AGC/United Learning • 1560 Sherman Ave., Suite 100 • Evanston, IL 60201 • 800-323-9084
Seasons
Under
the Sun
Teacher’s Guide
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Seasons Under the Sun:
AUTUMN
Produced By…
Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Teacher’s Guide Written By…
Katy Bosch
Published & Distributed by…
AGC/UNITED LEARNING
1560 Sherman Avenue
Suite 100
Evanston, Illinois 60201
1-800-323-9084
24-Hour Fax No. 847-328-6706
Website: http://www.agcunitedlearning.com
e-mail: [email protected]
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This video is the exclusive property of the copyright holder.
Copying, transmitting, or reproducing in any form, or by any
means, without prior written permission from the copyright
holder is prohibited (Title 17, U.S. Code Sections 501 and
506).
©MM Maslowski Wildlife Productions
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SEASONS UNDER THE SUN:
AUTUMN
Teacher’s Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................... 1
Links to Curriculum Standards ......................... 1
Summary of the Video ....................................... 1
Pre-Test.............................................................. 3
Video Quiz.......................................................... 3
Instructional Notes ............................................ 3
Student Preparation .......................................... 4
Introducing the Video........................................ 4
Student Objectives ............................................. 4
View the Video ................................................... 5
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Discussion Questions......................................... 5
Blackline Masters Activities .............................. 6
Extended Learning Activities ............................ 6
Internet Sites ..................................................... 9
Answer Key ........................................................ 9
Script of Narration........................................... 13
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guide and the blackline master handouts that accompany it
for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this video, Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn. This right is restricted only
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handouts for any purpose other than for use with this video
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SEASONS UNDER THE SUN: AUTUMN
TEACHER’S GUIDE
GRADES 3-5
RUNNING TIME: 15 MINUTES
INTRODUCTION
Seasons Under the Sun is a series of four lessons appropriate
for grades 3-5. One goal of this series is to provide an explanation for the change of seasons due to the movement of the earth
in relationship to the sun. Another is to explore the ways these
seasonal changes affect living things on earth.
The earth orbits around the sun once a year. As it does, day by
day, our planet experiences a variety of changes in the weather.
The cold months of winter weather slowly come to an end as
the air begins to warm and it becomes spring. These cool spring
conditions continue to change into even warmer, summer
weather. Eventually, the air begins to turn cooler as the autumn months commence. A few months later, winter has inevitably returned. Why do the seasons change as the earth
orbits around the sun? What do these changes mean to plants
and animals?
LINKS TO CURRICULUM STANDARDS
This lesson correlates to the following standards governing the
teaching of science to elementary school students:
A. National Science Education Standards for Grades K-4 in
Physical Science (Content Standard B)
B. National Science Education Standards for Grades K-4 in Life
Science (Content Standard C)
C. National Science Education Standards for Grades K-4 in
Earth and Space Science (Content Standard D)
SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO
This video teaches students that autumn is the season for
change. During this season, crops ripen and are harvested,
and the leaves on many trees change color and fall to the
ground. As the days and night grow colder, birds and some
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animals begin to migrate to warmer areas, while other animals
prepare to survive the long cold months of winter.
Around September 22nd, the autumnal equinox occurs in the
northern hemisphere. On this day all of the earth receives 12
hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. After this event, in
the northern hemisphere, the hours of darkness begin to exceed those of daylight. Through video graphics, students learn
that the change in daylight varies according to the latitude at
which a region is located. They can see why the most rapid
changes in daylight occur farthest from the equator. By viewing the earth’s rotation on its axis and the planet’s orbit around
the sun, students visualize how the tilt of the axis causes the
changes in daylight hours through the seasons.
The decline in daylight hours has significant effects on plants,
animals, and people. One of the most noticeable changes occurs with deciduous trees. Students learn how and why leaves
change color and fall to the ground. They also learn basic reasons behind the migration of birds and other animals. In addition, they see how some animals prepare to face the cold winter by storing food or getting ready for hibernation. People, as
well as animals, prepare for winter by harvesting and storing
crops grown during the summer season.
Autumn is not always a season of bounty for everyone. Early
autumn is a prime time for hurricanes to form in the tropics.
