Second graders find out why the sky goes from bright to dark and back again — not because the Sun moves, but because the Earth spins — then check what they have learned.
Students will be able to…
Every evening the sky goes dark, and every morning it gets light again. The Sun is not really moving, so what is — and why does it make day and night?
Project this and answer each question about why we have day and night — read the explanation after each one.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Each evening the Sun seems to sink and the sky goes dark. But the Sun does not really go anywhere. So what is actually moving?
Students answer questions about day and night.
Students model Earth spinning.
Students make a model of the cause.
Students reflect on day and night.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (Grade 2 / Elementary Science).
Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.
Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars.
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students draw the Earth and the Sun, mark the day and night sides, and add an arrow for the spin, so the cause of day and night becomes something they can picture. A printable day-and-night worksheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.