Good Science Victorian Curriculum Year 7

CHAPTER 6: EARTH, THE SUN AND THE MOON
Figure 6.2 Viewed from the north
pole, Earth rotates around its axis in
an anticlockwise direction. The side
of Earth facing the Sun is in daylight.
North pole
INVESTIGATION 6.1
Modelling day and night
KEY SKILL
Writing a research
question
Go to page 164
Sun
Day
Night
CHECKPOINT 6.1
3
The Moon revolves around Earth
Moons are small bodies that orbit planets. Some planets have more
than one moon.
Earth’s Moon takes about 28 days to orbit Earth. It also takes 28 days
to make one full rotation on its axis. This is why the same side of the
Moon is always facing Earth.
Whenever the Moon passes over the side of Earth that is in daylight,
it can be seen at the same time as the Sun. When the
Moon is on the daylight side of Earth, the night side
of Earth has night-time with no visible Moon.
How long does the Moon take
to orbit Earth?
Figure 6.3 The same side of the
Moon always faces Earth.
Direction of spin
Axis South pole
1 Explain each of the following
terms in relation to the
movement of Earth around
the Sun.
a Day-time
b Night-time
c A day
d A year
2 Copy and complete these
sentences.
a The Sun is a .
b Earth rotates in a/an
direction.
c Earth revolves around the
and the revolves
around Earth.
3 Demonstrate how it’s possible
to see the Moon during the day.
You can use objects around
you, draw a diagram or any
other method of your choice.
4 Investigate why we can’t see
most stars during the day.
5 Explain the difference between
the words revolve and rotate
by writing two sentences.
6 Until astronauts landed on
it, people on Earth had never
seen the other side of the
moon. Explain why.
RESEARCH
7 Research the length of a day
for the other planets in our
solar system: Mercury, Venus,
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus
and Neptune.
SUCCESS CRITERIA
I can explain what causes
day and night.
I can use a simple model
or diagram to show what
causes day and night.
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