still around today, in several dust rings that circle the Sun. They trace the orbits of planets, whose gravity tugs dust into place around the Sun.

As a star, the Sun doesn't have any moons, but the planets and their moons orbit the Sun.

Once material leaves the corona at supersonic speeds, it becomes the solar wind, which forms a huge magnetic "bubble" around the Sun, called the heliosphere. The heliosphere extends beyond the orbit of the planets in our solar system. Thus, Earth exists inside the Sun's atmosphere. Outside the heliosphere is interstellar space.

In one of the Sun's biggest mysteries, the corona is much hotter than the layers immediately below it. (Imagine walking away from a bonfire only to get warmer.) The source of coronal heating is a major unsolved puzzle in the study of the Sun.

Solar activity can release huge amounts of energy and particles, some of which impact us here on Earth. Much like weather on Earth, conditions in space - known as space weather - are always changing with the Sun's activity. "Space weather" can interfere with satellites, GPS, and radio communications. It also can cripple power grids, and corrode pipelines that carry oil and gas.

Another solar flare on March 13, 1989, caused geomagnetic storms that disrupted electric power transmission from the Hydro Québec generating station in Canada, plunging 6 million people into darkness for 9 hours. The 1989 flare also caused power surges that melted power transformers in New Jersey.

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From our vantage point on Earth, the Sun may appear like an unchanging source of light and heat in the sky. But the Sun is a dynamic star, constantly changing and sending energy out into space. The science of studying the Sun and its influence throughout the solar system is called heliophysics.

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Lesson 2 Case Study: Explaining Eclipses and Lunar Phases pp. 238–255

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Lesson 2 Case Study: Explaining Eclipses and Lunar Phases pp. 238–255

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14 Science Projects and Lessons About the Solar System | Science Buddies Blog

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Teach K-12 students about the solar system with free hands-on STEM lessons, science projects, and activities!

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Texas Classroom Activities Mcdonald Observatory

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Texas Classroom Activities Mcdonald Observatory

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Classroom Activities & Resources | McDonald Observatory

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These engaging, TEKS aligned activities create opportunity for K-12 students to explore astronomy, physics and chemistry in the classroom.Shadow Play | 183K pdfSubjects: Our Solar SystemGrade Levels: K-5Everything has a shadow! Shadows illustrate how three-dimensional objects can be viewed in two di…

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"The 5E Model of Instruction promotes active learning. Students are involved in more than listening and reading. They learn to ask questions, observe, model, analyze, explain, draw conclusions, argue from evidence, and talk about their own understanding. Students work collaboratively with peers to construct explanations, solve problems, and plan and carry out investigations." -Rodger Bybee

ENGAGE

The first phase of the 5E Model engages students by having them mentally focus on a phenomenon, object, problem, situation, or event. The activities in the Engage phase are designed to help students make connections between past and present learning experiences, expose prior conceptions, and organize thinking toward the essential questions and learning outcomes of the learning sequence.

The role of the teacher in the Engage phase is to present a situation, identify the instructional task, and set the rules and procedures for the activities. The teacher also structures initial discussions to reveal the range of ideas, experiences, and language that students use which become resources for upcoming lessons.

Student Behaviors

Asks questions such as, "Why did this happen?" "What do I already know about this?" "What can I find out about this?" "How can this problem be solved?"

Shows interest in the topic through curiosity and expression of wonderings

Demonstrates engagement by expressing ideas, sharing observations, and creating initial models

Expresses current understanding of a concept or idea

Teaching Strategies

Raises questions or poses problems

Elicits responses that uncover students' current knowledge

Helps students make connections to previous work

Posts learning outcomes and explicitly references them in the lesson

Invites students to express what they think

Invites students to raise their own questions

EXPLORE

Once students have engaged in activities, they need time to explore ideas. Explore activities are designed so all students have common, concrete experiences which can be used later when formally introducing and discussing scientific and technological concepts and explanations. Students have time to investigate objects, events, or situations. As a result of their mental and physical involvement in these activities, students question events, observe patterns, identify and test variables, and establish causal relationships.

The teacher's role in the Explore phase is to facilitate learning. They initiate activities and allow time and opportunity for students to investigate objects, materials, and situations. The teacher coaches and guides students as they record and analyze observations or data and begin constructing models or initial explanations.