These hurricanes redistribute moisture and heat that has accumulated near the equator during the summer. At the end of
autumn, far north of the equator, blizzards are a common occurrence. These storms are a signal that winter conditions have
arrived early.
The earth’s orbit carries the planet into winter around December 22nd. This is when the winter solstice occurs and the northern hemisphere has the shortest span of daylight hours for the
year.
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This video is vocabulary rich and uses key terminology such as
autumn, autumnal equinox, axis, blizzard, chlorophyll, deciduous, degrees, dormant, equator, hemisphere, hibernation,
hurricane, latitude, migration, orbit, rotate, silo, and winter
solstice. Numerous colorful and easy to understand graphics
greatly enhance student understanding of the key concepts
involved with learning about the seasons.
PRE-TEST
An optional pre-test is provided on Blackline Master #1:
Pre-Test. This test will help you determine the level of student comprehension prior to participating in this lesson. An
answer key appears on pages 9-12 of this Teacher’s Guide.
VIDEO QUIZ
This video concludes with a ten-question Video Quiz which may
be used to gauge student comprehension immediately after the
presentation of the video. Blackline Master #2: Video Quiz
provides students with a printed copy of the questions and a
list from which to choose correct answers.
INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES
Before presenting this lesson to your students, we suggest that
you preview the video, review this guide, and the accompanying blackline master activities in order to familiarize yourself
with their content.
As you review the materials presented in this guide, you may
find it necessary to make some changes, additions or deletions
to meet the specific needs of you class. We encourage you to
so, for only by tailoring this program to your class will they
obtain the maximum instructional benefits
afforded by the materials.
It is also suggested that the video presentation take place before the entire group under your supervision. The lesson activities will grow out of the context of the video, therefore, the
presentation should be a common experience for all students.
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STUDENT PREPARATION
You may want the students to look up the vocabulary words
addressed in the video, have them write down their definitions,
and review their spellings and pronunciations. Terms such as
autumn, autumnal equinox, axis, blizzard, chlorophyll, deciduous, degrees, dormant, equator, hemisphere, hibernation,
hurricane, latitude, migration, orbit, rotate, silo, and winter
solstice may be unfamiliar to students. By studying these terms
before viewing the video, it will greatly enhance student understanding of the topic. As a reinforcement for this vocabulary, you may use Blackline Master #4: Vocabulary Exercise.
INTRODUCING THE VIDEO
Tell the students to close their eyes and visualize an autumn
day. Ask them to share what they see in their minds. Encourage them to think about what people and animals might be
doing in different environments. Record their ideas on the
board. Ask them what kinds of signs they see during the season of autumn that tell them that winter is on the way. Record
these ideas on a large sheet of paper to be used again after they
have watched the video. At this point ask them if they can add
any sign to their list.
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
After viewing the video and completing the lessons and activities, students should be able to do the following:
•
Define key terminology and utilize this vocabulary in
context.
•
Explain how the tilt of the earth as it revolves around
the sun creates the seasons.
•
Explain why daylight hours decrease throughout the
season of autumn.
•
Explain some of the changes that occur in animals
during the season of autumn.
•
Describe how and why deciduous plants’ leaves change
color and fall.
•
Describe what latitude is and how it affects seasonal
change.
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•
Describe why daylight hours increase throughout
winter.
VIEW THE VIDEO
The video is 15 minutes in length
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Following the video, students may have additional questions.
Avoid answering questions directly, ask them higher level questions allowing them to discover the answer on their own. Encourage other students in the class to answer their peers’ questions. There are numerous issues which may warrant further
discussion.
As a class, you may wish to discuss the questions which appear
on Blackline Master #3: Discussion Questions. These
questions should be distributed prior to class discussion. Answers for these questions appear in the Answer Key on pages
9-12 of this guide.
1. What are some of the changes that occur during autumn?
2. When does autumn officially begin in the northern hemisphere? Does autumn occur at the same time in the southern
hemisphere? Explain your answer.
3. Why do daylight hours continue to grow shorter during autumn.
4. What happens to changes in daylight during autumn as you
move farther from the equator?
