Year 5 Science: Day and night, and the Earth turning
Part of the Year 5 Science the earth, sun and moon chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Day and night, and the Earth turning
The Earth rotates. This means it turns round on its own axis, like a spinning top. It takes about 24 hours to turn once.
The side of the Earth that faces the Sun has day. The other side is in night. As the Earth turns, places move from night into day, and back again.
The Sun seems to move across the sky, from east to west, because the Earth is turning. This movement is called the apparent movement of the Sun: it appears to move, but the Sun is not really moving across the sky.
Key ideas
- The Earth turns on its own axis, once in about 24 hours.
- The side facing the Sun has day, and the other side has night.
- The Sun seems to move across the sky because the Earth is turning.
- Shadows change length during the day, because the Sun appears to move.
Method. Read the key idea in section 8.4.
- Read the key idea. The Earth takes about 24 hours to turn once.24 hours
- Write the number. So the answer is 24 hours.24
- Write the answer. 24
Check. Day and night together make one full turn of 24 hours. ✓
Method. Read the picture.
- Read the picture. The side of the Earth facing the Sun is lit, and has day.facing the Sun
- Name the part. So the part with day is the side facing the Sun.facing the Sun
- Write the answer. the side facing the Sun
Check. The other side has night. ✓
Method. Think about the Earth.
- Think about the Earth. The Earth is turning, so the Sun seems to move across the sky.Earth is turning
- Choose the word. So the word is turning.turning
- Write the answer. turning
Check. The Sun is not really moving across the sky; the Earth is turning. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: the Sun does not go round the Earth each day. It is the Earth that turns, so the Sun only appears to move.
Try it (with your teacher). Ask your teacher to set up a torch as the Sun and a globe as the Earth, in a dark room. Mark a place on the globe with a sticker, and turn the globe slowly, anticlockwise, while the torch shines. Watch the sticker move from light to dark. Never point the torch at anyone’s eyes.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Does the Sun move, or does the Earth turn? Where does the Sun come up in the morning?” Let your child explain using the word turn.
Exercise 8D Day and night, and the Earth turning
Method. Read the key idea in section 8.4.
- Read the key idea. The Earth takes about 24 hours to turn once.24 hours
- Write the number. So the answer is 24.24
- Write the answer. 24
Check. The turn gives one day and one night. ✓
Method. Read the key idea in section 8.4.
- Read the description. The Earth rotates, which means it turns round on its own axis.rotates
- Name it. The word is rotation.rotation
- Write the answer. rotation
Check. Rotation makes day and night. ✓
Method. Read the picture in section 8.4.
- Read the picture. The side facing the Sun is lit.lit
- Name the part. So the part in day is the side facing the Sun.facing the Sun
- Write the answer. the side facing the Sun
Check. The side away from the Sun is in night. ✓
Method. Read section 8.4.
- Read the description. The Sun seems to move because the Earth is turning.Earth is turning
- Fill the gap. So the missing word is turning.turning
- Write the answer. turning
Check. The Sun is not really moving across the sky. ✓
Method. Read the watch-out box in section 8.4.
- Read the watch-out. It is the Earth that turns, so the Sun only appears to move.the Earth that turns
- Decide. So the answer is no.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. The Earth rotates, so the Sun appears to move. ✓
Method. Read section 8.4.
- Read the description. The Sun seems to move across the sky from east to west.east to west
- Name the direction. So the direction is east to west.east to west
- Write the answer. east to west
Check. The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. ✓
Method. Read the labels in the picture.
- Read the labels. The night label is on the side away from the Sun.night label
- Name the side. So the side with night is the side away from the Sun.away from the Sun
- Write the answer. the side away from the Sun
Check. The side facing the Sun is in day. ✓
Method. Read the labels in the picture.
- Read the picture. The midday shadow is the shortest of the three.shortest
- Choose the word. So the midday shadow is short.short
- Write the answer. short
Check. The Sun is highest at midday, so the shadow is shortest. ✓
| Time of day | Shadow length (cm) |
|---|---|
| 8 o’clock in the morning | 60 |
| 10 o’clock | 30 |
| 12 o’clock, midday | 12 |
| 2 o’clock | 28 |
Method. Find the shortest shadow in the table.
- Find the shortest. The shortest shadow is 12 cm, at midday.12 cm
- Name the time. So the shadow was shortest at 12 o’clock, midday.midday
- Write the answer. 12 o’clock, midday
Check. At midday the Sun is at its highest. ✓
Method. Think about a fair test.
- Think about the test. Only the time of day should change in the test.time of day
- Write one thing. The stick, the place and the ground must stay the same.stay the same
- Write the answer. Accept any one of: the same stick, the same place, the same type of ground.
Check. A fair test changes one thing only. ✓
Method. Think about the turning Earth.
- Think about the Earth. The Earth turns on its own axis.turns
- Write the reason. So each side of the Earth faces the Sun in turn, giving day and night.in turn
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says the Earth turns once in about 24 hours, so each place faces the Sun in turn.
Check. Day and night come from the turning of the Earth. ✓
Method. Think about the turning Earth.
- Think about the turning. The Earth turns, so places move into the Sun’s light.turns
- Write the reason. So the Sun appears to rise in the east, and set in the west.rise in the east
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says the Earth turns from west to east, so the Sun appears to rise in the east.
Check. The Sun appears to move across the sky as the Earth turns. ✓