Model the Seasons

Directions: In groups of three collect a foam ball, 2 push pins, and a flashlight.

Choose who will hold the foam ball that represents the earth and who will hold the flashlight that
represents the sun.

The third person should place a push pin on the same side of the Earth in each hemisphere. The push pins
will represent people.

The sun should stay stationary and pointed at the Earth. The Earth should move around the sun in an
elliptical orbit and tilted on its axis (to keep earth always tilted on its axis have the top dowel always
pointing toward a fixed point in the room).

Activities:

1. Draw a picture below showing your model. Include the path that the Earth moves around the
flashlight sun, the placement of the push pin “people”, and mark the 4 locations you chose to
discuss in the table for question 2.

2. As the Earth orbits the sun, consider these questions for at least 4 locations along its orbit.
Question Location A Location B Location C Location D

Is the sun direct or

indirect for the
person at the top and
the person at the
bottom of the Earth?

Do you think it is
warmer for the
person at the top or
the person at the
bottom of the Earth?

Why do you think

so?

Which season is
each person
experiencing? How
do you know?