Earth, Moon and Sun Show
How do the Moon and Sun influence life on Earth?
This science show explores the relative sizes and cycles of the Earth, Moon and Sun, and how they give us the day-night cycle and the seasons. Students are invited to guess and vote, as the show actively addresses many common misconceptions students have about our world.
Students will experience
- Interactive guessing and voting activities about the size, scale, distances and movements of the Earth, Moon and Sun.
- Discussion about day and night.
- What a 24 hours day in summer looks like at the south pole.
- Participatory discussion and unpacking of the tilt of the Earth, and how that affects the length of the day and angle of the sunlight.
- How the length of the day and angle of the sunlight varies throughout the year in Melbourne.
Students will learn
- About the relative sizes and distances of the Earth, moon and sun.
- About the orbits of the Moon and the Earth, and the rotation of the Earth on its axis.
- That daytime and nighttime are caused by sunlight and the rotation of the Earth, and that the length of daytime varies across different places on Earth.
- That the seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth changing the length of the day and night, and the angle of the sunlight.
Related links
Availability
Terms 1–4, Monday to Friday
Duration: 30 minutes
Student information
Years 5 to 6
Minimum 15 students
Maximum 100 students
Bookings
Science show
Presented by a museum educator
Victorian Curriculum Links
Science: Levels 5 and 6
Earth and space sciences
- the force of gravity keeps Earth and other planets in the solar system in orbit around the Sun; cyclic observable phenomena, including variable day and night length, can be related to Earth’s tilt, rotation on its axis and revolution around the Sun (VC2S6U07)
Accessibility
Please view our accessibility page for general information. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how we can support your visit.
Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund
The Museums Victoria Learning Access Fund aims to enhance access to our museums (Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and Immigration Museum), programs and events by offering free or subsidised education programs for eligible schools. Find out more about the fund.
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