During the lesson, emphasize the relationship between the direction of the sun’s rays and the location of Pennsylvania on the globe. Throughout the lesson, confer with students to determine if they understand how the sun’s rays are related to the seasons in Pennsylvania.

• Students research cities in Pennsylvania and describe the seasons in each.

• Students create a chart to categorize temperatures of various cities in Pennsylvania.

This should be a teacher demonstration done for the whole class.

1. Locate North in the classroom and place a label in the room. “Let’s find Pennsylvania on the globe and place a cutout person on the globe.” Have one student locate Pennsylvania on the globe and then tape the cutout on the spot where Pennsylvania is located. Make sure that the person is standing up on the globe.

2. Place the lamp on a table opposite North and turn off the lights in the room. Tell students that the lamp will represent the sun.

3. Walk slowly around the lamp. Remind students to look at how the light is shining on the globe. Remember to keep the North Pole on the globe tilted toward the North sign in the room.

4. Stop at the approximate positions of the seasons. “This is the summer position of the earth for the Northern Hemisphere. This is the fall position of the earth for the Northern Hemisphere.” Continue until all seasonal positions have been located.

5. Repeat the above procedure but now ask students to look at the shadow made by the cutout figure. Have students describe the shadow at each approximate seasonal position. Ask the following questions:

“Does every part of the globe receive the same amount of light?”No.

“If the lamp represents the sun, where would it be the warmest on the globe?” Where the sun’s rays are the hottest or strongest. Students may not reach this conclusion at first, but you will want to correct any misconceptions about the earth being closer to the sun. Remember, it is the amount of sunlight or sun’s energy that determines the seasons.

“Where would it be the coldest?” At the top and at the bottom.

“Think about the seasons in Pennsylvania. Can anyone describe how the seasons are here?” Students should be able to describe from their own personal experiences what seasons are like in Pennsylvania. “Look at the cutout we placed on Pennsylvania. What does the location of Pennsylvania tell us about its seasons?” Students should be led to the understanding that Pennsylvania is farther from the equator; thus the sun’s rays are more dispersed and we see four seasons.

6. Explain to students that the lamp and globe are models. They represent the earth and sun. Models help us understand science but they are not perfect. Scientists use models to help explain their findings and ideas. Have students explain why using models helps us explain the seasons.

Day 2

Students are in small groups or working independently.

1. Tell students they will be researching the weather in Pennsylvania. Students may choose to use the computer or write to the Pennsylvania Department of Tourism.

2. Have students locate the Pennsylvania Department of Tourism and locate/request information about seasons in Pennsylvania. Note: You will need to preview the site and determine if your students can navigate through the site alone or you might want to designate what to view at the site. Students may view photos at this site and gain insight into the seasons across Pennsylvania.

3. Show the students some weather information on two different cities in Pennsylvania, like Erie and Philadelphia, or two cities that are far apart from each other. Refer to the sites below:

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: http://www.noaa.gov/

• www.weather.com

4. The students’ hometown can be used with another city that is far away but still in Pennsylvania. Discuss the differences in where the two cities are located before showing students a weather record from different times of the year. Compare and contrast the locations of the cities and their temperatures.

• What is it like in __________________?

• What do you wear during the winter?

• What do you wear during the summer?

• What do you wear during the fall?

• What do you wear during the spring?

  Extension:

Independent Research: Have students select a spot or landmark in the area and document the changes on or around it during the school year. An example might be photographing a tree throughout the year and then discussing visible changes due to the seasons.