Earth & Space Vocabulary
Science · Space Systems & Earth's History · language
Use technical vocabulary for Earth's motion and the wider universe — rotation, revolution, axis, tilt, orbit, light year, gravitational force, atmosphere, lunar phases, waxing, waning, solstice, equinox, eclipse — and apply these when explaining day and night, the seasons, and the Moon's phases
What mastery looks like
- Use 'rotation' and 'revolution' correctly to describe Earth's two distinct types of movement and explain what each causes
- Use 'waxing' and 'waning' to describe the Moon's phases and explain what causes them
- Apply 'solstice' and 'equinox' correctly when explaining why seasons exist and why day length varies
Check your understanding
Can Earth & Space Vocabulary explain the difference between the Earth rotating and the Earth orbiting the Sun — using the actual science words 'rotation' and 'revolution'?
Prerequisites
None — this is a foundational concept.