Download Activity 3: Tilted Earth

Name: _________________________
Period: _____________
Reasons for the Seasons Activity 3: Tilted Earth
In this activity you used a styrofoam ball and a light source to model the Earth’s revolution around the sun
and saw how the location of the Earth in relation to the Sun results in different amounts of light hitting the
Earth at different times of the year.
1. What star does the North Pole ALWAYS point towards? _________________
2. What degree is the Earth tilted at? (Be specific, include decimal) _____________________
3. What latitudes do the following represent? (Include N for North and S for South)
Red dot: _____________________
Black dot: ___________________
Blue dot: ____________________
Red line: ____________________
Green dot: ___________________
4. Which way does the Earth?
ROTATE on its axis: ___________________________
REVOLVE around the Sun: _____________________________
5. If the Northern Hemisphere (Hershey, PA) is tilting towards the Sun what season
would we be in? _______________________
What season would Southern Hemisphere locations be in? __________________
6. What is the date and name of the day when the N. Hemisphere is tilted most
towards the Sun? _____________________________ (Most daylight of the year.)
7. What is the date and name of the day when the N. Hemisphere is tilted most away
from the Sun? _______________________________ (Least amount of daylight of the year.)
8. What are the names of the days when the N. Hemisphere is not tilted either towards or
away from the Sun? (2 words)
March 21st: ___________________________
September 21st: ____________________________
9. Refer to the drawing of the sun below. Sketch the orbit of the Earth and label the specific points in
Earth’s orbit that were discussed in the lab. (Include the Earth in 4 different positions around the
Sun, label the date and name of the day)
* Draw the North Star in one of the upper corners of your paper as a reference point and make sure
you tilt the Earth in the correct direction.
SUN
10. Now, explain the reason we have different seasons in writing. Be sure to discuss the tilt of the
Earth, Northern and Southern Hemispheres, amounts of daylight, temperatures.
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