Activity - Day and night

What are we going to do?

• You are going to try to explain why we experience daytime and night-time on the Earth
• You are going to use a globe and a torch to make predictions about how things work with the Earth and the Sun
• Can you predict how much of the globe will be in shadow when you shine a light on it.
• Can you explain your prediction?
• Can you think how this might be related to day and night on Earth?

Group work skills we are looking for:

• Expressing and requesting ideas and opinions

Task One : Think, Pair & Share

What should we do?

1. Think about why we have day and night
2. Share your ideas with a partner
3. Now in your group share everyone's ideas about why we have day and night

Task Two : Day and Night

What will we need?

• A torch
• A globe
• A darkened part of the classroom to work in

What should we do?

1. Try to find a darker part of the classroom to work in
2. Now place the globe on a table
3. Shine the torch at the globe
4. Spin de globe

5. It normally takes 24 hours (1 day) for the Earth to complete 1 full spin (or rotation)
6. Look at how part of the globe is lit and part of it is in shadow.
7. How does this link to the parts of the Earth when it is night and day?

What should we record?

• Think, Pair & Share: Which part of the globe, lit or in shadow, wouldbe the same as Earth in daytime?
• Which part of the globe, lit or in shadow, would be the same as Earth at night time?
• Complete the following sentences using the following terms:

lit In shadow

The part of the globe that is ________ shows the Earth in daytime. The part of the globe that is _________ shows the Earth at night.

Activity- Day and night - Teacher's Notes

Intended Learning
After undertaking the activity the children should know:

1. That day and night are caused by the spin of the Earth in space.

Equipment required
A torch
A globe
To darken part of the classroom to work in

Teaching and learning sequence

Briefing (5 minutes)
Ask the children why we experience day and night on Earth. Introduce the globe. Show the children how it spins. Point out the fact that the axis of spin in tilted.

Grouping instructions
Get the children to work in groups of 3. They should work at a table together. The group skills that you will be looking for should include expressing and requesting ideas and opinions.

Activity (10 minutes)
Get the children to complete the activity. Darken the classroom for this activity.

Debriefing (10 minutes)
Have the children been able to identify areas of daylight and darkness on their model and match these to illuminated and dark parts of the globe? Were the children able to express and request ideas and opinions when they were working in their group?