Changing Length of Daylight

As the seasons change, the sun sets earlier at night and rises later in the mornings due to the Earth’s position on its axis and the season. Students will be exploring why the days seem shorter in the winter than during other seasons.

Driving Question

• Why do the days get “shorter” and "longer"?

Probing Questions

• What do you notice about the two photos?
• As the seasons change, what do you notice about the time that the sun goes down?
• Why might it get darker sooner in the winter than in the summer?

Classroom Suggestions

Students could:

• Make a KWL chart about season changes. Fill this out before, during, and after learning and observations. 
• Record the times the sun sets and rises over a period of time (using a website like this) and make a graph as a class. 
• Choose different times of day to track the sun’s position in the sky, then compare over several days.

Relevant Related Resources

• Seasons and Day Length | Generation Genius: A video on the seasonal patterns that students can observe.
• Why Do You Have to Go to Bed Early in the Summer? | Mystery Science: A lesson on going to bed when it's still bright outside in the summer.