Sun, Earth, and

Moon
Presented by
Dr. Marjorie Anne Wallace
Elementary Science Resource Teacher
 I bet you know the answers!
• What causes day & night?
• Which one is bigger the earth or the moon?
• Where does the moon get its light from?
• What percent of the earth is always lit by the sun?
• How many stars are in our solar system?
• How many days does it take for the Earth to revolve
around the sun?
• How many low and high tides on Earth every 24 hours?
 The Earth:
• -is the third planet from the Sun
• -is an oblated sphere,
• -rotates on its imaginary
axis counterclockwise every
24 hours or 1 day,
• -appears blue in space
because it is 70% water,
-revolves around the sun every
365 days or 1 year.
 We breathe:
80
• 78% nitrogen
60
• 21% oxygen
40
nitrogen
• 1% argon, neon,
20
oxygen carbon dioxide,
0 trace neon, & krypton
per
cen
nitrogen 78
oxygen 21
trace 1
 Which one is the smallest?
Which one is the largest?
• Can you put these in
size order?
• Place the following in
order from largest to
smallest.

• Moon
• Sun
• Earth
Answer: Sun, Earth, then moon
• The sun is the largest
• Next in size is the Earth.
• The moon is smaller than the Earth
2000 SOL #4.7
• Which of these
is the biggest?
• F The moon
• G The Earth
• H The sun
• J Jupiter
 Answer: H The sun
is the largest!
Our sun is the only star in our solar
system. The sun is also the largest
heavenly body in our solar system.
Earth Patterns,Cycles, and
Change - SOL 3.7, 4.7
• The sun heats the Earth
unevenly, making the poles cold
and the tropics hot, because-
• A the tropics face more directly
toward the sun
• B the poles are covered with ice
which causes cold air
• C seasons change
• D weather changes
 2001 SOL 3.7 & 4.7

• The moon revolves around -

• F itself
• G the Earth
• H the sun
• J the solar system
• The moon revolves or
orbits the Earth once
every 29 days.

• We all ways see the

same side of the moon
because the moon
rotates and revolves at
about the same speed.
Earth Science Question: rotation
• What is rotation? (define)

• The rotation of the Earth on its axis causes-

• A days
• B months
• C seasons
• D years
Rotation causes day & night.
• Rotation is the turning
or spinning of the
Earth in one place on
its imaginary axis.
• Rotation of the earth
on its axis causes day
& night. (answer A).
Earth Science Question:
• Which of these shows
the location of a polar
ice cap?
• Which of these shows
the location of the
equator?
Polar ice caps= A

Equator= C
Which of these is caused by the
turning of the Earth?
• F Summer and winter
• G Stars
• H Day and night
• J Moon phases
The turning of the Earth causes

•Day &
Night
When the moon is seen from the
Earth as a whole circle, it is
called a-

• A Crescent moon
• B Full moon
• C Half moon
• D New moon
When the moon is seen from the
Earth as a whole circle, it is
called a
FULL MOON.
 Which of these is the next phase
of the moon?
• New Moon --- Waxing Crescent --- ?

• F Full Moon
• G Waning Crescent
• H First Quarter
• J Waxing Gibbous
The next major phase of the
moon would be…
• First quarter.

• Just think about it…the

• New moon (can only get bigger.
Or = Waxing)..
• Then comes Waxing crescent
…next is
• First quarter…then
• Waxing Gibbous and then a
• Full Moon.
 The revolution of the Earth
around the Sun takes-

• A a day & night or 12 hours

• B a week or 7 days
• C a month or 29-31 days
• D a year or 365 days
The revolution of the Earth
around the sun
• Takes 365 days
• or one year.

• NOTE:
• Due to the tilt of the
Earth’s axis during
revolution, the Earth
experiences seasons.