Name: Destiny Davis Class Period: 1

st
Date: September 11
th
, 2014

SEASONS WEBQUEST
Click on the following link to answer the following questions:
http://www.astronomy.org/programs/seasons/
1. During which season is the earth closest to the sun, summer or winter? Winter
Scroll down to the Direct Energy vs. Indirect Energy picture of the flashlights.
2. Direct energy always produces short shadows while indirect energy creates long shadows.
3. Why is this important to how warm we feel?
The energy isn't any different, but the way it is striking you or the Earth makes all the difference
in the amount of energy we receive and how warm we feel.
Click on the following link to answer more questions.
http://vortex.plymouth.edu/sun/sun.html

Click on Why are there seasons?
1. Explain the difference between an equinox and a solstice:
In an Equinox the days and nights are of equal length around the world. In a solstice either
the day or the night is the longest.

2. How many of each do we have each year? 2 of each
Name them:
Solstices: Equinoxes:
a. Summer a. Vernal
b. Winter b. Autumnal

Click on Rotation
1. In which direction does the Earth spin on its axis? Counterclockwise
Click on Solstices
2. In which direction is the Northern Hemisphere tilted during mid-Spring and summer?
It is tilted toward the sun
3. How does this affect the amount of daylight we have during this time?
It makes the daylight hours longer
4. During what time of year does the North Pole experience 24 hours of sunlight?
Around the time of the summer solstice
South pole? Around the time of the winter solstice
Click on Our Orbit
5. Draw and label the Earths position in relation to the sun during each of the 4 seasons:









Click on Temperatures
1. During what season does the Northern Hemisphere receive more concentrated energy
from the sun? (look at the flashlight example for a clue)
Summer
2. During what season (time of year) does the Sun have to travel through more atmosphere?
Winter
If you were having to explain the reasons for the seasons to a 5
th
grader who is convinced that
seasons come from being closer or further away from the Sun explain how you would do it
below: (Include at least 3 things you learned from these sites!)
Well you see, the earth does not sit straight up. The earth is actually at an angle called a
tilt. As we revolve around the sun, how the suns rays reach the earth as we are tilted is
what causes the seasons. During summer, we are tilted toward the sun and during winter we
are tilted away.