Student Behaviors

Tests predictions and hypotheses; Forms new predictions and hypotheses

Discusses problems with others

Plans and conducts investigations in which they observe, describe, and record data

Tries different ways to solve a problem or answer a question

Creates initial models

Compares ideas with those of others

Teaching Strategies

Provides or clarifies questions or problems

Provides common experiences

Observes and listens to students as they interact

Acts as a consultant for students

Encourages student-to-student interaction

Asks probing questions to help students make sense of their experiences and redirect them when necessary

Provides time for students to puzzle through problems

EXPLAIN

The Explain phase consists of two parts. First, the teacher asks students to share their initial models and explanations from experiences in the Engage and Explore phases. Second, the teacher provides resources and information to support student learning and introduces scientific or technological concepts. Students use these resources and information, as well as ideas of other students, to construct or revise their evidence-based models and explanations. In engineering, students design solutions to problems based on established criteria.

Student Behaviors

Shows models, explanations, answers, or possible solutions, to other students

Listens critically to and questions explanations offered by others

Explains using evidence from investigations

Uses labels, terminology, and formal scientific language

Compares current thinking with former thinking

Records ideas and current understanding

Adjusts ideas, models, and explanations as new evidence or reasoning is presented

Teaching Strategies

Encourages students to explain concepts and definitions in their own words

Asks for justification (evidence) and clarification from students

Formally provides definitions, explanations, and information through mini-lecture, text, internet, or other resources

Builds on student explanations

Provides time for students to compare their ideas with others and if desired revise their ideas

ELABORATE

Once students have constructed explanations of a phenomenon or design solutions for a problem, it is important to involve them in further experiences that apply, extend, or elaborate the concepts, processes, or skills they are learning. Some students may still have misconceptions, or they may only understand a concept in terms of the exploratory experience. Elaborate activities provide time for students to apply their understanding of concepts and skills. They might apply their understanding to similar phenomena or problems.

Student Behaviors

Applies new labels, definitions, explanations, and skills in new, but similar, situations

Uses previous information to ask questions, propose solutions, make decisions, design experiments, or complete a challenge

Draws reasonable conclusions from evidence

Critiques the models, explanations, or arguments made by others using evidence and reasoning

Makes conceptual connections between new and previous experiences

Communicates understanding to others

Teaching Strategies

Expects students to use vocabulary, definitions, and explanations provided previously in new contexts

Encourages students to apply the concepts and skills in new situations

Provides additional evidence, explanations, or reasoning

Reinforces students' use of scientific terms and descriptions previously introduced

Asks questions that help students draw reasonable conclusions from evidence and data

EVALUATE

It is important that students receive feedback on the quality of their explanations. Informally, this may happen throughout the learning sequence. Formally, the teacher can also administer a summative evaluation at the end of the learning sequence. The Evaluate phase encourages students to assess their understanding and abilities and allows teachers to evaluate individual student progress toward achieving learning goals and outcomes.

Student Behaviors

Gives feedback to other students

Evaluates progress or knowledge

Checks work with a rubric or against established criteria

Assesses progress by comparing current understanding with prior knowledge

Asks additional questions that go deeper into a concept or leads to additional learning

Demonstrates understanding of Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science and Engineering Practices

Answers open-ended questions by using observations, evidence, and previously accepted explanations

Teaching Strategies

Asks open-ended questions such as, "Why do you think...?" "What evidence do you have?" "How would you answer the question?"

Observes and records notes as students demonstrate individual understanding of concepts learned and performance of skills

Uses a variety of assessments to gather evidence of student understanding

Provides opportunities for students to assess their own progress

Sample Template for Developing 5E Learning Sequences

Prior to building a 5E learning sequence, teachers should consider learning goals and outcomes, select the phenomenon/problem, and identify the essential question(s) that will drive learning. The "Planning for Engagement with Big Ideas" tool can be used to help with this initial work.

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5E Model of Instruction - San Diego County Office of Education

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5E Model of Instruction - SDCOE serves our county’s most vulnerable students and supports school leaders, teachers, and students across the county.

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Get the latest space exploration, innovation and astronomy news. Space.com celebrates humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier.

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"Dear Members,

As a science educator, I like to point out that virtually any subject area of science has a connection to outer space. I'm talking about biology, chemistry, geology, paleontology, human physiology, physics, astrophysics, and horology (reckoning of time). Each of these vital areas of study applies to how we go about exploring space-how we design spacecraft, build telescopes and drive rovers on other worlds. We produced these pages for The Planetary Report a few years ago."
- Bill Nye - CEO, The Planetary Society

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Space exploration resources for kids of all ages.