Why Polar Seasons Are Extreme
Science · Polar Regions · conceptual
Understand why the poles have extreme seasons — Earth's axis is tilted at about 23.5°, so as it orbits the Sun, each pole spends half the year tilted toward the Sun (continuous daylight, warmer summer) and half tilted away (continuous darkness, bitter winter); this tilt also drives the annual cycle of sea ice expanding in winter and retreating in summer, and triggers animal behaviours like migration and breeding
What mastery looks like
- Explain that Earth's axis is tilted at about 23.5° and this tilt causes the extreme polar seasons
- Describe how the tilt means each pole faces toward the Sun for half the year (summer/daylight) and away for the other half (winter/darkness)
- Connect the seasonal cycle to at least one animal behaviour, such as migration or sea ice retreat affecting hunting
Check your understanding
Can Why Polar Seasons Are Extreme explain WHY the poles have months of daylight in summer and months of darkness in winter — that it's because Earth is tilted on its axis as it goes around the Sun?
Prerequisites
Required first
Helpful