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Teaching and Assessment Sheet Seasonal Changes, Earth and Space

Key Concepts Possible Assessment Activity inc. Working Scientifically Assessment (WILF, Outcome)

UKS2Earth and space Describe the movement of the

Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system

Describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth

Describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies

Use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky.

.

Research from secondary sources. Find out information from a range of sources on the planets, their year, sun-planet distance.

Why does the moon wax and wane?

Why do we get day and night?

Recall planets in the solar system (3) Recall that the Earth/moon orbits the sun once in

365 days. (4) Recall that all planets orbit the sun (4) Describe how the time of 1 orbit depends on sun-

planet distance (5)

Recall that the Moon orbits earth in 28 days (4)

Recall that the Sun, moon and earth are spheres (approximately) (3)

Recall that the Earth spins once in 24 hours (4) Describe how the Earth’s spin generates day and

night (4)

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Section 4

Key: abcdefghij – Curriculum 2014abcdefghij – Non statutory

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KS3 Space physics Recognise that gravity is a force:

weight = mass x gravitational field strength (g),

on Earth g=10 N/kg, different on other planets and

stars;

Recognise the links between the seasons and the Earth’s tilt, day length at different times of year, in different hemispheres

Describe the gravity forces between Earth and Moon, and between Earth and Sun (qualitative only)

Identify the structure of the universe: our Sun as a star,

Research from secondary sources. Find out information from a range of sources on the planets, their gravitational field strength and masses

What would life be like for us on different planets – particularly how easily would we be able to move around? Calculate how heavy we would be.

Research from secondary sources. Find out why when it is winter in England it is summer in Australia.

Research from secondary sources. How does the strength and direction of gravity change as you go from Earth to Moon? Why?

Research from secondary sources. Construct a model of the universe, indicating how stars and galaxies make up

Recall that gravity is a force(3) Recall that weight is due to gravity (3) Recall that gravity (gravitational field strength) is

different on other planets and stars (4) Recall that gravitational field strength on Earth is

10N/kg (4) Describe how weight depends on mass and

gravitational field strength (5) Describe how the gravitational field strength changes

according to the mass of the planet(5) Calculate weight using weight = mass x gravitational

field strength (6) Explain why weight is different on different planets (7)

Recall that the Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted Describe how day length and season varies in

different hemispheres at different times of the year (5)

Explain why the Earth’s movement and axis of rotation mean that day length and season varies in different hemispheres at different times of the year(7)

Recall that the strength of the force of gravity changes as one moves between Earth and Moon or Earth and Sun (4)

Describe how the strength of the force of gravity changes as one moves between Earth and Moon or Earth and Sun (5)

Recall that the sun is a star (3) Recall that galaxy are made up of stars including the

sun (4) Recall that our there are other galaxies in the universe

(4)

©NYCC Quality and Improvement Service March 2014

Key: abcdefghij – Curriculum 2014abcdefghij – Non statutory

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other stars in our galaxy, other galaxies

Recognise that the light year is a unit of astronomical distance

the universe. Include at least 3 interesting facts.

Why do we use light years to measure astronomical distances?

Describe how the universe is made of billions of galaxies each made of billions of stars, some with planets orbiting (5)

Describe the life history of stars (6) Explain the evidence for the life history of stars eg

differences in spectra (7)

Recall that the light year is a measure of distance (3) Recall that a light year is the distance light travels in a

year (365 days) (4) Explain why a light year is used as a unit of distance

(rather than km) (6)

©NYCC Quality and Improvement Service March 2014