Year 5 Science The Earth, Sun and Moon: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Read section 8.1.

1. Read the key idea. The Sun is at the centre of the solar system.
   centre
2. Name it. So the answer is the Sun.
   Sun
3. Write the answer.
   Sun

Check. The planets move round the Sun. ✓

Method. Count the planets from the Sun.

1. Count. Mercury is first, Venus is second, and the Earth is third.
   third
2. Name it. So the third planet is the Earth.
   Earth
3. Write the answer.
   Earth

Check. The Earth is the third planet from the Sun. ✓

Method. Read section 8.2.

1. Read the description. The Moon goes round the Earth.
   round the Earth
2. Name it. So the answer is the Earth.
   Earth
3. Write the answer.
   Earth

Check. The Moon takes about a month to go round. ✓

Method. Read section 8.2.

1. Read the key idea. The Moon reflects light from the Sun.
   reflects light
2. Decide. So the answer is no.
   no
3. Write the answer.
   no

Check. We see the Moon because the sunlight bounces off it. ✓

Method. Read section 8.3.

1. Read the key idea. The Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical.
   approximately spherical
2. Decide. So the answer is yes.
   yes
3. Write the answer.
   yes

Check. They are nearly round balls. ✓

Method. Read the key idea in section 8.4.

1. Read the key idea. The Earth takes about 24 hours to turn once.
   24 hours
2. Write the number. So the answer is 24.
   24
3. Write the answer.
   24

Check. Day and night make one full turn of 24 hours. ✓

Method. Read section 8.4.

1. Read the description. The Sun seems to move because the Earth is turning.
   turning
2. Fill the gap. So the missing word is turning.
   turning
3. Write the answer.
   turning

Check. The Sun is not really moving across the sky. ✓

Method. Read the row for the Earth.

1. Read the row. The Earth row shows 365 days.
   365
2. Write the number. So the Earth takes 365 days.
   365
3. Write the answer.
   365

Check. This is about one year. ✓

Method. Find the shortest shadow.

1. Find the shortest. The shortest shadow is 12 cm.
   12 cm
2. Name the time. So the time is 12 o’clock, midday.
   midday
3. Write the answer.
   12 o’clock, midday

Check. At midday the Sun is highest. ✓

Method. Think about the turning Earth.

1. Think about the Earth. The Earth turns on its own axis.
   turns
2. Write the reason. So each side faces the Sun in turn, giving day and night.
   in turn
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any sentence that says the Earth turns once in about 24 hours, so each side faces the Sun in turn.

Check. Day and night come from the turning of the Earth. ✓

Method. Read the order of the planets.

1. Read the order. Mercury is the first planet from the Sun.
   first
2. Name it. So the closest planet is Mercury.
   Mercury
3. Write the answer.
   Mercury

Check. Mercury is the first planet from the Sun. ✓

Method. Read section 8.1.

1. Read the definition. The planets move round the Sun along paths called orbits.
   paths called orbits
2. Name it. The word is orbit.
   orbit
3. Write the answer.
   orbit

Check. An orbit is a path round the Sun. ✓

Method. Read section 8.2.

1. Read the description. The Moon moves round the Earth.
   round the Earth
2. Name it. So the answer is the Earth.
   Earth
3. Write the answer.
   Earth

Check. The Earth is the planet the Moon orbits. ✓

Method. Read section 8.3.

1. Read the key idea. The Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical.
   approximately spherical
2. Decide. So the answer is yes.
   yes
3. Write the answer.
   yes

Check. They are nearly round balls. ✓

Method. Read section 8.4.

1. Read the key idea. The Earth takes about 24 hours to turn once.
   24 hours
2. Write the number. So the answer is 24.
   24
3. Write the answer.
   24

Check. Day and night come from one turn of 24 hours. ✓

Method. Subtract the Earth’s days from the Mars days.

1. Read the numbers. Mars takes 687 days, and the Earth takes 365 days.
   687 and 365
2. Subtract. The difference is 687 minus 365, which is 322.
   687 - 365 = 322
3. Write the answer.
   322

Check. Check: 365 + 322 = 687. ✓

Method. Subtract the shortest shadow from the longest.

1. Read the lengths. The longest is 60 cm, and the shortest is 12 cm.
   60 and 12
2. Subtract. The difference is 60 minus 12, which is 48.
   60 - 12 = 48
3. Write the answer.
   48

Check. Check: 12 + 48 = 60. ✓

Method. Think about the turning Earth.

1. Think about the Earth. The Earth turns on its own axis.
   turns
2. Write the reason. So the Sun seems to move across the sky, even though it is the Earth that moves.
   seems to move
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any sentence that says the Earth turns, so the Sun seems to move across the sky, although the Sun is not really moving.

Check. The apparent movement comes from the turning Earth. ✓

Method. Think about the Moon and the light.

1. Think about the orbit. The Moon takes about a month to go once round the Earth.
   about a month
2. Think about the light. The Moon reflects light from the Sun, so we can see it at night.
   reflects light
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any two sentences that say the Moon orbits the Earth in about a month, and it reflects light from the Sun, so we can see it at night.

Check. The Moon moves round the Earth and reflects sunlight. ✓

Method. Think about the height of the Sun.

1. Think about the Sun. At midday the Sun is at its highest in the sky.
   highest
2. Write the reason. So the shadow is shorter at midday.
   shorter
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any sentence that says the Sun is higher in the sky at midday, so the shadow is shorter.

Check. A higher Sun makes a shorter shadow. ✓