5. What happens during the autumnal equinox?
6. As less heat and light become available to plants during the
season of autumn, what happens the leaves of green plants?
7. What are some of the ways that animals react to the shorter
hours of daylight?
8. How do people prepare for winter during the autumn
months?
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9. What types of storms form in late summer/early autumn?
What important role do these storms play in nature?
10. When does autumn officially end? Why?
BLACKLINE MASTER ACTIVITIES
The following blackline master activity sheets are included with
this guide. You may replicate and distribute them as needed.
As answer key appears on pages 9-12 of this guide.
(1.) Blackline Master #1: Pre-Test is to be given to your
students prior to viewing the video to assess their prior knowledge of the topic.
(2.) Blackline Master #2 is the sheet corresponding to the
Video Quiz questions found at the end of the video. You may
wish to stop the video before the quiz in order to distribute
this sheet. Students should select answers from the list at the
bottom of the page. Review the questions from the list at the
bottom of the page. Review the questions and answers as a
group, or collect the quizzes for grading; they will help you
determine student comprehension immediately following the
video but before executing the Follow-up Activities.
(3.) Blackline Master #3: Discussion Questions correspond with the questions presented in the previous section,
and should be distributed prior to class discussion
(4.) Blackline Master #4: Vocabulary Exercise will help
the students further to understand the terminology of the subject matter.
(5.) Blackline Masters #5a-5c: Post Test is to be given to
your students after viewing the video and completing the accompanying exercise to assess their knowledge of the topic.
EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Science Extensions:
Demonstrate the earth’s orbit around the sun with a lamp and
a classroom globe. Turn out the overhead lights in the classroom so the lamp illuminates the globe. Study the way the
light falls on different parts of the globe as it makes one full
rotation around the light. Question the students at as the globe
moves to different positions around the light to see if they can
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determine what season it would be in the two hemispheres.
Build a sun dial by drawing a circle on a piece of paper with a
diameter the length of an unsharpened pencil. Mark the circle
with the directions North, South, East, and West. Standing a
pencil in a lump of clay in the center of the circle and orient the
sun dial in the directions marked on the circle. Observe and
the change in the shadow’s position over the course of the day.
Art Connection:
Challenge the students to work independently or with a partner to construct a working model of the earth, tilted on its axis,
that rotates around the sun. Each of the four seasons should
be clearly marked on the model.
Have students use magazine pictures or drawings to create a
collage of “autumn.”
Math Connection:
Have students keep a daylight journal tracking the time that
the sun rises and sets over a one-month period. This data can
be found in the local newspaper or on the Internet (try the
Weather Channel’s web site at http://www.weather.com/
twc.homepage.twc). Students can use the information they
collect to calculate, tabulate, and graph changes over time. This
will help them to quantify the changes in the amount of daylight hours that they are experiencing as the seasons change.
Keep a record of temperature changes throughout different
times of the day. Ask students to hypothesize the reasons for
these changes.
Creative Writing Connection:
Have students pretend that they are a plant or animal and write
a story about their experiences throughout the four seasons.
Provide an introduction to the to myths. You may want to read
several myths to your students aloud or let them choose indi12
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vidual selections. After reading these examples, explain to them
that the purpose of a myth in early civilizations was to provide
and explanation for the unknown. Have the students write a
myth about the one or all of the four seasons. It may be helpful
to do some class brainstorming before the students set out to
work on their own.
Social Studies Connection:
Introduce the students to the function of an almanac. After
they familiarize themselves with this resource, let them chose
one month out of the spring season and research the weather
in a specific region over a 10-year period. Use this information to write a mini almanac for the particular month.
Some ancient agricultural civilizations tracked the changes in
daylight and seasons. People in northern Europe, North
America, and South America combine religion and science in
great stone circles that measured the sun’s movement. Some
examples of such structures are Stonehenge, Newgrange, and
Machu Pichu. Have a group of students research these and report how these structures were designed and built.
Technology Connection:
Connect to the National Science Teachers Association at http:/
/www.nsta.org/programs/sst/aws/Default.htm and
take part in the activity “Astronomy with a Stick.” Lesson plans
are included on the web page for tracking the moving shadows
of the sun and comparing the rise and fall of daylight hours.
