Year 1 Science: How day length changes through the year
Part of the Year 1 Science seasons and weather chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
How day length changes through the year
The day length is how long the sun is up in the sky each day. Day length changes through the year. In summer, the days are longer. The sun rises early and sets late, so there is daylight for longer. In winter, the days are shorter. The sun rises later and sets earlier, so it gets dark sooner.
Key ideas
- Summer has longer days.
- Winter has shorter days.
- The longest day of the year is in June.
- The shortest day of the year is in December.
Method. Think about the season and the length of the day.
- Look at each season. Summer and winter have different day lengths.summer and winter
- Think about daylight. The season with more daylight has longer days.more daylight = longer days
- Write the answer. summer
Check. In summer, it is light in the evening for longer. ✓
Watch out. Summer is when the sun is up for longest, so the days feel longer.
Method. Think about which month is in summer and which is in winter.
- Find June on the calendar. June is in summer.June = summer
- Find December on the calendar. December is in winter.December = winter
- Compare the two days. The shortest day of the year is in winter, in December.December has the shortest day
- Write the answer. December
Check. June has the longest day, and December has the shortest. ✓
Watch out. The longest day is in June, not December.
Method. Think about when it gets dark in winter and in summer.
- Think about winter. In winter, the sun sets early, so the evening is dark soon.winter: early dark
- Think about summer. In summer, the sun sets late, so it is light for longer.summer: late dark
- Write the answer. winter
Check. In winter, it can be dark before tea time. ✓
Watch out. The sun sets later in summer, not earlier.
Watch out
Watch out: day length is not the same as hot or cold. Summer has longer days, but it can still be cool or rainy. Day length is about how long the sun is up, not about the weather.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Talk about when it gets dark. Ask: “Is it still light at bedtime in summer?” Never look straight at the Sun, even when it is low in the sky.
Try it at home
- With a grown-up, note the time it gets dark on a few evenings in a row.
- Write the time on a calendar.
- In autumn, check again. Did it get dark earlier?
- Never look straight at the Sun. Watch the sky from a safe place with a grown-up.
Exercise 9F Day length through the year
Method. Think about how long the sun is up in each season.
- Think about summer. In summer, the sun rises early and sets late.early rise, late set
- Think about winter. In winter, the sun rises later and sets earlier.late rise, early set
- Write the answer. summer
Check. Summer has more daylight, so its days are longer. ✓
Watch out. Think about the sun, not the temperature.
Method. Think about how long the sun is up in each season.
- Think about winter. In winter, the sun is up for less time.less daylight
- Think about summer. In summer, the sun is up for more time.more daylight
- Write the answer. winter
Check. Winter has less daylight, so its days are shorter. ✓
Watch out. Shorter days have less daylight.
Method. Think about the month that has the most daylight.
- Look at June. June is in summer, when the days are longest.June: summer
- Look at December. December is in winter, when the days are shortest.December: winter
- Write the answer. June
Check. The longest day of the year is in June. ✓
Watch out. The longest day is in summer, and the shortest day is in winter.
Method. Think about the month that has the least daylight.
- Look at June. June is in summer, when the days are long.June: long days
- Look at December. December is in winter, when the days are short.December: short days
- Write the answer. December
Check. The shortest day of the year is in December. ✓
Watch out. Short days are in winter, not summer.
Method. Think about the time the sun goes down.
- Think about winter. In winter, the sun goes down earlier in the afternoon.winter: earlier
- Think about summer. In summer, the sun goes down later in the evening.summer: later
- Write the answer. True
Check. Winter evenings get dark sooner than summer evenings. ✓
Watch out. Sunset is the time the sun goes down.
Method. Compare the two months.
- Think about June. June is in summer, so June has long days.June: long days
- Think about December. December is in winter, so December has the shortest days.December: short days
- Write the answer. False
Check. June has the longest day of the year. ✓
Watch out. Check which month is in summer and which is in winter.
Method. Think about how late it is light in summer.
- Think about June. June is in summer, when it is light late.June = summer
- Think about the clue. Light at 8 pm means the sun is still up in the evening.light late
- Write the answer. summer
Check. Long summer evenings are light at 8 pm. ✓
Watch out. Light in the evening means the days are long, so it is summer.
Method. Think about how early it gets dark in winter.
- Think about December. December is in winter, when it gets dark early.December = winter
- Think about the clue. Dark by 5 pm means the sun has gone down early.dark early
- Write the answer. winter
Check. Winter evenings get dark early. ✓
Watch out. Dark early in the evening is a sign of winter.
Method. Look at the two arcs and the two suns.
- Look at arc A. Arc A is long and high, so the sun is up for longer.A: long and high
- Look at arc B. Arc B is short and low, so the sun is up for less time.B: short and low
- Write the answer. A
Check. A is the arc with more daylight, so it is summer. ✓
Watch out. The higher, longer arc is the summer day.
Method. Think about when it gets dark in each season.
- Think about summer. In summer, it is light in the evening for longer.summer: later dark
- Think about winter. In winter, the days are shorter, so it gets dark earlier.winter: earlier dark
- Write the answer. No. It gets dark earlier in winter.
Check. Shorter days mean earlier dark. ✓
Watch out. Shorter days mean it gets dark earlier in the evening.
Method. Think about what shorter days mean.
- Think about shorter days. Shorter days have less daylight.less daylight
- Think about the evening. With less daylight, the sun goes down sooner, so it gets dark earlier.dark earlier
- Write the answer. It gets dark earlier in the evening.
Check. Each week in autumn, the dark comes a little earlier. ✓
Watch out. Less daylight means the dark comes sooner.
Method. Make a prediction, then plan a way to check it.
- Make a prediction. In autumn, the days are getting shorter.days getting shorter
- Plan a test. Note the time it gets dark on the same day each week.same day each week
- Write the answer. It will get dark earlier each week. We check the time each week.
Check. Write the times on a calendar to see the change. ✓
Watch out. Check on the same day each week, so you compare like with like.