CU 2.04The Sun and the Earth: Day, Night, and a Year
Using a globe and a lamp in a darkened room, the child sees that the earth spins to make day and night and travels around the sun once each year.
Presentation
- 1
Show day and night picture cards and ask what is different.
- 2
Say: 'The sun is a star. It gives the earth light and heat.' Turn on the lamp in the darkened area.
- 3
Hold the globe near the lamp. Point to the sticker on Utah: 'This is where we live.'
- 4
Turn the globe slowly from west to east. When Utah faces the lamp, say: 'Now it is day in Utah.'
- 5
Keep turning. When Utah is away from the lamp, say: 'Now it is night in Utah. It is day on the other side of the earth.'
- 6
Say: 'The earth turns around one time every day and night.'
- 7
Walk the globe slowly in a large circle around the lamp while turning it: 'The earth also travels all the way around the sun. One trip takes one year.'
- 8
Let the child hold and turn the globe.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Find a country where it is night when it is day in Utah
- Sort day and night activity cards
- Walk the globe around the lamp once for each year of the child's age
- Explain in the child's own words why we have day and night
Control of error
The lamp's light shows which side of the globe is lit; the child can see whether the Utah sticker is in light or shadow.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Shows day and night in Utah by turning the globe
- Says that the earth turns to make day and night
- Says that one trip around the sun takes one year
Guide note
Bare bulbs get hot. The guide places and turns on the lamp, keeps the cord out of the walking path, and tells children never to look directly at the real sun.