Teacher Name: Dana Shabica
Subject: Earth Science
Grade Level: 9
Title of Project: "Season’s Reasons"
Guiding Question: What evidence supports the claim that seasons change due to the tilt of Earth’s axis?
Overview & Desired Results: Students will dispel the claim that the seasons change because of a change in distance between the sun and Earth, while gathering data to support the theory that seasons change because of the angle of Earth’s tilted axis.Tools, Sites and Resources
Tools, Sites, Resources and Videos:
- YouTube Video: Harvard Graduates Explain Seasons: In this video, Harvard Graduates are asked to explain why the seasons change. It highlights the common misconception that seasons change because of variations in the distance between the Earth and Sun:
https://youtu.be/p0wk4qG2mIg - Seasons Interactive Website: This interactive allows students to see Earth on its tilted axis.
- Student Guide will assist with data collection and analysis.
- Google Form Worldwide Data Collection: Students from around the world will be invited to fill in this form (available in 8 languages) to compile data about their latitude, current season, time of sunrise and sunset, and angle of sun’s rays at noon.
- My Maps: In addition to using the Google Form to compile data, students will take “season selfies” to add to the collaborative Google Map. Each location will be marked on the map with a pin that includes the data for that location along with a photo of the location or the student in that location (see bullet point below).
- Students will use Twitter (#globalseasonselfie) to share their “season selfies,” and crowdsource “season selfies” from around the world. Students will include these photos in their My Maps project.
- Google Translate: To assist with global communication, students will use Google Translate to reach out to students in other countries.
- Instagram: To be used by students to reach out to students in other parts of the world to gather data.
- Google Slides or WeVideo: To be used in final data presentation
Instructional Details and Global Collaboration:
- Day 1: Students will watch the Harvard Graduates Explain Seasons YouTube video as an introduction to the misconception about the distance between the Earth and Sun as the cause of seasonal changes. Students will then use the seasons interactive website to explore the relationship or lack thereof between the Earth and Sun distance and angle and the impact on daylight hours and average temperatures.
- Day 2: Students will use the Google Form to fill in data for their own location about latitude, time of sunrise and sunset, and angle of sun’s rays. Students will Tweet their season selfies (#globalseasonselfie).
- Day 3: Students will be assigned a range of latitudes in 30° increments to choose locations to research. They will post to Instagram in search of students interested in collaborating on data collection. Google Translate will be used to add additional language choices on the data gathering form if needed.
- Day 4 (after time has been provided for global responses): Students will compile data from global partners.
- Wrap-up and Assess: Students will create a presentation or video to present the data (including at data from at least 2 global peers at each 30° range (both north and south) using this form for initial data compilation.
Digital Citizenship Lesson
Presentation or Video
Websites, links or games
Form to assess student knowledge