Seasonal changes
Observe changes in places with four seasons, describe common seasonal weather, and compare daylight through the year
What a learner can do afterwards
- Name spring, summer, autumn (fall), and winter, and describe common seasonal weather in a place with four seasons
- Describe how daylight changes through the year in a place such as the UK: more in summer and less in winter
- Give examples of seasonal changes in plants and animals, using several observations rather than one weather clue
1 · Read
In places such as the UK, we name four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Autumn is also called fall. They repeat each year. Weather can change from day to day within a season.
In the UK, spring often brings milder weather, new flowers, and young birds. Summer is usually warmer, and winter is usually colder. Winter can bring snow, but snow can fall in other seasons too. Summer has more hours of daylight than winter. Here, a longer day means more daylight.
In autumn, leaves on many trees change colour and fall. Some trees keep their leaves. Some squirrels store nuts for colder months. Flowers and young animals can appear outside spring too.
To check a season, use several clues. Look at the date, watch plants, and compare weather over many days. Snow or flowers alone cannot tell you the season. Seasonal patterns differ around the world.
Four seasons repeat in places such as the UK. Compare daylight and use several clues, because one day's weather cannot identify a season.
This lesson, its questions, and its flashcards were written for this dataset.
The readings and revised flashcards were written for this dataset.
More to read
Keep weather notes
Watch the weather from a safe place. Draw clouds, rain, sunshine, or moving branches. Ask an adult to help write the date. Keep notes on different days. Then compare them. Did one season have more cold days than another? Your notes describe the place you watched. Another place may have different weather. Stay indoors during dangerous weather.
Check several clues
A snowy day does not prove that it is winter. A flower does not prove that it is spring. Check the date and look for other changes. In the UK, spring often brings new growth. Summer is usually warmer. Many trees lose leaves in autumn. Winter is usually colder. Days within the same season can still have different weather.
Compare daylight
In the UK, summer has more hours of daylight than winter. At the same clock time, a summer evening may still be light when a winter evening is dark. Ask an adult to help compare the light outside on different dates. Notice the light around you. Never look straight at the Sun.
Follow one tree
Choose a tree you can watch safely with an adult. Draw it on different dates. Look for buds, flowers, leaves, or bare branches. Many trees lose their leaves in autumn, but some keep them. Record what your tree does. The study of seasonal changes in plants and animals is called phenology. Watch without picking plants or disturbing animals.
2 · Watch
به انگلیسیTake it off screen
Where it sits
Learn first
Optional connections
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.