Have you ever watched the Sun set and wondered where it goes? Or maybe you’ve seen it rise in the morning and thought about where it was all night. Well, here’s the secret: the Sun doesn’t actually go anywhere. It’s us, on Earth, who are moving!
Earth is always spinning, like a top, on an invisible line called the “axis.” This axis runs through the North Pole and the South Pole. As Earth spins, we experience day and night. When your part of Earth faces the Sun, it’s daytime. When it faces away, it’s nighttime.
But that’s not all! While Earth spins on its axis, it also travels around the Sun. This journey is called “revolution.” It takes Earth 365 days, or one year, to make a full trip around the Sun.
Earth doesn’t sit straight up and down as it revolves. It’s tilted a little on its axis. This tilt causes different parts of Earth to get varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. That’s why we have seasons!
When the northern part of Earth leans toward the Sun, it’s summer there, with warm weather and long days. At the same time, the southern part leans away, experiencing winter with cold weather and short days. As Earth continues its journey, these roles switch, giving us spring and autumn in between.
Want to see how this works? Grab a globe and a lamp without a shade. Place the lamp in the center of a table to represent the Sun. Put the globe on one side of the table and turn off the room lights. Spin the globe slowly. You’ll see how one side lights up (day) while the other stays dark (night).
Now, while spinning the globe, move it in a circle around the lamp. This shows how Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun at the same time. By the time you complete a circle, the globe has spun 365 times, marking a year.
So, when you see the Sun rise or set, remember that it’s not moving around us. Instead, Earth is spinning and orbiting around the Sun, which stays at the center of our solar system. The Sun is always the center of attention!
Shadow Tracking: On a sunny day, go outside with a piece of chalk and a friend or family member. Stand in one spot and have your partner trace your shadow on the ground with the chalk. Come back to the same spot every hour and trace your shadow again. Observe how the shadow changes throughout the day. Discuss why the shadow moves and what this tells us about the Earth’s rotation.
Seasonal Scrapbook: Create a scrapbook or a drawing journal to track the changes in seasons. Draw or paste pictures of trees, weather, and activities you do in each season. Talk about how the tilt of the Earth and its revolution around the Sun cause these changes. Share your scrapbook with your class or family and explain what you’ve learned about seasons.
Day and Night Experiment: Use a flashlight and a small ball to demonstrate day and night. In a dark room, shine the flashlight on one side of the ball. Rotate the ball slowly and watch how the light moves across its surface. Discuss how this is similar to the Earth rotating and why we have day and night. Try to explain this concept to a friend or family member using your experiment.
