Year 7 - Science
Earth's tilt
Our solar system and beyond
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores gravity as the force between masses, including weight calculation using gravitational field strength. It covers the relationship between Earth, the Moon, and the Sun, the concept of light years, and seasonal changes due to Earth's tilt.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain why it is winter in the southern hemisphere when it is summer in the northern hemisphere.
Key Notes
- In summer there are more daylight hours, compared to winter, the Sun appears higher in the sky and it is warmer.
- When it is summer in northern hemisphere countries it is winter in southern hemisphere countries.
- Earth spins on an axis that is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees.
- In June, the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, so has summer.
- In June, the southern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, so has winter.
Vocabulary To Learn
- summer: Summer is the warmest season, when the Sun is highest in the sky and there are more hours of daylight.
- winter: Winter is the coldest season, when the Sun is lowest in the sky and there are fewer hours of daylight.
- hemisphere: A hemisphere is half a sphere.
- axis: The axis of a spinning object is the imaginary line around which it spins.
- tilt: Something is tilted if it is at an angle to the horizontal or vertical.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Earth moves closer to the Sun in the summer and further away in the winter.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
In summer there are more daylight hours, compared to winter, the Sun appears higher in the sky and it is warmer. When it is summer in northern hemisphere countries it is winter in southern hemisphere countries.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'summer'
Summer is the warmest season, when the Sun is highest in the sky and there are more hours of daylight. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Earth moves closer to the Sun in the summer and further away in the winter. Correction: Remind students that Earth's orbit is nearly a perfect circle with the Sun at the centre so Earth's distance to the Sun does not significantly change over a year, and also that not everywhere on Earth has a warmer season at the same time, or at all.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 7 Science guide library.