Year 4 · Science · Earth and space sciences
Day and night
Students model how Earth spinning on its axis causes day and night and the Sun's apparent movement across the sky.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to New Zealand year levels by age (NZ Year 1 is the first year of school). They are not yet mapped to The New Zealand Curriculum, so check them against your own learning programme.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Explain that Earth spins on its axis once about every 24 hours.
- Model how Earth's spin causes day and night.
- Explain why the Sun appears to move across the sky.
Success looks like
- I can use a torch and a ball to show day and night.
- I can explain that the Sun does not go around Earth each day.
- I can describe where the Sun rises and sets.
The big idea
Earth is shaped like a ball. It rotates (spins) on its axis, an imaginary line through the North and South Poles.
Earth makes one full spin about every 24 hours. That is one day and one night.
The Sun lights up only the half of Earth facing it. On that half it is day. The half facing away is dark, so it is night.
As Earth spins, places move from the dark side into the light. That is sunrise. When they move from light into dark, that is sunset.
Earth spins from west to east, so the Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west. The Sun is not really travelling around Earth; it only looks that way because we are spinning.
When it is daytime in Sydney, it is night-time in London, because London is on the other side of the world.
Worked examples
Torch and orange model
Use a torch and an orange to show day and night.
- An adult pushes a skewer through the orange to make an axis.
- Put a sticker on the orange to stand for Australia.
- Darken the room and shine the torch (the Sun) at the orange (Earth).
- Slowly turn the orange. The sticker moves into the light (day), then into the dark (night).
Answer: Day happens when our side of Earth faces the Sun; night when it faces away.
Morning shadows
In the morning, your shadow points west. Where is the Sun?
- A shadow points away from the light.
- If the shadow points west, the light is on the opposite side.
- The opposite of west is east.
Answer: The Sun is in the east.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
What causes day and night?
Earth spinning on its axis — Earth's spin carries us into and out of sunlight.
In which direction does the Sun appear to rise?
East — Because Earth spins towards the east, the Sun appears to rise in the east.
About how long does Earth take to spin around once?
24 hours — One rotation takes about 24 hours.
When it is day in Australia, what is it like on the opposite side of Earth?
Night — The side of Earth facing away from the Sun is in night.
In the torch-and-orange model, what does the torch stand for?
The Sun — The torch gives light like the Sun.
In which direction does the Sun appear to set?
west — The Sun appears to set in the west.
What is the imaginary line that Earth spins around called?
axis — Earth spins on its axis, which runs through the poles.
How many hours, roughly, are in one full day and night? (number)
24 — One rotation of Earth takes about 24 hours.
Watch out for
- Many children believe the Sun moves around Earth each day. It only appears to move because Earth spins.
- Some think the Sun 'goes to sleep' or goes behind a hill at night. The Sun is always shining; our side of Earth is facing away.
- Some think day and night happen because Earth goes around the Sun. That journey takes a whole year, not a day.
Tips for parents
- Do the torch model in a dark room so the light and dark halves are easy to see.
- Notice where the Sun is at breakfast and at dinner over a week.
- Safety: never look directly at the Sun, even with sunglasses, and an adult should push the skewer through the fruit.
Go further
- Trace your shadow with chalk at 9 am, 12 pm and 3 pm and compare its length and direction.
- Use a world globe to find a country where it is night when it is day in Australia.