Chapter 15: Earth, Moon and Sun
Learning Target
Vocabulary Word
Definition
Facts or Examples
axis
The ___________ line
that passes through
Earth’s __________ and
the _________ and
South poles.
Earth moves in space in two
major ways:
__________________ and
_____________________
Lesson 2
I can demonstrate
how Earth moves in
space . . .
rotation
revolution
orbit
calendar
___________ of Earth
on its ___________
This causes the sun to appear
to ________ in the East and
________ in the West. It takes
Earth 24 hours to
______________ once.
The ______________ of
one object around
another.
The Earth revolves around the
_____________. It takes one
__________ (approx. ___ days).
Earth’s path
___________ the sun.
A slightly elongated
__________ or ellipse. Earth is
closest to the sun in
_______________.
A system of organizing
time that defines the
beginning, _________
and divisions of a
___________.
We currently use the
________________ calendar.
1 day (Earth rotate on ______),
1 month (moon revolves
around _______) and 1 year
(Earth revolves around ______)
Symbol/Picture
I can explain what
causes the cycles of
seasons on Earth . . .
solstice
equinox
Lesson 4
I can explain what
causes the phases of
the moon . . .
When the Earth is tilted
towards the sun, it is summer.
When it is tilted away from the
sun it is Winter. The Northern
Hemisphere has the opposite
season as the Southern
Hemisphere
The sun appears
June 21 – ________day of the
farthest north of the
year (most hours of sunlight )in
equator once each
_________ Hemisphere, shortest
year and farthest south day (least hours of sunlight) in
once each year. This is _________ Hemisphere
the summer and winter Dec. 21 – it is the opposite –
_______________.
__________ solstice in N. H,
__________ solstice in S. H.
_________ between the
The noon sun is directly
solstices, neither
overhead at the equator,
hemisphere is tilted
_________ due east and
toward the sun.
_______ due west.
“___________ night” –
Vernal (spring) equinox –
___ hours of
__________ 21 in N. H.
day and night
Autumnal (fall) equinox –
__________ 22 in N. H.
Earth has seasons
because its axis is
tilted as it revolves
around the Earth.
phases
The different ________
of the __________ you
see from Earth.
The changing relative
positions of the moon, Earth
and the sun cause the phases
of the moon.
SEE PHASES OF THE MOON PACKET
I can describe solar
and lunar eclipses . . .
eclipse
When an object in
space comes
between the _______ &
a _________ object, it
casts a shadow on
that object causing an
____________.
There are two types
of eclipses: ________ (sun) and
____________ (moon)
solar eclipse
umbra
penumbra
lunar eclipse
When the moon
passes directly
___________ Earth and
the sun, __________
sunlight from Earth
Happens during a ________
moon. The moon’s shadow
________ Earth.
The ___________ part of
the moon’s shadow
With the umbra, the sun’s light
is completely ____________.
Only people within the umbra
experience a total
_________ eclipse.
The __________ part of
the shadow that is less
dark than the umbra
Part of the sun is __________
from Earth. People in the
penumbra see a
___________ eclipse.
At a __________moon
when Earth is directly
____________ the moon
and the sun. Earth
blocks sunlight from
reaching the ________.
Only happens during a
__________ moon.
Total lunar eclipse – when
moon is in Earth’s umbra. Can
be seen ____________ on Earth
(more likely than seeing a
____________ eclipse)
Partial lunar eclipse – when
Earth, moon and sun don’t
____________ perfectly. (blurry,
can see it move for 2-3 hours)
Lesson 5
I can explain what
causes tides . . .
tides
The _________ and
________ of ocean
water that occurs
every ______ hours.
Water rises for about
____ hours then falls for
about ____ hours.
Tides are caused mainly by
differences in how much
______________ from the moon
and the sun ________ on
different parts of the Earth.
near side
The moon’s _________
pulls a little more
strongly on the water
on the side
_____________ to the
moon than on Earth as
a whole.
This difference causes a
____________ of water on the
side of Earth ____________ to
the moon which creates a
_____________ tide.
far side
The moon’s __________
pulls more weakly on
the water on the
___________ side of
Earth than on Earth as
a whole.
Since the water is left behind,
there is a __________ tide on
the far side too.
Halfway between the high
tides, there is a ________ tide.
spring tide
The sun, moon, and
Earth are nearly
aligned during a
___________ moon.
Their combined force
produces a tide with the
______________ differences
between consecutive low
and high tides.
neap tide
During the moon’s
__________ quarter, the
line between Earth
and the sun is at
__________ angles to
the line between Earth
and the moon.
The sun’s pull is at _________
angle to the Earth’s pull. This
makes a tide with the
_________ difference between
consecutive low and high
tides. This occurs ____________
a month.
Learning Targets Chapter 15
Lesson 2
I can demonstrate how Earth moves in space . . .
Earth moves in space in two major ways: _______________________ and _______________________.
I can explain what causes the cycles of seasons on Earth . . .
Earth has seasons because its ___________________ is ___________________ as it ___________________ around the sun.
Lesson 4
I can explain what causes the phases of the moon . . .
The _______________________ relative positions of the _________________, ________________ and the ___________________ cause the
phases of the moon.
I can describe solar and lunar eclipses . . .
A solar eclipse occurs when the _____________________ passes directly ________________ _____________________ and the
_____________________, blocking sunlight from Earth. During a __________________________ eclipse, ___________________ blocks
________________________ from _______________________ the ________________________.
Lesson 5
I can explain what causes tides . . .
Tides are caused by ______________________ in how much gravity ________________ the _________________ and the ___________
pulls on different parts of the Earth.
Changes in the positions of the Earth, the moon, and the sun affect the _____________________ of the tides during a month.