Connect to the Weather Channel’s website (http://
www.weather.com/twc.homepage.twc) and learn more
about the causes for the different types of weather we experience during the autumn season. Students can work in small
groups to research topics such as hurricanes. In addition, students can also use this web site to compare weather conditions
in the northern and southern hemisphere during the different
seasons.
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INTERNET SITES
The Weather Channel
http://www.weather.com/twc.homepage.twc
National Science Teacher’s Association
http://www.nsta.org/
http://www.nsta.org/programs/sst/aws/Default.htm
NASA
http://www.nasa.gov
Science Learning Network
http://www.sln.org/
ANSWER KEY
BLACKLINE MASTER #1: PRE-TEST
1.
true
2.
false
3.
false
4.
false
5.
true
6.
true
7.
true
8.
false
9.
true
10.
true
BLACKLINE MASTER #2: VIDEO QUIZ
1.
longer
2.
spring
3.
Latitude
4.
zero
5.
axis
6.
equinox
7.
deciduous
8.
Chlorophyll
9.
dormant
10.
instinct
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BLACKLINE MASTER #3: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Some of the changes that occur during autumn are leaves
changing colors and falling off trees, birds beginning to migrate, animals storing foods for winter, and crops ripening and
being harvested.
2. Autumn officially begin in the northern hemisphere on the
autumnal equinox around September 22nd. Autumn does not
occur at the same time in the southern hemisphere because at
this time the southern hemisphere is experiencing spring. Seasons in the hemispheres are opposite because of the tilt of the
earth’s axis. When the southern hemisphere is experiencing
autumn, it is spring in the northern hemisphere.
3. Daylight hours continue to grow shorter during autumn
because the tilt of the earth continues to swing the north pole
farther away from the sun as it travels in its orbit.
4. As you move farther from the equator, changes in the amount
of daylight during the autumn season become more drastic.
The farther from the equator, the shorter the daylight hours
become.
5. During the autumnal equinox, all parts of the earth receive
12 hours of darkness and 12 hours of daylight.
6. Leaves change color during the autumn season because the
lack of sunlight causes small walls of cork to form between the
twigs and leaves. This cuts off the exchange water and nutrients between the leaf and the tree. This stops the production
of a chemical in the leaf called chlorophyll. The chlorophyll is
the chemical that makes food for the plant during the summer
and gives plants their green color. As the chlorophyll diminishes the other natural colors in the leaf that were covered by
the chlorophyll are visible.
7. As the amount of daylight hours shorten, animals take this
as a sign that winter is coming. Most birds and some animals
begin to migrate to warmer areas. Other animals begin to store
food for the winter months.
8. Farmers prepare for winter during the autumn months by
harvesting ripened crops and storing them for use during winter.
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9. It is common for hurricanes to form in late summer/early
autumn. These storms redistribute heat and moisture that has
accumulated near the equator during the summer months.
10. Autumn officially ends on the winter solstice around December 22nd. At this point in the earth’s orbit, the north pole is
pointed directly away from the sun and the northern hemisphere receives the shortest span of daylight hours of all the
year.
BLACKLINE MASTER #4: VOCABULARY EXERCISE
1.
silo
2.
latitude
3.
migration
4.
deciduous, dormant
5.
hurricane
6.
hibernation
7.
equinox
8.
solstice
9.
chlorophyll
10.
degrees
11.
equator
BLACKLINE MASTERS #5a-5c: POST-TEST
1.
equator
2.
equinox
3.
solstice
4.
shorter
5.
True
6.
False; Autumn begins on the autumnal EQUINOX.
7.
False; LATITUDE is a measure of distance north or
south of the equator.
8.
True
9.
False; Hurricanes are destructive storms that form in
early autumn near the EQUATOR.
10.
Leaves change color during the autumn season because
the lack of sunlight causes small walls of cork to form between
the twigs and leaves. This cuts off the exchange water and
nutrients between the leaf and the tree. This stops the produc16
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tion of a chemical in the leaf called chlorophyll. The chlorophyll is the chemical that makes food for the plant during the
summer and gives plants their green color. As the chlorophyll
diminishes the other natural colors in the leaf that were covered by the chlorophyll are visible.
