Students will be able to explain that Earth's tilt and its orbit around the sun cause the seasons.
Understanding seasons helps students make sense of their world, from weather patterns to plant growth, and connects them to basic astronomy concepts.
14-17 year old autistic students (2nd Grade Cognitive Level)
30 minutes
Hands-on modeling and visual aids.
Slide Deck: Why Seasons Change? Lesson Deck, Warm Up: Season Start, Activity: Earth's Tilt Model, Cool Down: Season Summary, Script: Teacher's Guide to Seasons, Large ball (e.g., basketball, globe) for Earth, Smaller ball (e.g., tennis ball, flashlight) for Sun, and Stick or pencil (to represent Earth's axis/tilt)
15 minutes
5 minutes
Begin the lesson by engaging students with the Warm Up: Season Start activity. Ask students about their favorite seasons and what they like to do during those times. Display the first slide of the Slide Deck: Why Seasons Change? Lesson Deck.
5 minutes
Using the Slide Deck: Why Seasons Change? Lesson Deck and following the Script: Teacher's Guide to Seasons, introduce the idea that Earth moves around the Sun and that it has a special 'tilt.' Keep explanations simple and visual, focusing on key words like 'spin,' 'tilt,' and 'around the Sun.'
15 minutes
Distribute the large ball, small ball/flashlight, and stick/pencil for the Activity: Earth's Tilt Model. Guide students through creating a simple model of Earth orbiting the Sun with a tilted axis. Help them observe how the tilt affects which parts of the 'Earth' get more 'sunlight.' Emphasize that the tilt stays in the same direction as Earth moves around the Sun. Refer to the Script: Teacher's Guide to Seasons for specific steps and prompts.
3 minutes
Bring the class back together. Use the final slides of the Slide Deck: Why Seasons Change? Lesson Deck to review the main concepts: Earth's tilt and its orbit. Ask simple questions to check for understanding, guided by the Script: Teacher's Guide to Seasons.
2 minutes
Conclude the lesson with the Cool Down: Season Summary activity. Ask students to share one thing they learned or one interesting fact about seasons. This serves as a quick exit ticket.
Earth's Big Trip Around the Sun Creates Seasons!
Welcome students to the lesson. Ask them what their favorite season is and why. Jot down a few ideas. Introduce the main question for today: "Why do we have seasons?"
Earth spins around (like a top!) and travels around the Sun (like walking in a big circle!).
Introduce Earth as our home. Explain that Earth is always spinning around and also moving in a big circle around the Sun. You can use your hands to demonstrate a spin and an orbit.
Earth is not straight up and down. It leans a little bit! This tilt is super important.
This is the most important concept. Explain that Earth doesn't stand straight up and down. It leans a little bit, like a superhero posing! This 'lean' is called a tilt. Use the stick/pencil through the large ball to demonstrate this tilt.
When our Earth tilts TOWARDS the Sun, we get lots of direct sunlight. More sunlight = warmer weather! Hello, Summer!
Using your Earth and Sun models, show how when Earth tilts towards the Sun, that part of Earth gets more direct sunlight. Think of a flashlight shining straight on something - it's brighter and warmer. That means summer!
When our Earth tilts AWAY from the Sun, we get less direct sunlight. Less sunlight = cooler weather! Brrr, Winter!
Now, show how as Earth moves, the tilt means another part of Earth (or the same part later in the year) tilts away from the Sun. When a flashlight shines at an angle, the light is spread out and less warm. That means winter!
Earth keeps its tilt as it travels all the way around the Sun. This amazing trip gives us Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter!
Explain that Earth keeps its tilt as it goes all the way around the Sun. This dance creates our different seasons throughout the year. Mention spring and fall as transition times.
Earth's Special Tilt + Earth's Trip Around the Sun = Our Amazing Seasons!
Briefly review the key ideas. Ask students what two things cause seasons. (Earth's tilt and its orbit). Congratulate them on being scientists!
Let's get ready to think about seasons!
What is your favorite season? (Is it Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?)
What kind of clothes do you like to wear in that season?
What fun things do you like to do when it's that season?
Do you have any ideas about why we have different seasons? (It's okay to guess! We will learn more today!)
Goal: Let's use our hands to show how Earth's special tilt helps make our seasons!
What You Need:
Let's Do It!
Meet Earth: Hold your big ball. Imagine this is our amazing Earth where we live!
Add the Tilt: Gently push the stick or pencil through the middle of your Earth ball. Let it poke out a little on both sides. This stick shows that Earth isn't straight up and down; it leans a little bit. Keep your stick leaning!
Meet the Sun: Hold your small ball (or turn on your flashlight if you have one) in your other hand. This is our bright Sun, which gives Earth light and warmth.
Earth's Big Trip: Now, slowly move your Earth ball in a big circle around your Sun ball. This is how Earth travels around the Sun all year long.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART: Keep the Tilt!: As you move Earth around the Sun, make sure your stick (Earth's tilt) always points in the SAME direction! Don't let your stick change its lean. For example, always keep it pointing towards the clock on the wall, or always towards the ceiling.
Find the Seasons!
What Did You See? What happened to the light on your Earth as you moved it around the Sun, keeping the tilt the same way? Talk about it with your friends!
Let's think about what we learned today about seasons!
One Big Idea: What is one new thing you learned about why we have seasons?
Share a Season Fact: Can you tell me one interesting thing about seasons that you remember from our lesson?
"Hi everyone! I'm so excited to learn with you today. We're going to talk about something we all know and see every year: our amazing seasons! Get ready to be scientists and discover a big secret about Earth and the Sun."
"Let's start by thinking about our favorite seasons. Look at your Warm Up: Season Start paper.
"Great ideas everyone! Let's see what scientists have discovered. Take a look at our Slide Deck: Why Seasons Change? Lesson Deck now.
"This is our big question for today! Let's find out the answer."
"Look at this picture of Earth! That's our home. Earth does two important things:
"Now, here's a super important secret! Earth isn't straight up and down. It's actually a little bit tilted! Imagine my pencil here is Earth's 'tilt stick.' See how it leans? Earth always keeps this tilt as it travels around the Sun."
(Use a large ball and a stick to demonstrate the tilt.)
"Okay, it's time to be super scientists! We're going to make our own Earth and Sun models.
"Follow the steps on your activity sheet:
"What did you notice as you moved your tilted Earth around the Sun? Talk with your neighbor about what you saw."
(Circulate and provide support. Encourage students to describe what they observe.)
"Fantastic work, scientists! Let's look back at our Slide Deck: Why Seasons Change? Lesson Deck to review what we discovered.
"When your Earth was tilted towards the Sun, what did you feel or see? Yes, more light and warmth! That's how we get summer!"
"And when your Earth was tilted away from the Sun? Right, less direct light means cooler air, like winter!"
"Earth keeps leaning the same way as it goes around the Sun, and that gives us all four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter!"
"So, the two big secrets to why we have seasons are Earth's tilt and its trip around the Sun! You all did a great job understanding this big science idea!"
"Alright, to finish our lesson, let's do a quick cool down. Look at your Cool Down: Season Summary paper.
"Thank you for being such wonderful scientists today! You explored a big idea about our Earth and the Sun. Great job!"
