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Spinning Around The Sun

The document provides instructions for an activity to demonstrate how the Earth, Moon, and Sun rotate and orbit each other. Participants take on roles representing the Sun, Earth, and Moon and use objects like balls or scarves. The Sun stays still while the Earth actor orbits it once a year while spinning to represent the Earth's rotation. The Moon actor orbits the Earth once every 27 days. Printouts are provided to use as props or for inspiration in finding one's own.

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Chloe Eisenheart
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46 views

Spinning Around The Sun

The document provides instructions for an activity to demonstrate how the Earth, Moon, and Sun rotate and orbit each other. Participants take on roles representing the Sun, Earth, and Moon and use objects like balls or scarves. The Sun stays still while the Earth actor orbits it once a year while spinning to represent the Earth's rotation. The Moon actor orbits the Earth once every 27 days. Printouts are provided to use as props or for inspiration in finding one's own.

Uploaded by

Chloe Eisenheart
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Spinning Around the Sun

Explore how the Sun, Earth, and Moon rotate!


Warning: This activity can make you dizzy. Use caution.
Materials Needed:
2-3 participants. Objects to represent the Earth, Moon,
and Sun (balls, round fruit, colorful scarves, printed
pictures or paper circles, etc.).
Instructions:
Decide who will play the roles of Sun, Earth, and Moon, and choose objects to represent
each one. The Earth is a good choice for an adult in the group, as it has the most
complex movements. For 2-person groups, you can do two separate demonstrations:
Earth-Sun and Earth-Moon.
Step 1: The Sun. The Sun actor and object goes in the center of a
room or outdoor area and stays in one place. The Sun actor can
spin their object very slowly. On average, the sun rotates around itself
once every 27 days.
Step 2: The Earth orbits the Sun.
• The Earth actor walks with their object in a circle around the
Sun. The Earth orbits around the sun in one year, or 365.24 days (the
time between two birthdays!).
• At the same time, the actor spins the object. The Earth rotates on
its axis (invisible line through the Earth from pole to pole) once every 24
hours, giving us days and nights.
• Try spinning the object at an angle to show that Earth’s axis is
tilted. The side of the earth tilted towards the sun changes through the
year, giving us different seasons.
Step 3: The Moon. The Moon actor walks with their object slowly
around the Earth as it moves. The moon orbits the Earth every 27 days.
Perform your demonstration in front of your family or take a video for a
virtual audience. Next time you see the sun move across the sky, think
about the Earth spinning in space, under our feet!
Spinning Around the Sun Printables
Print the Sun, Earth, and Moon pictures to use as props, or use the images as
inspiration to find or make your own props.
Sun

Image from NASA-Goddard: www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/one-giant-sunspot-6-substantial-flares/


Spinning Around the Sun Printables
Earth

Image from NASA/NOAA: www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2159.html

Moon

Image from NASA:


www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/40th/
images/apollo_image_25.html

Note: Images are not to scale.

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