The Sun, Sunrise and Day and Night
FoundationThe sun rises in the east and sets in the west; the side of the Earth facing the sun has day, the side turned away has night, and people and animals live by this rhythm.
- The sun rises in the east and sets in the west; it helps us find directions.
- Shadows are long morning and evening, short at noon — they follow the sun.
- The side of the Earth facing the sun has day; the side away has night.
文體小知識：探究記敘跟著小科學家做觀察和小實驗：看太陽、看影子、用電筒照波子，一步步找出日夜的秘密。
§Text Passage
1Every morning the sun rises in the eastern sky and it grows light; in the evening the sun slowly sets in the west and it grows dark. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, day after day. Long ago, without clocks, people told the time and found directions by watching the sun: facing it in the morning means facing east; facing it in the evening means facing west.
2Shadows also tell us where the sun is. In the early morning the sun is low and shadows stretch long; at noon the sun is high and shadows grow short and small; in the evening they grow long again. Watch a tree's shadow on the playground three times a day — morning, noon and afternoon — and compare the lengths: you will find the shadow keeps changing.
3Why is there day and night? Try a little experiment: in a dark room, shine a torch on a marble. The side facing the torch lights up; the side turned away stays dark. The Earth is like that marble: the side facing the sun has day, and the side turned away has night. As the Earth slowly turns, day and night take turns, again and again.
4In the bright daytime, people go to school, work, play sports and shop. At night it is dark; we go home for dinner, rest and sleep, so we have energy the next day. As the old saying goes, work at sunrise and rest at sunset — the rhythm of day and night shapes what people do, and what animals do too.
5Animals are active at different times. Sparrows and butterflies are daytime animals that come out to find food in the light. Owls and bats are nighttime animals that come out only after dark; their eyes and ears are made for the dark. Every animal fits its activities to day and night — that is how they live well on Earth.
1Summary 重點摘要
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west; the side of the Earth facing the sun has day, the side turned away has night, and people and animals live by this rhythm.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The star that gives the Earth light and heat.
The time when the sun rises in the east and the sky grows light.
The time when the sun sets in the west and the sky grows dark.
The direction the sun rises from.
The direction the sun sets towards.
The dark shape made when something blocks light; it changes with the sun.
The time when our side of the Earth faces the sun.
The dark time when the sun does not light our side.
Animals that are active in the daytime, like butterflies and sparrows.
Animals that are active at night, like owls and bats.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: The sun rises in the eastEvery morning the sun rises in the eastern sky and the sky grows light — that is sunrise. People discovered this rule long ago: the sun comes up in the east every day and sets in the west in the evening, always in order. Farmers work by the sun's rhythm, and we get up and sleep by it too. You can look towards the eastern sky in the early morning and see the sun climb slowly; but never stare straight at the sun — the strong light hurts the eyes. Look at it from the corner of your eye only.
- Step 2: The sun sets in the westAfter the afternoon, the sun slowly moves towards the west, the sky darkens, and it sinks below the horizon — that is sunset. At sunset the sky often glows orange and red, which is very beautiful. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, drawing an arc across the sky each day; without clocks, people in the past told the time by watching where the sun was. Remember this rule: face the sun in the morning and you face east; face it in the evening and you face west. The sun helps us find directions.
- Step 3: Watch the sun with shadowsShadows tell us where the sun is. In the early morning the sun is low, so shadows stretch long; at noon the sun is high, so shadows become short and small; in the evening the sun sinks westwards and shadows grow long again. Find a tree or a flagpole on the playground and look at its shadow once in the morning, at noon and in the afternoon; compare the lengths and directions, and you will see the shadow keeps changing. This is a hands-on way to observe the sun, and it is how scientists work: observe first, record, then find the rule.
- Step 4: How day and night take turnsThe side of the Earth facing the sun has day, and the side turned away has night. A little experiment makes this clear: in a dark room, shine a torch on a marble. The side facing the torch lights up, and the side turned away is dark. Turn the marble slowly — the bright side turns to the back and goes dark, while the dark side turns to the front and lights up. This is like the Earth slowly turning, so day and night keep alternating. When it gets light the sun rises; when it gets dark the moon and stars come out.
- Step 5: What we do in day and nightIn the bright daytime, people are mostly active: going to school, doing homework, playing sports and shopping; shops open, cars fill the streets, and reading voices fill the campus. At night it is dark; we go home for dinner, take a bath, listen to stories and then sleep, so the body rests and we have energy the next day. Staying up late makes us doze in class and harms health over time. As the old saying goes, work at sunrise and rest at sunset — the rhythm of day and night shapes the lives of people and animals alike.
- Step 6: Daytime and nighttime animalsAnimals are active at different times. Diurnal animals like to be active in the daytime, such as sparrows and butterflies; the daylight makes finding food easy. Nocturnal animals come out at night, such as owls and bats; their eyes and ears are especially suited to the dark. The owl sleeps by day and hunts mice with its big eyes at night; the bat uses sound to find its way, flying at night without bumping into things. Every animal has its own active hours — that is how they fit the turning of day and night.
5Worked example Example
Example: Sparrows sing and find food in the trees by day, while owls come out only at night. Why are they active at different times?
- Sparrows are diurnal; daylight helps them find food and stay safe, and they return to their nests to rest at night.
- Owls are nocturnal; their eyes see clearly in the dark, so they come out at night to hunt small animals.
- Day and night take turns, and each animal has adapted to be active at its own time.
- People are mostly active in the daytime and sleep at night to let the body recover.
- Answer: Day and night take turns: diurnal sparrows are active in daylight, while nocturnal owls hunt in the dark. Each animal feeds and rests at the time that suits it best.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1From which direction does the sun rise every day?
Q2Towards which direction does the sun set in the evening?
Q3In the torch-and-marble game, what is the side facing away from the torch like?
Q4What do most people do at night?
Q5Is the owl a diurnal or nocturnal animal?
8Recap Recap
- The sun rises in the east and sets in the west; it helps us find directions.
- Shadows are long morning and evening, short at noon — they follow the sun.
- The side of the Earth facing the sun has day; the side away has night.
- People are active by day and rest and sleep by night.
- Diurnal animals are active by day, nocturnal animals by night.