Why we have day and night

You can explain why we have day and night.

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Year 5

Why we have day and night

You can explain why we have day and night.

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Share activities with pupils

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Lesson details

Key learning points

The axis is an imaginary straight line which goes through the centre of the Earth from the North to the South Pole
Day and night are due to the Earth rotating on its axis
It is daytime when the Earth is facing the Sun and night time when the Earth is facing away from the Sun
The Earth takes 24 hours to rotate on its axis
Models can be used to demonstrate how the Earth's rotation causes day and night

Keywords

Earth - The Earth is a planet on which we live
Sun - The Sun is a star and the centre of our solar system
Rotate - To rotate is to turn or spin
Axis - The Earth’s axis is the imaginary line through its centre, from North pole to South pole
Model - A model is used to describe something that can’t be experienced directly

Common misconception

Pupils may think that we have night when the Earth is facing the Moon or the Sun goes behind clouds.

Provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to use models to show the Earth rotating on its axis, next to a bright torch or lamp for the Sun.

Models to help pupils understand day and night are best used in a darkened room. For the Earth, balls on sticks work better than balls on string, as they are more stable and easier to rotate at a constant speed.

Teacher tip

Equipment

See Supplementary Resources for detailed guidance.

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - equipment
Exploration of objects

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).