The Earth rotates (spins on its axis) once a day, causing day and night, and revolves (goes round the sun) once a year. Its axis is tilted and always points the same way in space.
Right now you are spinning at about 1400 km/h (in Canberra) and flying round the sun at about 107 000 km/h. You don't feel either.
In Year 6 you modelled day and night. This lesson puts both of the Earth's movements together.
Engage: Commit to a prediction before you test anything. A wrong guess is fine: it shows you what to look for.
Explore: Try it on the board and compare what happens with your prediction.
Explain: Use the particle model to explain what you saw.
Elaborate: Use the same idea in a new context.
Evaluate: Look back at your first ideas and what changed.
WidthMore contexts, same idea.
Make your prediction first. Help opens once you've locked it in.
EngageCommit to a prediction before you test anything. A wrong guess is fine: it shows you what to look for.
Engage: what makes a day?
ExploreTry it on the board and compare what happens with your prediction.
Explore: a day, then a year
Press Play a day and watch the orange person on the equator, and Canberra in the side view. Then press Play a year. Watch which way the axis (the white line marked N) points as the Earth goes round.
Try it yourselfYour edits are saved in this browser.
Play a day, then play a year.
Use the board. This ticks when you get there.
ExplainUse the particle model to explain what you saw.
Explain: rotation, revolution and tilt
In your book: draw the Earth in two places on its orbit, six months apart, with the axis tilted the same way in both. Label rotation, revolution and the axis.
Rotation (spinning) or revolution (orbiting)?
Takes about 24 hours
Takes about 365¼ days
Causes day and night
The sun seems to rise in the east
Goes through the seasons once
Different stars are in the night sky in June and DecemberNight faces a different part of space as we go round the sun.
About how many times does the Earth spin in one trip round the sun?
Elaborate TypicalUse the same idea in a new context.
Elaborate: what a person notices across a year
Elaborate WiderUse the same idea in a new context.
Elaborate: different places
Try it yourselfYour edits are saved in this browser.
Look at the same date in at least three places, including one in the Northern Hemisphere.
Use the board. This ticks when you get there.
EvaluateLook back at your first ideas and what changed.
Evaluate: look back
Write one sentence: "At first I thought… Now I think… because…"
Revision summary
Rotation: the Earth spins on its axis once a day: day and night.
Revolution: the Earth goes round the sun once a year (about 365¼ days, about 365 spins).
The axis is tilted 23.4° and always points the same way in space, so each hemisphere leans towards the sun for half the year.
For teachers
Students distinguish the Earth's rotation from its revolution, link each to day and night and the year, and describe the tilted axis that keeps its direction (AC9S7U03, node 1, a hinge node). About 20 minutes.
I can explain the difference between rotation and revolution.
I can link rotation to day and night, and revolution to the year.
I can describe the Earth's tilted axis and how it points.
Before class
A concept tutorial for introducing or revising the idea; it does not replace a physical model (a torch and a globe, or students walking round a lamp while turning). Set the width with ?width=minimum, typical (default) or wider.
The hinge confusion is between rotation and revolution. The board plays them separately: one day, then one year.
Board notes: sizes and distances are not to scale (the board says so). The top view shows the axis as a white line marked N, pointing the same way all year; the side view keeps the sun on the left and shows how far the axis leans towards or away from it. Day lengths are calculated for the real latitude and date (ignoring the bending of light by the air).
Running the lesson
Engage: count how many chose 'the Earth goes round the sun once a day'.
Explore: ask what the N line does over the year.
Explain: the sort is the checkpoint.
The hard part (on purpose)
Keeping rotation (a day) and revolution (a year) apart. When a student mixes them, ask how long Play a day took compared with Play a year.
When students get stuck
A student says the Earth goes round the sun every day. Ask: How long did Play a year take, compared with Play a day? Fix: One trip round the sun takes 365 days; one spin takes one day.
A student thinks the axis tips towards the sun in summer. Ask: Which way did the N line point in June and in December? Fix: The same way: the Earth moved to the other side of the sun.
Stretch and support
Stretch: If the Earth spun the other way, where would the sun rise?
Support: Give a card with two columns, Rotation and Revolution, with time, cause and effect rows.
Where it leads
Next: seasons (node 4), then the moon (nodes 2, 3 and 5).
In class: a lamp and a globe or a ball on a skewer; students walk the orbit while turning.
What each step is for
Engage: what makes a day?: Students who mix up rotation and revolution will choose the 'once round the sun' answer; the board separates the two cycles.
Explore: a day, then a year: Playing one day (one spin) and then one year (one trip round the sun, with 365 spins) side by side makes the two cycles distinct.
Explain: rotation, revolution and tilt: Sorting effects to the right cycle, and noticing the axis keeps its direction, is the hinge to seasons and eclipses.
Elaborate: what a person notices across a year: Describing what an observer experiences links the two cycles to everyday evidence.
Elaborate: different places: Comparing places at the same date shows the tilt matters differently at different latitudes.
Now you can
Explain the difference between rotation and revolution.
Link rotation to day and night, and revolution to the year.
Describe the Earth's tilted axis and how it points.