Year 7 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 8
Master Worksheet
Learning Goals
Reading daylight hours in Sydney
This table shows roughly how many hours of daylight Sydney gets at different times of the year. Study it, then answer the questions below.
| Month in Sydney | Hours of daylight (about) | Season in Australia |
|---|---|---|
| December | 14.5 hours | |
| March | 12 hours | |
| June | 9.9 hours | |
| September | 12 hours |
(a) Complete the season column in the table on page 1. Then describe the pattern: in which month does Sydney get the most daylight, and in which month the least? Link this to the seasons.
(b) Draw a simple labelled diagram showing the Earth tilted on its axis, orbiting the Sun, with the Southern Hemisphere leaning toward the Sun. Label Australia, the direction of the tilt, and write which season Australia is having.
(c) Evaluate this statement: "Australia has summer in December because in December the Earth is closest to the Sun." Decide whether it is correct, then justify your answer and give the real cause of the seasons. Use the idea that the whole Earth is the same distance from the Sun on any one day.
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?