1. Seasons
Dena Fauber
WeExcell
Earth, Moon, Sun Systems

2. Setting Suburban Middle School Campus Style Approx. 1000 students
93 7th graders participated
Includes 10 IEP students

3. State Standards: 6-8 Earth and Space Science/Benchmark A 1.
Describe how objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motions that explain such phenomena as days, years, seasons, eclipses, tides and moon cycles.
6-8 Earth and Space Science/Benchmark C 8.
Describe how temperature and precipitation determine climatic zones (biomes)(e.g., desert, grasslands, forests, tundra and alpine).

4. Assessments Formative Summative Pre-test Season Drawings 1st attempt
Group Discussion
Summative
Season Drawings 2nd attempt
Post-test

5. 1st Attempt

6. Extended Response

7. Short Answer

8. Multiple Choice

9. Question 2 vs. Question 4
Question 2 asked the students to label the seasons (notice that winter is on the right)
Question 4 asked the students to identify the position of the sun and Earth when North America experiences winter.
Many students reported that they did not look at the answers for tilt… just what was the same position as winter in question 2.

10. 2nd Attempt

12. Suggested Modifications
Lower level students
Modeling the path the sun takes around the sun is key
Guiding the students as they move
Higher level students
Leave the experience much more open to experimentation.
Allow students to determine the position of Earth’s axis compared to the sun during revolution.

13. Reflection Pre-Test was eye opening. Over-all… very successful.
Student comments of “Boy was I stupid before we learned this” were common.
Need to focus on students reading the question and studying diagrams before answering questions.