11.
Daylight hours continue to grow shorter during autumn
because the tilt of the earth continues to swing the north pole
farther away from the sun as it travels in its orbit. As you move
farther from the equator, changes in the amount of daylight
during the autumn season become more drastic. The farther
from the equator, the shorter the daylight hours become.
12.
Farmers harvest and store crops for the winter. Some
animals also gather and store food for the winter, while others
increase their food intake in order to store energy as excess fat
to be used during hibernation. Many species of birds migrate
to warmer areas, as well as some species of animals.
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SEASONS UNDER THE SUN: AUTUMN
Script of Narration
The earth revolves around the sun once a year. As it does, day by day,
month by month, our weather changes. Soon winter becomes spring, spring
turns to summer, summer changes to fall, and then it’s back to winter. Why
do seasons change as the earth travels around the sun, and what do the
changes mean to nature’s plants and animals - and us?
Autumn, or fall, is a season of change. The hot days of summer are ending
and it’s time for people, plants, and animals to get ready for colder months
ahead. During autumn, tree leaves will turn brilliant colors, then flutter to
the ground. Millions of birds will migrate to warmer climates. Farmers
will harvest golden ripe crops. And, all the while, days will grow colder and
nights longer.
Above the equator, in the northern hemisphere, autumn officially begins
around September 22nd. We sometimes call the first day of autumn the
“September,” or “autumnal,” “equinox.” “Equinox” means “equal day and
night.” On the first official day of autumn, there are 12 hours of daylight,
and 12 hours of darkness. Day and night are equal.
However, south of the equator, the September equinox marks the first day
of spring. In the southern half, or hemisphere, of the world, the seasons
are opposite the northern hemisphere’s. Spring is fall, summer is winter,
and so on.
Where ever you live, unless it’s near the equator, during your autumn, days
get shorter and nights longer. Every day the sun will rise later and set
earlier than on the day before.
How much shorter each day becomes varies according to the date and the
latitude.
Latitude is a measure of distance north or south from the equator. Latitude is measured in degrees, which are a fraction of a circle. There are 360
degrees in a circle. On the earth’s surface, one degree of latitude is about
68 miles.
The equator is 0 degrees of latitude. The poles are at 90 degrees. Midway
between the equator and the poles, the latitude is 45 degrees. Here, on the
first day of November, daylight decreases about four minutes from the day
before. Farther from the equator, there is even more difference. At the
Arctic Circle, which is at about 67 degrees, daylight decreases by 12 minutes. In just five days, another whole hour of daylight will be lost.
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Why do daylight hours grow shorter in autumn?
To help understand, let’s look at the earth’s relation to the sun. We know
the earth orbits around the sun once a year. We also know the earth rotates
on its axis once every 24 hours, to give us day and night. The earth’s axis is
an imaginary line stretching between the north and south pole, and acts
like an axle for a wheel. Surprisingly, the earth’s axis is not straight up and
down when compared to the earth’s orbit around the sun, but tilts 23-1/2
degrees. When the earth is over here, in summer, the north pole leans
towards the sun. Now the north pole has 24 hours of daylight. Six months
later, when the earth has moved to the other side of the sun, the north pole
leans away from the sun. Now the north pole is dark, cold, and wintry.
Equinoxes occur halfway between these summer and winter positions. The
poles still point to the same place in space, but neither pole leans directly
away or toward the sun. On the equinoxes, everywhere on earth has 12
hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.
After the autumnal equinox, as the earth continues its orbit, the north pole
angles farther away from the sun. This means daylight hours grow shorter.
With decreasing sunlight, less heat and light energy is available to plants
and animals. Many of them have to adjust to this loss of energy.
One of the most noticeable and prettiest changes in autumn occurs with
deciduous trees. The primary job of tree leaves is to make food for the tree.
But, to make food, the leaves need sunlight. In autumn, less than half of
the day has daylight, plus, the weather is getting cold, so the deciduous
leaves can no longer make much food, and the trees drop them.
