Day/Night
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to identify characteristics of the seasons of the year and day and night.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that the natural world includes the air around us and objects in the sky.
Science Background
What Causes Day and Night? Universe Today (website) - Information about the causes and variations of the day and night cycle.
What Causes Day and Night?
by John Carl, Universe Today, www.universetoday.com
Why is Earth Rotating? NASA (website) - Earth’s 24-hour rotation is one trait that makes our planet so friendly to life. Learn more about Earth’s rotation and other topics by listening to the audio clips.
Why is Earth Rotating?
NASA Space Place, spaceplace.nasa.gov
Signature Lesson
What Makes Day and Night? Eye on the Sky (website) - A kinesthetic modeling of day and night enables students to identify characteristics of the day/night cycle and experience Earth’s spin.
What Makes Day and Night?
Eye on the Sky, www.eyeonthesky.org
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Sunrise, Sunset, Apparent Motion of the Sun: NASA, StarChild (website) - Students learn the Sun is the source of Earth’s light and heat energy, observe and describe changes in the Sun's altitude and position, and understand that day and night are determined by our view of the Sun.
Sunrise, Sunset, Apparent Motion of the Sun
NASA, StarChild, starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
As the Earth Turns: Beacon Learning Center (website) - Experience an interactive game that explains what causes day and night.
As the Earth Turns
Beacon Learning Center, www.beaconlearningcenter.com
Assessment Ideas
Day and Night: Eye on the Sky (PDF) - Assess students’ understanding day/night cycles by having them color the Sun and Earth to indicate which parts of Earth are experiencing daytime and nighttime, respectively.
Literature Connections
What Makes Day and Night? Branley, Franley (ISBN: 0064450503)
Day and Night. Nelson, Robin (ISBN: 0761356797)
Day and Night. Hall, Margaret (ISBN: 0736896155)
Additional Resources
Universe Cycle, Earth: Math/Science Nucleus (website) - Compare night and day while exploring the movement of Earth.
TEKS Navigation
Grade 1
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