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NGSS Earth in Space

MS-ESS1-1 · HS-ESS1

Rotation, seasons, the Sun’s path, and the Moon. The clockwork that makes day, night, and the calendar.

  1. 01

    The whole Earth as a rotating sphere — not the Apollo 17 still.
    Planet

    Earth rotation and the terminator

    Frost on a window at 07:00 in Leeds is sunlight already on the school roof in Berlin. The Sun did not jump. The planet turned.

    KS3GCSENGSS MS

  2. 02

    Apollo 17 Blue Marble: the whole sunlit Earth as a sphere, Africa and Arabia under cloud.
    Planet

    Why seasons happen

    In December, London is dark by late afternoon while Sydney is in high summer. The Earth is not closer to the Sun in July.

    KS3GCSENGSS MS

  3. 03

    A sundial: altitude as a shadow length.
    Planet

    Solar altitude and sun path

    A dome over a marked horizon. Date and latitude write the path. Noon altitude and day length fall out.

    KS3GCSENGSS MS

  4. 04

    A crescent Moon — phase, not a bite taken out.
    Planet

    Moon phases and Sun–Earth–Moon geometry

    A full Moon over Yosemite is the same geometry a student sees from Snowdonia: the Moon is opposite the Sun, not a different Moon.

    KS3GCSENGSS MS