Original Project
Weather and Climate II: Seasonal Differences
As the earth moves around the sun over the course of a year, the orientation of earth’s axis with respect to t…
Item CL117002: At a given place, the sun is higher in the sky in the middle of the day in summer than in winter because the orientation of the earth’s axis relative to the sun is different in summer than it is in winter.
A student observes that in the middle of the day the sun is higher in the sky in summer than in winter. Which of the following statements explains her observation?
- The orientation of the earth’s axis relative to the sun is different in summer than it is in winter.
- The orientation of the earth’s axis relative to the plane of the earth’s path around the sun is different in summer than it is in winter.
- The difference is not caused by changes in the orientation of the earth’s axis. It is caused by changes in the sun’s position in the solar system.
- The difference is not caused by changes in the orientation of the earth’s axis. It is caused by the days in summer being longer than days in winter.
- Distribution of Responses
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 426 | 1099 | 39% |
| Grades | |||
| 6–8 | 227 | 634 | 36% |
| 9–12 | 197 | 461 | 43% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 201 | 498 | 40% |
| Female | 212 | 574 | 37% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 373 | 962 | 39% |
| Other | 33 | 93 | 35% |
- Disciplinary Core Ideas
- ESS1.A Patterns of the apparent motion of the sun, the moon, and stars in the sky can be observed, described, predicted, and explained with models.
- NRC Framework
- ESS1.B Earth’s spin axis is tilted relative to the plane of its orbit, and the seasons are a result of that tilt.
- MS ESS1.B Earth’s spin axis is fixed in direction over the short term but tilted relative to its orbit around the sun.