The Sun’s apparent path through the seasons is the focus of this Grade 6 Science worksheet, helping students connect observations of the sky with Earth’s rotation, orientation, and latitude. Using examples from Calgary and northern Alberta, students investigate how the Sun’s apparent position changes throughout the year and why summer and winter have different patterns of sunlight and daylight.

Observe the Sun Across the Year

The reading passage introduces the Sun’s apparent path, the seeming movement of the Sun across the sky as Earth rotates. Students examine how the Sun’s noon elevation typically becomes higher in summer and lower in winter, while daylight lasts longer in summer and fewer hours in winter. They also explore how sunrise and sunset positions shift along the horizon during the year.

Latitude adds an important comparison. Students consider why seasonal changes in solar elevation and daylight are noticeable in Calgary and why northern Alberta communities can experience even larger differences. These examples connect observations made from Earth’s surface with the effects of Earth’s orientation and the location of an observer.

Skills Students Practise

This Grade 6 Sky Science resource moves from reading and identifying information to applying ideas and explaining observations. Activities include:

• Multiple-choice questions: Identify the cause of the Sun’s apparent daily motion, recognize typical summer and winter observations, and explain how latitude influences seasonal patterns.
• True-or-false statements: Evaluate claims about noon solar elevation, sunrise and sunset positions, Calgary’s location, and Earth’s rotation.
• Short-answer responses: Describe seasonal differences in the Sun’s apparent path, explain the role of latitude, and identify observations that can be tracked over time.
• Labeled diagram: Apply visual reasoning to the lesson’s concepts.
• Categorization and short-note writing: Organize relevant information and summarize key ideas.

Included for Students and Teachers

• Printable Grade 6 Science worksheet about the Sun’s seasonal apparent path.
• Separate PDF answer key for checking student responses.
• Student Notes lines at the bottom of the worksheet for recording important concepts and lesson summaries.
• Teacher Guide within the Answer Key PDF, including Learning Objectives, Teaching Tips, Discussion Questions, and Common Mistakes.

Ways to Use This Sky Science Worksheet

Use this resource during an Alberta Grade 6 Sky Science unit, as guided reading, independent practice, or a review of seasonal sky observations. The Calgary and northern Alberta comparison gives students a regional context for discussing latitude, daylight duration, and the Sun’s changing noon elevation. Teachers can also use the passage as a starting point for a class discussion about which observations—such as sunrise location, sunset location, and daylight length—provide evidence of seasonal change.

By connecting vocabulary with observable patterns, this seasonal astronomy worksheet encourages students to explain more than what changes between summer and winter. They practise linking Earth’s rotation to the Sun’s daily apparent motion and relating latitude to differences in seasonal sunlight patterns. The separate answer key and included teacher guidance support efficient response checking and lesson preparation.