Understanding Seasons
A Grade 5 social studies worksheet exploring the causes and characteristics of Earth's seasons.
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Understanding Seasons
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Use complete sentences for short answer questions.
1. What is the primary reason Earth experiences different seasons?
The Earth's distance from the Sun changes throughout the year.
The Earth's tilt on its axis as it orbits the Sun.
The Moon's phases affect Earth's temperature.
Variations in the Sun's brightness.
2. During which season are the days longest in the Northern Hemisphere?
Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn
3. The Earth's axis is tilted at approximately degrees.
4. When the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing summer, the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing .
5. The two days of the year when day and night are almost equal in length are called the .
6. The Earth is closer to the Sun in summer than in winter.
True
False
7. The tilt of the Earth's axis causes some parts of the Earth to receive more direct sunlight at different times of the year.
True
False
8. Look at the diagram above. Explain in your own words how the Earth's tilt causes seasons.
Match each term on the left with its definition on the right.
9. Solstice
a. The imaginary line that passes through Earth's North and South Poles.
10. Equinox
b. When the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, resulting in the longest or shortest day of the year.
11. Axis
c. When the sun crosses the celestial equator, and day and night are of approximately equal length.