The process of dropping leaves begins when trees react to the short daylight hours and grow little walls of cork between twigs and leaves. These
walls stop the exchange of nutrients and water between the tree and the
leaf.
Gradually, the leaf stops making chlorophyll, which is a special chemical
that helps leaves produce food, and colors the plants green. When the chlorophyll is gone, other colors that have always been there, but had been covered by chlorophyll now become visible. And we see bright yellow, red,
and gold.
Soon the leaves fall. By the end of autumn, most deciduous trees are bare.
Now the trees are dormant, or in sort of a deep sleep for the winter.
Birds that migrate also react to the shortening hours of daylight. The change
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in daylight triggers their mysterious urge, or instinct, to fly towards the
equator. Many migrants fly only far enough to find food and tolerable
weather. But in others, the urge to migrate takes them thousands of miles
beyond the equator. There, during their former home’s winter, these longdistance migrants get to enjoy another summer.
Even some mammals, such as caribou, migrate in autumn. As with birds,
shortening daylight hours help warn them about the season’s change. Caribou may cross hundreds of miles of tundra to reach milder wintering
grounds.
Other mammals prepare for winter in other ways. During early fall, bears,
groundhogs, and other hibernators become super hungry. They put on lots
of extra fat, which is a way of storing energy. Shortly before going into
hibernation, they become sluggish and sleepy. During winter’s long sleep,
they use their fat as their source of energy for life.
The gray squirrel buries acorns and other nuts. They may bury hundreds of
them during the seasons. So probably, when hungry in winter, the squirrel
has to use its nose, rather then its memory, to find the carefully hidden
treasures.
The chipmunk hides food for winter in another way. The little ground squirrel carries acorns in cheek pouches into an underground chamber. Here
the chipmunk will spend the cold months, mostly asleep. But, once it a
while, it will awake to eat a mid-winter snack.
People also store food in fall – in a way, like chipmunks. We harvest corn,
wheat, potatoes, and other crops. Most of the harvest is put into large storage silos. The stored food is taken from the silos as needed. Farmers grow
enough food in summer to last until the new crop is harvested next year.
Fall has long been the traditional season of harvest. Many places in the
world have feasts and festivals in fal, giving thanks for the bounty of food
that will be of great importance in the months ahead.
But autumn is not always full of bounty. In warm coastal areas, late summer and early autumn can bring huge storms called “hurricanes.” Every
year, hurricanes destroy a great deal of property. However, hurricanes do
have a role to play in the natural world. Among other things, they help
distribute heat and moisture that builds up in the oceans near the equator
during the summer.
No other kind of storm can match a hurricane for size and strength. Still,
the blizzards that strike northern lands after autumn’s golden days have
their own special fierceness.
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Fortunately, autumn gives plants, animals, and people plenty of signals
that it is time to get ready. Ripened crops, colorful leaves, and colder days
and nights tell us to enjoy a season of beauty and abundance while we can.
Whether we like it or not, the earth’s trip around the sun is carrying us into
winter.
Around December 22nd, the winter solstice occurs. On this day, the northern hemisphere has its shortest span of daylight hours for the year. Winter
now begins and autumn is officially over.
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1
Name
Pre-Test
Directions: Circle the correct response to each question.
True False
1. Many species of birds begin to migrate during the season of
autumn.
True False
2. If it is autumn in the northern hemisphere, it is summer in the
southern hemisphere.
True False
3. Autumn does not officially begin until the leaves on trees change
color.
True False
4. Areas near the poles of the earth experience very little change
in daylight throughout the season of autumn.
True False
5. The equator is located at 0o latitude
True False
6. If a plant is dormant, that means it is not growing.
True False
7. During autumn, some animals prepare to hibernate by eating
more food.
True False
8. Farmers plant their crops in autumn.
True False
9. Hurricanes commonly develop in the beginning of autumn.
True False
10. During autumn, the amount of daylight decreases.
“Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn”
©2000 Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
2
Name
Video Quiz
Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct work from the list at the top of
the page. Not all words will be used.
solstice
equinox
influx
spring
summer
winter
equator
chlorine
hibernating
longer
shorter
zero
deciduous
conifer
dormant
chlorophyll
axis
instinct
latitude
longitude
23-1/2
1) During autumn, day grow colder and nights _____________.
