Lesson Plan

• Describe Earth’s rotation direction and its 24‑hour period.
• Explain how the 23.5° axis tilt influences the Sun’s apparent path.
• Use rotation and tilt to account for the daily cycle of daylight and darkness.
• Interpret sunrise, solar noon, and sunset positions at different latitudes.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Presentation slides with Earth‑tilt diagrams
• Globe or 3‑D Earth model
• Worksheet for labeling and short questions
• Flashlight to demonstrate day‑night on the globe
• Exit‑ticket cards

Start with a quick sky‑watching poll: “Where does the Sun rise and set?” Connect this to students’ prior observations and state that they will discover why the Sun appears to move across the sky. Success criteria: students will be able to describe Earth’s rotation, axis tilt, and explain the day‑night cycle.

1. Do‑now (5') – Short quiz on sunrise/sunset observations.
2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Present rotation, axis tilt, and angular velocity with diagrams.
3. Demonstration (8') – Use globe and flashlight to model Earth’s spin and show sunrise/sunset.
4. Guided practice (12') – Worksheet activity labeling tilt, direction, and drawing Sun’s path at the equator vs higher latitude.
5. Think‑pair‑share (5') – Students explain in their own words how rotation creates day‑night.
6. Quick check (5') – Exit‑ticket question: “If Earth rotated westward, where would the Sun appear to rise?”

Recap the key points: Earth rotates eastward once every ~24 h, its 23.5° tilt shapes the Sun’s apparent path, and together they produce the regular day‑night cycle. Students hand in exit tickets to demonstrate understanding, and for homework they will research how the same rotation explains seasonal daylight variations.