The Sun, Earth and Moon
The Sun as a star, day and night, shadows through the day, and the Moon’s light. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.
Know it already? Jump straight to the quiz
Day and night
The Earth spins around an imaginary line, its axis. The side facing the Sun has day; the side facing away has night. South Africa lies in the southern hemisphere.
Our star, the Sun
| Fact | About |
|---|---|
| Distance from the Earth | 150 million km |
| Time light takes to reach us | 8 minutes |
| Temperature at the surface | 5 500 °C (the core is the hottest) |
| Made of | Hydrogen and helium (hot gases) |
| Size | More than a million Earths fit inside |
- We see visible light; we feel infrared as warmth; ultraviolet (UV) causes sunburn. Wear a hat and sunscreen.
- A rainbow shows that sunlight is made of many colours.
The Moon
- The Moon moves around the Earth: it is a natural satellite.
- We always see the same side of the Moon, because it turns once while it goes around us.
- On the Moon you cannot breathe: there is no air.
- A group of stars that forms a pattern is a constellation.
Remember this and test yourself
- The Sun is a star; it looks bigger than other stars because it is much closer.
- The Earth turns once on its axis every 24 hours: this gives day and night.
- The Earth travels in an orbit around the Sun: once round takes about 365¼ days, which is one year. The extra quarter day is why every fourth year (a leap year) has 366 days.
- The Moon makes no light of its own: it reflects the Sun’s light.
- The Sun seems to move from east to west; at midday your shadow is the shortest.
Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.
Spin = one day (on its axis). Orbit = one year (around the Sun).
Important words
First say what the word means, then turn the card over.
Match column A to column B
Tap a word in column A, then its meaning in column B. You can also start in column B.
True or false?
Read the question and the answer. Is the answer right? Tap True or False.
Now the real quiz!
The quiz has many more questions on this topic. Every question shows straight away whether you are right and explains why.
Take the quiz: The Sun, Earth and Moon- Read one part together and ask your child to tell it back in their own words.
- The ticks (“I know this”) are saved on this device only. We never ask for names or emails.
Follows CAPS for Grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology. Always check your teacher’s notes and textbook too.