Table of Contents
Characterized by distinct climate conditions, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience four seasons – spring, summer, autumn/fall, and winter. This cycle regularly repeats every year, and seasons have a great deal of influence on vegetation and animals. While the four seasons occur in mid-latitude regions, places near the equator only have two seasons – wet and dry.
In ancient cultures, seasons were associated with light and darkness, thus bringing us festivals to celebrate.
See the fact file below for more information on Seasons Curriculum or alternatively, you can download our 16-page Seasons Curriculum worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Short video explainer
- Before we start, watch a short and simple video explainer about seasons found on the PDF download.
How to deliver
- The seasons of the Earth topic is so much fun to learn. Our learners can be little astronomers, forecasters, travelers, farmers, and fashion icons. How can this be? Learning about seasons answers how the Earth’s axial tilt caused the different climate conditions at other times of the year and in parts of the globe. Moreover, seasons also affect weather patterns. We also plan our calendar of activities and clothes to wear based on the seasons.
- First, let’s find out how we can be novice astronomers! In contrast to popular belief, seasons are not due to the Earth’s proximity to the Sun, and some believe that winter happens when the Earth is farthest to the Sun, during summer when closest.
- Some of the most effective ways to discuss the science behind spring, summer, autumn, and winter are through illustrations, videos, and models (globe and sun). While we show our learners how the Earth rotates on its own and revolves around the sun, it is crucial to note the planet’s axial tilt. Yes! It’s all in the Earth’s tilt. To make it simple, provide them with critical points like this:
- Earth spins once on its axis every 23 hours and 56 minutes (that’s a day)
- Earth is tilted at an angle of about 23.5 degrees
- Because of the tilt, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres had an opposite temperature
- Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the sun
- We can support the discussion with a definition of technical terms. Providing a vocabulary activity ahead of time helps the teachers and learners establish common grounds. Ask them to look for the terms such as solstice, equinox, perihelion, and aphelion.
- It is also a great venue to develop our learners’ analytic skills. Again, using a visual representation, we can ask the questions, “If the North Pole is pointed towards the sun, what is the season in the Southern Hemisphere?” Or “How significant is the impact of the Earth’s axial tilt on countries near the Tropic of Cancer?”
- The Northern Hemisphere experiences summer when the North Pole points towards the sun, as seen in the illustration. Meanwhile, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. After six months, when the South Pole points towards the sun, the season is in reverse.
- Moreover, countries near the equator have only two seasons: monsoon or wet and dry seasons.
- It is crucial to inform our students about the difference between seasons and the weather. While a season is caused by our planet’s revolution around the sun, the weather is caused by the changes in atmospheric pressure, the earth’s rotation, and a region’s topography. To compare the two, we can present a table.
- They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Our learners may infer the differences between the four seasons through pictures.
- For this part, our learners can describe what they notice in the pictures. How are they different? Moreover, we can also ask about their activities during these seasons or which is their favorite season of the year.
- We can devise a calendar of activities based on the seasons. For example, in the USA (2022), spring starts on March 20, summer on June 21, fall or autumn on September 23, and winter on December 21. What are your plans this year?
- Using this learning material, we do not only assess their knowledge about the seasons, but also their personal experiences and how these help with their learning.
- However, climatic zones may vary for large countries like the US, affecting plants and animals. In deepening the discussion, you may present a map.
- In addition to this, we can engage our learners in practical lessons by encouraging them to grow their gardens. For example, the freezing temperature in Zone 3 limited their planting season, and they can only plant beans between June and August. Meanwhile, those in Zone 8, with a hot climatic zone, can plant beans from March to October. Almost all year round!
- Like the impact of the changing seasons on plants, animals are also affected by this phenomenon. Sometimes animal adaptations such as camouflage are triggered by the weather and the season. During spring and summer, the food supply is abundant. By autumn or fall, many animals prepare and gather food for the coming of winter. In addition to collecting food, some hibernate or migrate. For example, bears are awake in spring, eat a lot in summer and fall, and hibernate in winter. Remember our vocabulary activity? You can also use it to discuss adaptation, hibernation, camouflage, and migration. Another example is geese which lay eggs in springs, eat in summer, migrate in fall, and secure a warm place during winter.
