Unit Checkpoint: Earth, Sun & Moon

Unit Review

You have learned so much about Earth, the Sun, and the Moon! Let us review the big ideas before you show what you know.

Big Idea 1: Day and Night

The Earth spins once every 24 hours
When our side of Earth faces the sun, it is daytime
When our side of Earth turns away from the sun, it is nighttime
The sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west

Big Idea 2: Seasons and Sunlight

The Earth travels around the sun once every year
Different seasons have different amounts of sunlight
Summer has more hours of daylight; winter has fewer hours
More sunlight means warmer weather

Big Idea 3: Shadows

A shadow forms when an object blocks light
Shadows are longest when the sun is low (morning and afternoon)
Shadows are shortest when the sun is high (noon)
Shadows change direction as the sun moves across the sky

Big Idea 4: Scientific Skills

Scientists collect data by observing and measuring
Data can be recorded in tables, tally charts, and graphs
Scientists use CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) to explain findings

Sample Questions with Answers

Sample Question 1: Why does it get dark at night?

Model Answer: It gets dark at night because the Earth spins. When our part of Earth turns away from the sun, we cannot see the sun's light, so it is dark.

Sample Question 2: Look at this data. At 9 AM, a shadow was 6 hands long. At noon, it was 2 hands long. At 3 PM, it was 5 hands long. When was the sun highest in the sky?

Model Answer: The sun was highest in the sky at noon because that is when the shadow was shortest (2 hands). When the sun is high, shadows are short.

Sample Question 3: Write a CER to explain why summer is warmer than winter.

Model Answer:

Claim: Summer is warmer than winter because we get more hours of sunlight.

Evidence: In summer, the sun is up until 8 or 9 PM. In winter, it gets dark around 5 PM.

Reasoning: The sun warms the Earth. More hours of sun means more time for warming, so summer is hot and winter is cold.

Checkpoint Questions

Answer all 12 questions to check your understanding of this unit.

1. What causes day and night on Earth?

2. In which direction does the sun appear to rise?

3. When is your shadow the shortest - morning, noon, or afternoon?

4. What is a shadow?

5. Which season has the most hours of daylight?

6. A student measured shadows at different times. At 8 AM the shadow was 10 hands long. At 12 PM it was 3 hands long. Why did the shadow get shorter?

7. What are two ways scientists record data?

8. What does CER stand for?

9. Look at this bar graph showing hours of daylight. If the summer bar is the tallest and the winter bar is the shortest, what does this tell you?

10. If it is 12 noon and you are outside, where is the sun in the sky?

11. Write a CLAIM and EVIDENCE about shadows. Use information from your shadow investigation or from this unit.

12. Explain in your own words: Why do we have different seasons?

Self-Assessment Checklist

Before finishing this unit, make sure you can do all of these things:

I can...

[ ] Explain why we have day and night
[ ] Describe how shadows change during the day
[ ] Tell which season has the most daylight
[ ] Record observations in a table or tally chart
[ ] Read a simple bar graph
[ ] Write a CER with Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning
[ ] Use scientific vocabulary (shadow, data, evidence, claim)

What to Do Next

If you checked all the boxes, great job! You are ready for the next unit.
If you missed some, go back and review those lessons.
Ask for help with any concepts that are still confusing.

Congratulations!

You have completed the Earth, Sun & Moon Basics unit! Here is what you learned:

How Earth's spinning creates day and night
Why shadows change throughout the day
How seasons are connected to sunlight
How to collect data and make graphs
How to write like a scientist using CER

Keep observing the world around you. Notice shadows, sunrises, sunsets, and the moon. You are now a scientist!