1. Earth’s Motion Notes Chapter 1 Lesson 1 Pages 8-16 of your 8 th Grade Textbook

2. How does Earth move? Why is Earth warmer at the equator and colder at the poles? Why do the seasons change as Earth moves around the Sun? Bell Ringer Predictions

3. Although it doesn’t seem like it, the Earth is always in motion. The Earth spins on its rotation axis as it orbits around the Sun. Due to the Sun being the biggest piece of matter in our solar system, the Sun has the greatest gravitational force that keeps it as the epicenter of the planets. Earth & the Sun Notes

4. The closest star to the Earth is the Sun. Our Sun is the source of the elements on the periodic table, gives us the energy we need to survive, and keeps our solar system in place. Nuclear fusion of the hydrogen and helium atom collisions is what produces the sunlight we need. Sunlight is made of heat and light. Nerd Fact 8) The Sun’s Core is 15,000,000 C Facts about the Sun

5. To orbit and revolve is not the same concept in space science. To ORBIT means that something similar to a planet spins in place on its rotation axis. To ORBIT does not imply movement. To REVOLVE means that the planet due to the gravitational force of the Sun will move in ellipses around the medium-sized star. 1 revolution=1Earth Year (all planets have different years that are unique due to their distances away) Orbit versus Revolution

6. The concepts of the sunrises and sunsets is an optical illusion that TRICKS us into thinking that the Sun goes up and goes down. The Sun is a stationary star that does NOT move. What does move is the Earth as it both orbits and revolves over the course of a day. Sunrises & Sunsets

7. The Earth’s rotation axis is tilted in always the same direction and by the same amount. Keys Analytical Months: December, September, March, and June These are the months that act as landmarks for understanding the axis of the Earth. Tilt of Earth’s Rotation Axis

8. Because of the latitude of the Earth makes its surface curved, the concentration of the Sun’s energy changes depending on what month it is. This uneven distribution of weather is what produces the seasons of Earth. The seasons of Earth are NOT the fault of the Sun and the distance from it. The seasons of the Earth are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s rotation axis combined with the motion of the Earth around the Sun. Temperature & Latitude

9. A solstice and equinox helps us understand how to measure the seasons of the Earth. Solstice Ranges *March to June *June to September Equinox Ranges *September to December *December to March Solstices and Equinoxes