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How fast does the Earth spin?
Spaceship Earth Unit | Lesson 1 of 5

How fast does the Earth spin?

Spaceship Earth Unit | Lesson 1 of 5
Lesson narration:
Scroll for prep

DISCUSS:

How do we know the Earth is moving, and not the Sun?

DISCUSS:

How fast is the Earth spinning? (How many miles or kilometers an hour?)

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planet


1 of 5

a large, round object in outer space that orbits a star
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axis


2 of 5

an imaginary line that goes through the North Pole and South Pole of the Earth

rotate


3 of 5

to spin or turn around a central point, like the Earth around its axis

model


4 of 5

a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with

circumference


5 of 5

the distance around a circle
Lesson narration:

Grade 5

Earth & Space Patterns

Day, Night, & Earth's Rotation

5-ESS1-2

Activity Prep

Print Prep
THIS LESSON WAS REVISED ON JULY 1, 2019. Here is a link to the previous version.
In this lesson, students come to understand that the setting Sun isn’t moving, the Earth is spinning. In the activity, Spinning Earth, students use their bodies as a kinesthetic model of the Earth to understand how the speed of the Earth’s spin affects the length of a day.
Preview activity

Exploration

15 mins

Wrap-Up

5 mins

Grade 5

Earth & Space Patterns

Day, Night, & Earth's Rotation

5-ESS1-2

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