Starter quiz
- What is the Equator?
- it is the hottest place on Earth
- it divides the Earth into Northern and Southern hemispheres ✓
- it's a real line drawn around the middle of the Earth
- it marks the start of summer around the world
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- The Equator is a line ...
- of latitude ✓
- of longitude
- that runs from pole to pole
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- Imaginary lines that run from pole to pole are called ...
- 'longitude' ✓
- Which of these are true for lines of latitude?
- they run from pole to pole
- they are parallel ✓
- they describe how far north or south a place is from the Equator ✓
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- The UK is in the ______ Hemisphere.
- 'Northern' ✓
- Order the five major lines of latitude from north to south.
- 1⇔Arctic Circle
- 2⇔Tropic of Capricorn
- 3⇔Equator
- 4⇔Tropic of Cancer
- 5⇔Antarctic Circle
Exit quiz
- Lines of ______ are imaginary lines on Earth showing position east or west of the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees.
- 'longitude' ✓
- Lines of ______ are imaginary lines on Earth showing position north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.
- 'latitude' ✓
- Match the keyword to its definition.
- globe⇔a map of Earth on a sphere ✓
- axis⇔an imaginary straight line through Earth which rotates around it ✓
- rotation⇔a complete circular movement of an object around a fixed point ✓
- Earth is constantly rotating on its axis, making one full rotation every ______ hours.
- 12
- 24 ✓
- 48
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- When viewed from the North Pole, the Earth rotates ______.
- 'anticlockwise' ✓
- Which is the correct statement?
- The sun rises every day in the west and sets in the west.
- The sun rises every day in the west and sets in the east.
- The sun rises every day in the east and sets in the west. ✓
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Day and night result from Earth's rotation in relation to sun, which appears to rise in the east and set in the west.
- Lines of longitude are all the same length, and give our position in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.
- The Prime Meridian (0˚longitude) runs through London; the Antimeridian (180˚ longitude) runs through the Pacific Ocean.
Common misconception
Children may not know that light travels in straight lines, this mans they would not understand why half of the Earth is always in darkness.
Use a globe and torch in a dark room to demonstrate that only the side of the globe facing the torch will receive light. The other half remains in darkness.
Keywords
Globe - A globe is a map of Earth on a sphere.
Rotation - A rotation is a complete circular movement of an object around a fixed point or an axis.
Longitude - Lines of longitude are imaginary lines on Earth showing position east or west of the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees.
Latitude - Lines of latitude are Imaginary lines on Earth showing position north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.
Axis - An axis is an imaginary straight line through Earth which rotates around it.