KS2 Science

Earth, Moon and Sun

The Earth

The Earth is round, like a ball, but it is also slightly squashed. We say that its shape is roughly spherical.The Earth travels around the Sun once every year.

The EarthThe Earth also spins on its own axis. The axis is an imaginary line through the centre of the Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole. The Earth spins round once every 24 hours. This causes day and night on Earth.

The Earth

It is day on the part of the Earth that is facing the Sun.It is night on the part of the Earth that is facing away from the Sun.

The Moon

The Moon is roughly spherical, but it is a lot smaller than the Earth.The Moon travels around the Earth. It goes round once every 28 days.

The Moon

We only see the part of the Moon that is lit by the Sun. So sometimes we see the whole Moon and sometimes we only see part of the Moon.

The Sun

The Sun is a star and gives out heat and light.It is roughly spherical in shape and is much, much bigger than the Earth.

Time for a Quiz

Turn on your Qwizdom remotes

What shape are the Earth, Sun and Moon?

A) Round and flat

B) Cuboid

C) Roughly spherical

Which is largest, the Earth, Sun or Moon?

A) The Earth

B) The Sun

C) The Moon

How long does it take the Earth to travel once around the Sun?

A) 24 hours

B) 28 days

C) 12 months

How long does it take the Moon to travel once around the Earth?

A) 24 hours

B) 28 days

C) 12 months

How long does it take the Earth to turn once on its axis?

A) 24 hours

B) 12 hours

C) 6 hours

Which part of the Earth is in daylight?

A) The part facing the sun

B) The part facing away from the sun

C) The part facing the moon

True or False

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west

Why does the Moon seem to change shape?

A) Because it gets bigger and smaller

B) Because we only see the part on the Moon that is lit by the Sun

C) Because sometimes it is cloudy

Imagine you were standing underneath a tree. When would the

shadow of the tree be shortest?

A) At sunrise

B) At midday

C) At sunset

Why, in some parts of the world, are the days longer in the summer than in

the winter?

A) Because the Earth is tilted as it moves around the Sun

B) Because the Sun gets brighter in the summerC) Because the Earth spins more slowly in the

summer