Students will use a model of the solar system to demonstrate rotation, revolution, kepler’s laws, Newton's laws, precession, nutation, seasons or tides.

In this informational text, elementary school readers learn about the difference between weather and climate and about components of the climate system. The text can be used to practice visualizing and other comprehension strategies. Available in K-2 and 3-5 grade bands and as an illustrated book as well as a text document, the story appears in the online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle.

Students will keep a science journal during each of the four seasons to observe and compare changes in their environment.

This experimental activity is designed to develop basic understanding of the relationship between the angle of light rays and the area over which the light rays are distributed, and the potential to affect changes in the temperature of materials. Resources needed to conduct this activity include a flashlight, cardboard, protractor and ruler. The resource includes background information, a pre-activity inquiry exploration for students, teaching tips and questions to guide student discussion. This is chapter 4 of Meteorology: An Educator's Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. The guide includes a discussion of learning science, the use of inquiry in the classroom, instructions for making simple weather instruments, and more than 20 weather investigations ranging from teacher-centered to guided and open inquiry investigations.

This article continues an examination of each of the seven essential principles of climate literacy on which the online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle is structured. Principle 2 covers the complex interactions among the components of the Earth system. The author discusses the scientific concepts underlying the interactions and expands the discussion with diagrams, photos, and online resources.

This article describes common misconceptions held by elementary students about the cause of day and night and seasons. The article provides ideas for formative assessment, teaching strategies, and the National Science Education Standards.

This article describes six collaborative and real data projects that engage elementary students in collecting and sharing local data and communicating with students across the country and world.

In this lesson, students will create an original dance based on weather characteristics of the four seasons. Students will draw different types of weather and will then act out the weather with dance and movement.

This resource is a collection of vocabulary words and definitions regarding the earth, moon and sun system.

Using a color chart, students will make observations outside during each of the four seasons. During each session, they will try to find as many colors as possible and record what they see. As a class, they will make charts describing the colors they find in each season. At the end of the school year, students will compare their results and generate conclusions about variations in colors in nature both within a season and between different seasons. The purpose of this activity is to provide the opportunity for students to make observations in nature and compare their results, to help students understand seasonal changes as they relate to colors in their environment, and to engage students in active observation and recording skills. After completing this activity, students will understand how colors in nature relate to their local environment and to seasonal changes within that environment. Students will practice observation and recording skills, make comprehensive comparisons, and will form a hypothesis based on the information they have assembled throughout the school year.

This article aligns the concepts of Essential Principle 2 of the Climate Sciences to the K-5 content standards of the National Science Education Standards. The author also identifies common misconceptions about heat and the greenhouse gases effect and offers resources for assessing students' understanding of interactions among components of the Earth system. This article continues the examination of the climate sciences and climate literacy on which the online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle is structured.

This article provides links to hands-on science activities that could be used in an festival or informal learning event. National standards correlations are provided.

This activity is designed for students to learn about the the changes in day to day weather and to pose questions about changes in daily temperature. The students will gain experience using thermometers by measuring temperature. The students will use the scientific method to ask questions, predict, observe, collect data and make conclusions. Students will observe the weather conditions and outdoor temperature twice a day, both a.m. and p.m., and record it in their science notebook on a chart. Then on a class graph, continue to record daily morning temperature each month for the students to predict and draw conclusions from how the morning temperature will change throughout the seasons.

This article highlights seven science lessons that teach elementary students about seasonal change. Suggestions for integrating literacy and science include two lessons that use informational text and cause and effect relationships.

Concepts underlying the first of the Essential Principles of the Climate Sciences are aligned with topics typically taught in the elementary grades. This article identifies lessons that will help elementary students develop an understanding of how Sun's light warms Earth and how variations in daylight hours are associated with seasonal change. This article appears in the free, online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle.

This simulation explores the sun/Earth connection. It allows variables to be manipulated such as time of year, latitude, angle, annalema, and declination, in teaching seasons.

In this activity, students will use their five senses to conduct outdoor observations of the four seasons.

Students will use a model of the solar system to demonstrate rotation, revolution, Kepler’s laws, Newton's laws, precession, nutation, seasons or tides.  They will use kapwing.com to create their own stop motion video.