1. Seasons and Angle of Insolation (also called angle of separation)
Aligning with Earth in Space LASER kit
Based on the Vernier lab activity

2. Outline Goals Engage: Page Keeley Assessment Probe
Define angle of insolation
Determine the relationship between temperature change and angle of insolation
Engage: Page Keeley Assessment Probe
Explore: Compare temperature data from around the world
Explain: Complete Seasons activity
Elaborate: Seasons simulation from the internet
Evaluate: Compare your results with other models
Debrief as needed

3. Engage: What do you think
From Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Vol. 3 by Page Keeley and others

4. Explore: Comparing Temperature data
Go to Weatherbase at
Select five different cities from different parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Record the name and latitude of the city/country.
Write down the average temperatures in degrees C for June and December.
Compare/contrast the temperatures in different cities
Think: write down at least two observations
Pair: tell these observations to a neighbor
Share: volunteer to tell the rest of the class

5. Explain: Seasons activity
You and your partners will be using the temperature probe to determine the temperature at different latitudes during winter and summer
Each group will be assigned one latitude. Record your data on the chart on the next slide when you are done.
General set-up
Close-up of temp probe

6. Angle of Insolation (or separation)
Angle the Sun’s rays make with the flat surface of the Earth.
Determined by the angular distance between the latitude the Sun is over and the latitude of your location.

7. Finding angle of insolation

8. Explain: Class data Omak
Lat
30° N sum
30° N win
45° N sum
45° N win
60° N sum
60° N win
Tmax (°C)
31.6
29.4
30.6
26.9
30.5
25.2
Tmin (°C)
25.6
24.6
25.9
26.2 T
6.0
4.8
4..7
0.7
5.3
Angle of insolation
83.5
36.5
68.5
21.5
53.5
6.5
Observations to ponder with your partners and neighbors:
How do the last two rows of numbers compare to one another?
How do the sum. and winter columns compare to one another?

9. Explain: Class data Wenatchee
Lat
30° N sum
30° N win
45° N sum
45° N win
60° N sum
60° N win
Tmax (°C)
37.9
27.4
31.5
24.8
26.9
26.2
Tmin (°C)
23.1
22.6
23.7
23.6
23.8
25.7 T
14.8
4.8
7.8
1.2
3.1
0.5
Angle of insolation
83.5
36.5
68.5
11.5
53.5
6.5
Observations to ponder with your partners and neighbors:
How do the last two rows of numbers compare to one another?
How do the sum. and winter columns compare to one another?

10. Explain: Theory
Earth’s axis tilted 23.5° and always pointed to the same star throughout the year*.
At times, the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun and the Sun’s rays hit the northern hemisphere at a shallow angle (farther from straight overhead). This is winter in the northern hemisphere. (Below, left)
At times, the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun and the Sun’s rays hit the northern hemisphere at a steep angle (closer to straight overhead). This is summer in the northern hemisphere. (Below, right)
*The north pole changes slowly over time but this does not affect the seasons

11. Elaborate: Seasons simulation
I will play a simulation of the Earth orbiting the Sun. As the Earth orbits in the left diagram, two diagrams on the right will show the height of the Sun in the sky at noon and the size of a patch of sunlight.
Work with your neighbors to determine the relationship between the motion of the earth, the position of the Sun and the intensity of sunlight.
Here is another, more involved
simulation.

12. Screen shot of Seasons simulation

13. Evaluate: Other models of seasons
Select the best model to explain winter from the choices below and support your answer with data from the activity.
Cold planet takes heat from the Sun
Winter clouds stop heat from the Sun
Sun farther away in the winter
Sun moves to the other side of the Earth
Changes in plants cause the seasons
Light rays hit the ground at a less steep angle in the winter
From Making Sense of Secondary Science by Rosalind Driver and others, page

14. Evaluate: Comparing Models
Show of hands for each model
How do our findings inform each model?
Cold planet takes heat: when one hemisphere cool, the other is warm
Winter clouds: some places have clear skies in the winter*
Sun farther away: temperature change can come without distance change
Sun moves: Sun still in the sky in the winter
Changes in plants: seasonal changes occur in locations with different plant cover*
Light rays hit the ground: temperature changes due to angle change in activity matched real world data
*neither supported or refuted in this lesson

15. Relation to Earth in Space kit
Related to Lesson 4: Seasons on Earth
The Exploration supports Inquiry 4.1 (Investigating Seasons) by giving students the opportunity to compare the shadows with the temperatures of the cities they looked up.
The Angle of Insolation activity supports Inquiry 4.3 (Investigating Seasonal Variations) relating shadow angles to temperatures.
Overall benefit of this activity: relating seasonal changes to temperatures the students measure using a model (lamp and globe).

16. Debriefing the science teaching
Compare/contrast Seasons activity with LASER kit content
Review the use of the 5 E learning cycle
Discuss the use of learning progressions associated with this lesson
Practice creating a learning progression of a concept of your choice using the handout (also on the wiki)