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Learn why we have seasons.
Learn to demonstrate a concept using props and a diagram.

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For each group of students, prepare:

Styrofoam ball (enough for the whole group)
Colored markers/pencils/crayons
Wooden skewers
Flashlight
Poster paper

For the teacher, prepare:

Globe (to serve as a model)

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Have all materials prepared in advance

Know these key terms and be ready to describe them to students:

Axis: an imaginary line through the center of a planet around which it spins
Rotate/Rotation: one full spin of an object on its axis (makes day & night on Earth)
Revolve/Revolution: the movement of one object around another object (the revolving of the Earth around the Sun at an angle due to the tilt of the Earth = seasons)
Orbit: the curved path of an object around another object in space
Season: each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) caused by the earth’s changing position with regard to the sun
Tilt: a slanted or sloping position

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To begin this activity, start by talking about how depending on the time of year, several planets may be seen in the night sky. All planets except for Neptune can be seen from Earth with a naked eye. Assess student knowledge by asking, “Focusing on our planet Earth, who can tell me why we have a daytime and nighttime? What is Earth’s place in the Universe? How can the motion of Earth explain seasons and eclipses?”
Record all answers on the board and avoid correcting any misconceptions.
Explain that Earth is always moving. Every day, Earth makes one rotation on its axis. This causes day and night. Every year, Earth makes one complete orbit around the Sun. Its axis always tilts in the same direction, so the parts of Earth that receive more direct sunlight and have more daylight hours change throughout the year. This causes seasons—times of the year with particular patterns of weather and daylight, which vary depending on where you live. Most places experience four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Use your globe and a the styrofoam ball and skewer to show the tilt of the earth. Emphasize that the axis is invisible. Slowly spin the globe to demonstrate how it rotates.
Have a student stand in the center of the room with a flashlight, acting as the sun. Using the globe, walk around the sun, stopping after each quarter to observe the way to light is hitting the earth.
Describe that the earth revolves around the sun (revolution) the same way that you are walking the globe around the flashlight. This is its orbit.
At each stop, find your home state/country and identify how the flashlight sun’s rays are hitting it. Name each season as you continue orbiting the “sun”
Next, set out all the materials and tell students to work in teams to design a model that can answer the question, “Why do we have seasons?” Leave it open-ended and really try to encourage students to take what they have learned in this lesson thus far and design a model that can help them confidently answer this question.
If students are having trouble starting, you can help by pushing the skewer through a styrofoam ball to demonstrate axis and tilt.
Don’t forget to have students share their models! End the lesson by taking a quick poll on how many students can confidently answer the question of why we have seasons with a model, and reinforce learning by reviewing key concepts in closing.

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Model of the Seasons

Model of the Seasons

Model of the Seasons

Overview