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GRADE 4
Name:
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. From Earth it seems as if the Sun
moves from one side to another.
Earth moves around the Sun causing sunrise and sunset.
Rotation of the Earth: Earth orbits around the Sun. It takes one year to go around the Sun one complete
time. Earth also rotates, or spins, on its axis. It takes one day to spin around itself
one complete time. Earth’s axis is not straight up and down, but tilted at an angle
of 23.5 degrees. The rotation is what causes the change from day to night. This tilt
is responsible for having seasons. If Earth were not tilted, we would have the same
season all year long.
We have different seasons because Earth receives different amounts of heat and
light during the year. This is because Earth moves around the Sun. The orbit of the
Earth is oval. At certain times of the year Earth is further or closer to the sun. When
Earth is closer to the Sun it is warmer. When it is further away, it is cooler.
Winter
Spring
Autumn
Summer
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Grade 4 Term 4 Natural Science and Technology: Planet Earth and Beyond: Movement around the sun
Movement around the sun
GRADE 4
The movement of the Earth around the Sun in a fixed orbit is called as revolving.
One full orbit around the sun is one revolution. The Earth takes 365 days or 1 year to
complete one revolution. The Earth revolves around the Sun because of gravity. The
Earth really rotates 365 ¼ times during each revolution. The calendar always has 365
days, after every 4 years, the earth has made one extra rotation. However, one extra
day is added to the month of February once in every four years forming a leap year
with 366 days.
Activity 1
Draw a picture of Earth orbiting the Sun. Label your drawing and give it a heading.
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Grade 4 Term 4 Natural Science and Technology: Planet Earth and Beyond: Movement around the sun
Revolution of the Earth: GRADE 4
A solar system is a star surrounded by planets which circle around it. The sun is the
star at the centre of our solar system. Earth is one of the eight planets that circle
around the Sun. Some planets are closer to the sun and some are further away.
An easy way to remember the planets
My – Mercury
Very
– Venus
Educated
– Earth
Mother
– Mars
Just – Jupiter
Showed
– Saturn
Us
– Uranus
Nine – Neptune
Planets – Pluto (dwarf plant)
DID YOU
KNOW?
The earth travels
through space at a speed
of 30 kilometres per second.
That is very fast!
There used to be nine planets in our solar system. Pluto used to be one of them.
Pluto was too small to be a planet. So today, Pluto is no longer considered to be one
of the major planets. It is a dwarf planet.
DID YOU
KNOW?
The four planets closest
to the sun are all made
of rock. The outer four
planets are very large and
mainly made of gas.
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Grade 4 Term 4 Natural Science and Technology: Planet Earth and Beyond: Movement around the sun
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
GRADE 4
Grade 4 Term 4 Natural Science and Technology: Planet Earth and Beyond: Movement around the sun
Activity 2
1. Name the four planets closest to the sun.
a. b. c. d. 2. Which planet is known as a dwarf planet?
3. Which is the largest planet?
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GRADE 4
Memorandum
Grade 4 Term 4 Natural Science and Technology: Planet Earth and Beyond: Movement around the sun
Activity 2 Answers:
1. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
2. Pluto
3. Jupiter
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