Earth’s Seasons Activity: Create a Diagram of Earth’s Orbit

Challenge students to create THEIR OWN scientific diagram and answer analysis questions related to it. Perfect to add rigor to your seasons unit – this is NOT a worksheet coloring page! This resource addresses NGSS standards MS-ESS1-1 and HS-ESS1-4, as well as the “developing and using models” aspect of the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices.

In this activity, students will:

• Follow clear, step-by-step instructions to create an accurate drawing of Earth’s orbit around the sun. Each of the four seasons is represented with the proper axis tilt.
• Answer analysis questions based on their diagram.

Supplies Needed:

• Blank paper for each student
• Colored pencils
• Protractors (we’ve included a printable paper protractor)

You may also be interested in our Seasons Activity Bundle!

Teacher Notes:

• Please Note: This is as much an exercise in FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS IN TEXT as it is about seasons, so it can be a challenge for students. Many students struggle with this skill, so we have made the steps as clear as possible!
• Includes an example of student work and an answer key.
• Please note: this resource is not editable.
• Check out more resources in the seasons section of our shop!