- the Sun on the Earth including seasons and gravitational attraction
- the Moon on the Earth, including phases, tides, and eclipses, and the relative position of each body.
-
Item Type(s):
This benchmark may be assessed using:
MC
item(s)
- Clarification :
Students will explain the effect of astronomical bodies on each other including the Sun’s and/or the Moon’s effects on Earth. - Content Limits :
Items addressing eclipses should be assessed at the conceptual level and will not assess specific vocabulary associated with eclipses, such as umbra and penumbra. - Stimulus Attributes :
None specified - Response Attributes :
Options may be in the form of labeled illustrations. - Prior Knowledge :
Items may require the student to apply science knowledge described in the NGSSS from lower grades. This benchmark requires prerequisite knowledge from SC.4.E.5.1, SC.4.E.5.2, SC.4.E.5.3, and SC.4.E.5.4.
- Test Item #: Sample Item 1
- Question: The water level at the beach changes during the day. What causes the different water levels?
- Difficulty: N/A
- Type: MC: Multiple Choice
Related Courses
Related Access Points
Related Resources
Lesson Plans
Original Student Tutorials
Perspectives Video: Teaching Idea
Presentation/Slideshow
Teaching Idea
Text Resources
Tutorials
Video/Audio/Animations
Virtual Manipulative
Original Student Tutorials Science - Grades K-8
Explore and contrast solar and lunar eclipses in this interactive tutorial. By the end, you'll learn how interactions between the Sun, Earth, and moon cause these cool phenomena.
Explore the causes of tides as they occur along the coasts around the world in this interactive tutorial.
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorials
Explore the causes of tides as they occur along the coasts around the world in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore and contrast solar and lunar eclipses in this interactive tutorial. By the end, you'll learn how interactions between the Sun, Earth, and moon cause these cool phenomena.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Tutorials
This tutorial discusses how the Earth's tilt causes the different seasons. The tutorial supports student learning with visual representations of how the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the Sun influences the seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Type: Tutorial
Spring, summer, fall and winter. Many places on the Earth have seasons. Others do not. What causes the seasons? This tutorial discusses seasonal changes and describes that they are caused by the movement of the Earth around the sun, the tilt of the Earth, and how high the sun will get in the sky.
Type: Tutorial
Video/Audio/Animations
Every now and then, the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that, when viewed from parts of the Earth, the Moon eclipses the Sun's light. Solar eclipses are fairly common -- the Moon will block out some portion of the Sun at least twice a year. However, it is still a special event to be able to witness a total solar eclipse. In this video segment adapted from NASA, learn how solar eclipses happen and why they are so difficult to witness.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
In July 1991, the alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth produced a rare opportunity — a total solar eclipse with a particularly long duration and a path that crossed easily accessible locations, including a major astronomical observatory in Hawaii. In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about the mechanics of solar eclipses and observe the rare 1991 eclipse from the top of Mauna Kea.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
Virtual Manipulative
- Observe the orbit of the earth around the sun and its relationship to seasons
- Understand the factors affecting Earth's climate
- Observe the effect of Earth's tilt on the seasons
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Parent Resources
Video/Audio/Animation
Every now and then, the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that, when viewed from parts of the Earth, the Moon eclipses the Sun's light. Solar eclipses are fairly common -- the Moon will block out some portion of the Sun at least twice a year. However, it is still a special event to be able to witness a total solar eclipse. In this video segment adapted from NASA, learn how solar eclipses happen and why they are so difficult to witness.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
Virtual Manipulative
- Observe the orbit of the earth around the sun and its relationship to seasons
- Understand the factors affecting Earth's climate
- Observe the effect of Earth's tilt on the seasons
Type: Virtual Manipulative