2) If it is autumn in the northern hemisphere, in the southern hemisphere it is
_____________.
3) _____________ is a measure of distance north or south of the equator.
4) The equator is at _____________ degrees latitude.
5) Once every 24 hours the earth rotates on its _____________.
6) Everywhere on earth has 12 hours of daylight and darkness on a special day we call an
_____________.
7) _____________ trees have leaves that fall in autumn.
8) _____________ is a green chemical that helps leaves produce food.
9) After autumn deciduous trees in sort of a deep sleep for winter are called
_____________.
10. Shortening hours of daylight trigger in birds the mysterious urge - or _____________
- to migrate
“Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn”
©2000 Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
3
Name
Discussion Questions
Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. What are some of the changes that occur during autumn?
2. When does autumn officially begin in the northern hemisphere? Does autumn occur
at the same time in the southern hemisphere? Explain your answer.
3. Why do daylight hours continue to grow shorter during autumn?
4. What happens to changes in daylight during autumn as you move farther from the
equator?
5. What happens during the autumnal equinox?
6. As less heat and light become available to plants during the season of autumn, what
happens to the leaves of green plants?
7. What are some of the ways that animals react to the shorter hours of daylight?
8. How do people prepare for winter during the autumn months?
9. What types of storms form in late summer/early autumn? What important role do
these storms play in nature?
10. When does autumn officially end? Why?
“Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn”
©2000 Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
4
Name
Vocabulary Exercise
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct term. You may choose from
the list of terms at the top of this worksheet.
degrees
chlorophyll
deciduous
solstice
equinox
hibernation
latitude
migration
dormant
hurricane
silo
equator
influx
spring
summer
winter
equator
chlorine
hibernating
conifer
barn
axis
instinct
longitude
tornado
1. Farmers store the grain that they harvest in a _______________.
2. The _______________ of a region is a factor in determining how much daylight
changes during autumn.
3. As daylight hours shorten, birds take this as a sign to begin _______________ to a
warmer region.
4. By the end of autumn most _______________ trees are bare and
_______________.
5. In early autumn, it is common for _______________ to develop.
6. Some animals store excess fat during autumn to prepare for _______________
during the winter months.
7. The autumnal _______________ marks the beginning of autumn.
8. The winter _______________ marks the end of autumn.
9. As the amount of sunlight decreases each day, green plants stop producing
_______________ and their leaves begin to change color.
10. Latitude is measured in a unit called _______________.
11. Areas near the _______________ do not experience great changes in the amount
of daylight over the course of autumn.
“Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn”
©2000 Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
5a
Name
Post-Test
Vocabulary
Directions: Fill in the blank with the appropriate term from the list below.
solstice
equinox
influx
spring
summer
winter
equator
chlorine
hibernating
longer
shorter
zero
deciduous
conifer
dormant
chlorophyll
axis
instinct
latitude
longitude
23-1/2
1. 0o latitude marks the _______________.
2. On an _______________ the earth receives 12 hours of darkness and 12 hours of
daylight.
3. A _______________ occurs around December 22nd when autumn ends and winter
begins.
4. Regions of the earth that are close to the poles receive _______________ hours of
daylight than regions close to the equator.
True or False
Directions: Fill in the blank with true or false. If the statement is false, change
it to make the statement true. Rewrite the true statement on the lines provided.
5. _________ If it is autumn in the northern hemisphere, it is spring in the southern
hemisphere.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6. _________ Autumn begins on the autumnal solstice.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
“Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn”
©2000 Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
5b
Name
Post-Test
7. _________ Longitude is a measure of distance north or south of the equator.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8. _________ At the end of autumn in the northern hemisphere, the north pole is
pointed directly away from the sun.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
9. _________ Hurricanes are destructive storms that form in early autumn near the
poles.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Essay Section
Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
10. Why do leaves change color during the autumn season?
“Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn”
©2000 Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
5c
Name
Post-Test
11. Why does the amount of daylight decrease throughout autumn?
12. Describe three ways that people and animals prepare for winter during the months of
autumn.
“Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn”
©2000 Maslowski Wildlife Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.