- Our learners can be little zoologists while studying seasons. You may group them and provide charts with animal adaptations for every season. They can also make a collage of pictures more visual and entertaining.
- Aside from being botanists and zoologists, we can also be fashion icons. So open the cabinets and dress for the season! Seasons do not only dictate our trips in a year, but it also affects what we wear. Do you ever wonder why your mom always gifted you warm sweatshirts for Christmas or cool t-shirts during spring break? Aside from tons of season sales, we wear what is comfortable. During springtime, we wear breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. The hottest season, summer, is also the time to put loose-fitting clothes with lighter colors ready to hit the beaches. Aside from falling leaves, autumn or fall is the transition season between summer and winter. A perfect time to have soft and thicker fabrics, usually with an added layer of a coat or sweater. With winter’s long nights and cold temperatures, jackets, sweaters, scarves, gloves, and coats are usually worn.
- You may facilitate a game like Dress Me to make it more fun! Young learners can mix and match clothes for a mannequin depending on the symbols (flip flops, sprouts, pumpkins, or snowflakes) you presented. This activity is also applicable with tiny paper dolls and sketch pads.
- Seasons are not only changing in temperature or weather patterns. It is a significant astrological sign in many ancient cultures. Many cultures celebrate the coming of spring for varied reasons and ways. In Thailand, Songkran Festival takes place after the spring equinox. This water splashing festival marks the start of the Buddhist New Year for the Thai people. One of the most colorful festivals in the world is Holi. For the Hindus, powdered colors signify the many hues of spring. Spring symbolizes new beginnings, life, and rebirth in many cultures, such as the Anglo-Saxons and Christians. That’s the very same reason we celebrate Easter.
- Similar to spring, winter had a great holiday vibe. Aside from Christmas, winter festivals are most awaited. One of Europe’s largest winter festivals is Up Helly Aa, or the Shetland Viking Festival, and it features Scandinavian-descended Scots’ Yule tradition of lighting torches. Other winter celebrations include the Sapporo Snow Festival and Reykjavik Winter Lights Festivals.
- For the Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs, Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, marks the triumph of light over darkness. One of the biggest holidays in India, Diwali, usually falls every fall or autumn (October or November). Like India, many agricultural societies celebrate the harvest season. In Indonesia, offering to Dewi Sri, a fertility goddess, is expected during the Rice Harvest Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival or the Moon Festival in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam is the time of the year to give thanks for the bountiful harvest. Jewish culture celebrates harvest through Sukkot every 15th day of Tishri. Of course, Thanksgiving celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, is one of the most popular and busiest holidays in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in the US and Canada.
- It is also important not to forget about the seasons for regions at the Tropic of Cancer. Deepen the learners’ knowledge of geography by analyzing the difference between having four seasons versus two seasons. Countries in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience four seasons, while places near the equator have two seasons: a wet and a dry season.
- For countries with only two seasons, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, Philippines, India, Northern Australia, and Brazil, and many parts of Africa, each season lasts for 5 to 6 months.
Learning outcomes
- The changing seasons are caused by the Earth’s axial tilt and rotation and its relation to the sun. Today, we can define this as a scientific phenomenon. During the time of our ancestors, the changing of seasons had been widely observed and recorded by various complex societies. Ancient observations mainly were associated with spirits and, later on, deities. Nevertheless, they have adopted a planting, harvesting, hunting, and gathering cycle. Their early knowledge served as the foundations of our techniques today. They also get ready for frigid winter by storing food and wearing thick clothing.
- Our ancestors’ spiritual explanations of the seasons brought us festivals to celebrate and feasts to share.
- Changing seasons also have a significant impact on plants and animals. Like how we can understand season-based cultural traditions, learning about seasons also made us more aware of animal cycles.
- Knowing about the seasons can make us more of a planner, and we can better plan our activities for every season of the year.
Seasons Curriculum Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Seasons Curriculum across 16 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Seasons which cycle regularly repeats every year, having a great deal of influence on vegetation and animals.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Teaching Seasons
- Short video explainer
- What to consider
- How to deliver?
- Learning outcomes
- Lesson Plan Template
- Suggested Worksheets
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Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.