Year 7 Science Project

Movements of the Earth, Sun and Moon

Day & Night on Earth

Seasons of the Earth

Modelling the relative movement of

the Earth and the Moon

• Material needed : 1. Torch (‘Sun’) 2. Soccer ball (‘Moon”) 3. Aluminium foil

• We are going to create the phases of the Moon.Kelvin will stand in the middle of the room to represent Earth.

• Henry will stand a few steps in front of Kelvin with the basketball Moon held high.

• Shahin will stand a few steps behind the Moon ( Henry ) and shines the flashlight Sun ( Shahin ) on the ball all the time.

• As the Moon friend ( Henry ) circles around Earth ( Kelvin ), you’ll see how the Moon’s phases occur.

Different phases of

the Moon

Modelling an eclipse

• Materials needed: 1. torch (“Sun”)2. polystyrene ball (“Earth”)3. “ping pong” ball (“Moon”)

• Method: 1. Stand the “Earth” and the “Moon” on a table with the Moon about 20cm in front of the Earth.

2. Shine the torch (“Sun”) directly at the Moon and Earth from about 60cm away.

3. Look carefully at the “Earth”. We should see a shadow that is dark in the centre (umbra) and a lighter shadow on the outside (penumbra).

What you see during a total and

partial eclipse of the sun

total eclipse of the Sun

as view from A

partial eclipse of the Sun

as view from B

Lunar eclipse

• When the Full Moon passes through the umbra part of Earth’s shadow, the Moon goes dark for an hour or more.

• Sunlight filtering through our atmosphere turns the eclipsed Moon deep red.

• Eclipses do not occur every month because the Moon’s orbit is slightly inclined at a small angle (5˚) to the Earth’s orbit.

Modelling the Earth’s tides

• Material needed : 1. Plastic basin/bowl2. Water 3. Plastic/Styrofoam ball to represent the “Earth”.

• Method : 1. Fill the plastic basin half full with water. Place the ball gently in the water so that it floats in the middle of the basin.

2. Place both hands on top of the ball, and push it down into thewater gently but firmly. Look what happens to the level of the water. It rises in a ‘high tide’.

3. Let the ball gently rise again. Now you can see the water in the basin dropping again. So the tide has risen and fallen, even though the amount of water is unchanged.

How tides occur