During the lesson, emphasize the importance of the direction of the sun’s rays and the earth’s tilt on its axis. Throughout the lesson, confer with students to determine if they understand how the sun’s rays are related to the seasons.

• At the end of the lesson, ask students to illustrate the seasons. Then have students create a quilt using the seasons.

Prior to the lesson, prepare for the teacher demonstration by gathering a lamp and globe.

Engage: Ask students if they have quilts or have seen quilts. Display various pictures of Pennsylvania Dutch quilts. Explain how quilters use patterns when they sew their quilts. Also tell students that Pennsylvania Dutch quilts are famous because of their patterns and detail.

Tell students that by finding the pattern we can predict what comes next. Display various patterns that are familiar to students such as ABAB/ABBA, ABBA/ABBA, red/blue/red/blue. Have students identify each pattern and predict what comes next. Explain to students that scientists look for patterns in nature to help explain things. “Today we are going to look at these quilts and look at other things to see if we can find the patterns.” Place student in small groups or in pairs. Give each group a quilt picture and have students identify the pattern and explain the pattern to others. Once students have had practice in identifying patterns found in quilts, ask students to look at new pictures.

Display various weather pictures showing the four seasons. Ask students the following questions:

• “What do you notice about these pictures?”

• “How are these pictures alike and how are they different?”

• “What is the weather like in each picture?”

• “Can anyone identify the times of the year in each picture?” Students should identify the four seasons.

• “Can anyone identify a pattern using these pictures?” Students should identify the four seasons and note that there is a repetitive pattern.

“I want to show you how scientists explain the seasons and show that they happen in a pattern.” Begin the following teacher demonstrations.

1. Place a lamp without the lampshade on a table.

2. Identify North in the classroom and mark it with the letter “N.”

3. Begin the demonstration by holding the globe and moving it around the lamp, which represents the sun.

4. “The earth orbits, or moves around, the sun. As it orbits the sun, it also spins around once each day. This means that each day, every location on Earth turns toward the sun and away from the sun, causing night and day. Remember that the sun is the earth’s source of light, heat, and energy. The amount of light, heat, and energy that hits any part of the earth gives us the seasons. In a way, it’s like cooking over a campfire. If your food is close to the fire, it will cook faster and get more heat and energy from the fire. If it’s far away, it will cook more slowly and get less heat and energy from the fire.” Point out that the light is shining on the earth, but some parts are getting more direct sunlight than other parts. Continue to move slowly around the lamp, allowing students to notice the change in the amount of direct sunlight different areas are receiving. “The Northern Hemisphere where we live is tilted toward the sun during the summer months. This gives us long days and more heat or sunshine. When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farther away from the sun, we have winter. This gives us shorter days and less heat or sunshine.

5. Go over the following notes on seasons with the class:

The part of Earth where we live is:

• tilted away from the sun during the winter, so we get less heat and energy.

• tilted toward the sun during the summer, so we get more heat and energy.

• not tilted towards or away from the sun during the spring or fall, so we get moderate amounts of heat and energy.

Note: A misconception of many students and some teachers is that the earth is closer to the sun in the summer and that is the reason for the seasons. In fact, the tilt of the earth’s axis is always facing north, and the amount of the sun’s rays hitting Earth causes the seasons.

6. Ask students to look at the rotation of the earth and determine if they see a pattern. Students should conclude that the earth’s rotation around the sun creates the pattern of the seasons.

Look back at the quilt patterns and ask students to create a pattern of clothing related to the seasons. Students may locate pictures in magazines or brochures, draw pictures, or write words. Tell students that the patterns repeat and are considered a cycle. Ask students what the word cycle means to them. Students may answer that the word cycle reminds them of the word circle, bicycle, or even life cycle. Tell students that the seasons occur in patterns and in a cycle.

Extension:

• Have students fill out their Seasons worksheet (S-K2-14-1_Seasons Worksheet.doc) and provide guidance throughout their work.

• Students may create a paper quilt or drawing using their clothing drawings or pictures.

• Have students look at the NASA video or others listed in the Related Resources section to reinforce the relationship between the sun and Earth.