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Smiling in the Sun

Students will explore the Earth's rotation and create a sun-filled piece of art.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

Steps

  • Step 1

    Have students learn about the Earth's rotation, both how it rotates on its axis as well as orbits around the sun. Explain that the sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and at noon the sun is high in the sky, causing our shadows to appear very short. Discuss that it takes one year - 365 days - for the Earth to orbit the sun. Ask students to learn about how the tilt of the Earth causes different parts of the Earth to get varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year, which is what causes different seasons around the world.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to think about activities they enjoy in the sun, whether it's swimming during the summer, sledding during the winter, enjoying the colorful leaves in the fall, or tending a garden in the spring.

  • Step 3

    Have students create a painting that shows themselves enjoying the sun. When the art is complete, have them present it to the class and describe the activity they portrayed and why they enjoy it.

Standards

SCI: Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted. 

SCI: Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.

Adaptations

Read a book such as "My Friend Earth" by Patricia MacLachlan, David Diaz, and Francesca Sanna or "Firsts and Lasts: The Changing Seasons" by Leda Schubert and Clover Robin. Discuss the changes on Earth through the seasons.

Encourage students to go outside at various times of day, either at home or at school, and see how the appearance of their shadow changes depending on the time of day.