Year 6 - Geography
Day and night
Time zones: can we time travel on planet Earth?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores the relationship between the Earth's rotation, day and night, and time zones. Pupils learn how longitude affects time, investigate the International Date Line, and consider what happens when we travel across the globe.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain why we have day and night and what lines of longitude are.
Key Notes
- Day and night result from Earth's rotation in relation to sun, which appears to rise in the east and set in the west.
- Lines of longitude are all the same length, and give our position in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.
- The Prime Meridian (0˚longitude) runs through London; the Antimeridian (180˚ longitude) runs through the Pacific Ocean.
Vocabulary To Learn
- globe: A globe is a map of Earth on a sphere.
- rotation: A rotation is a complete circular movement of an object around a fixed point or an axis.
- longitude: Lines of longitude are imaginary lines on Earth showing position east or west of the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees.
- latitude: Lines of latitude are Imaginary lines on Earth showing position north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.
- axis: An axis is an imaginary straight line through Earth which rotates around it.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Children may not know that light travels in straight lines, this mans they would not understand why half of the Earth is always in darkness.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
Day and night result from Earth's rotation in relation to sun, which appears to rise in the east and set in the west. Lines of longitude are all the same length, and give our position in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'globe'
A globe is a map of Earth on a sphere.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Children may not know that light travels in straight lines, this mans they would not understand why half of the Earth is always in darkness. Correction: Use a globe and torch in a dark room to demonstrate that only the side of the globe facing the torch will receive light. The other half remains in darkness.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 6 Geography guide library.