Science lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 minutes
Earth's orbit, years and seasons
Space
CCSS NGSS.MS-ESS1-1CCSS NGSS.MS-ESS1-2England: KS2 Y5 Earth and spaceEngland: KS3 Physics: Space physics
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Earth's orbit, years and seasons.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Day and night; The seasons
Leads to: Orbits and orbital speed (v = 2Ï€r / T)
Materials: Torch and ball for a Sun-Earth-Moon model, Space images, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Day and night; The seasons). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- When it is daytime in the UK, it is night-time in… (Ireland / France / Spain / New Zealand) → New ZealandPrompt: Which place is on the opposite side of the world?
- The Sun rises at 06:30 and sets at 17:15. How many hours of daylight are there? Give your answer in hours as a decimal (e.g. 12.5). → 10.75 hPrompt: Count the whole hours first, then the extra minutes.
- Why does the Sun seem to move across the sky? (The wind pushes it / The Sun orbits the Earth each day / It is falling / The Earth is rotating) → The Earth is rotatingPrompt: Think about watching trees from a moving train.
Hook · 6 min
- Ask why we see the Moon change shape over a month.
- Share the objective: Earth's orbit, years and seasons. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: How long does it take the Earth to orbit the Sun once?
- Step 1: One orbit takes about 365.25 days, which is why we have a leap year every 4 years.
- Step 2: So the answer is: about 365¼ days
- Answer: about 365¼ days
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- By how many degrees is Earth's axis tilted? (about 23.5° / 45° / 0° / 90°) → about 23.5°Prompt: It is less than a quarter of a right angle.
- A year is 365 days, plus one extra day every 4 years (a leap year). How many days are there in 4 years in a row? → 1461Prompt: How many leap days are there in 4 years?
You do: independent practice · 17 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Seasons and orbit: which statement is NOT true? (Every place on Earth has the same four seasons. / Earth's axis is tilted. / Earth's orbit is almost a circle. / Seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are opposite.) → Every place on Earth has the same four seasons.Prompt: When is Earth closest to the Sun?
- What causes the seasons? (the tilt of Earth's axis as it orbits the Sun / the Moon blocking sunlight / Earth getting closer to and further from the Sun / the Sun getting hotter and colder) → the tilt of Earth's axis as it orbits the SunPrompt: Earth is actually closest to the Sun in early January.
Watch out for
- Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
- Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Day and night.
- Use concrete materials: torch and ball for a sun-earth-moon model.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Orbits and orbital speed (v = 2Ï€r / T).
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-6.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder