View From the Earth Created by Mrs. Groover

Weather Weather is a description of what happens in the air over the Earth’s surface. We often use words like rainy, snowy, cloudy, sunny, hot, cold, and windy to describe the weather.

Measuring the Weather We can measure the weather using tools like thermometers, rain gauges, and wind socks or weather vanes. It is important to know what the weather will be like so that you can dress properly and plan activities for the type of weather that day.

Earth Spin The Earth spins around on its axis. It takes one full day (24 hours) to spin a complete turn. The Earth also revolves around the Sun. It takes one year for the Earth to go all the way around the Sun.

The Moon’s Light The moon does not have its own light source. The moon reflects light from the Sun. Light from the Sun bounces off the moon and back to Earth.

Phases of the Moon The moon does not actually change shape. It looks like it changes shape when the sun lights up only part of it. We call this changing appearance the phases of the moon.

Waxing and Waning As the moon appears to get bigger it is called waxing. As the moon appears to get smaller it is called waning. The moon wanes until it is a new moon, when we cannot see it at all.

Studying the Moon Scientists study the moon. Astronauts first landed on the moon in Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon. The United States also has a space station that can gather information about the Earth, Sun, and moon.

Solar System Facts The moon is about ¼ the size of the Earth. The Earth is much smaller than the Sun. The moon and the Earth are both made of rock. The Sun is a star made of gas. People can live on the Earth and go to the moon. People cannot go to the Sun. It is much too hot.

Seasons As the Earth moves around the Sun, it also tilts on its axis. This affects which part of the Earth is closest to the Sun. The part of the Earth that is closest to the Sun has its summer season. The part farthest away from the Sun has its winter season.

Rock Layers All rocks have layers, which form over time as new particles settle on the top layer. If you look at a large rock, you can often see different layers. We can learn about the Earth by studying things we find in the rock layers. Scientists can tell how old a fossil is by how deeply it is buried in the rock’s layers.

Fossils Fossils are the remains of a plant or animal that lived long ago. We can find fossils in rock layers. The animals or plants are covered with mud, sand, or soil when they die. The original material is replaced by minerals, which become hard, like stone.

Learning About Earth’s History Scientists know that as they dig deeper, the fossils they find are older. So, they can find the oldest fossils by digging very deep.

Learning About the Earth We can learn about our planet, the Earth, in many ways. We can study weather patterns. We can observe the moon and look at how Earth’s movement gives us day, night, and seasons. We can also look at rock layers and the fossils that are buried in them to learn more about the Earth.