Activities

1. List three changes that may occur when the season changes from summer to fall.
   
   
2. List three changes that may occur when the season changes from winter to spring.
   
   
3. Name two adaptations that some animals have to avoid cold temperatures during the winter.

4. Compare and contrast an ordinary day in the summer and an ordinary day in the winter.  Think about your clothing, activities, weather, etc.
   
   
5. Predict how your life might be different if we didn’t have seasons.  Give at least three examples.

6. Your friend from Florida does not believe that the changing seasons have an effect on an ecosystem.  Select an ecosystem in your community and write a paragraph using at least 3 facts to prove to your friend that ecosystems are affected by changing seasons.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Examples include, but are not limited to: plants stop growing, temperature gets cooler, animals prepare for winter, deciduous trees lose their, leaves
   
   
2. Examples include, but are not limited to: plants begin to grow, animals migrate back to northern regions, temperatures become warmer
   
   
3. Migration, hibernation

4. Similarities include, but are not limited to:

• May be sunny
• May be windy
• Clouds
• Need shoes outside
• Can play outside

Differences include, but are not limited to:

• Need hat, gloves, scarf, and coat in winter
• Can wear shorts and a short-sleeved shirt in summer
• Can go swimming in summer
• Can play in the snow in winter
• Less hours of sunlight in winter
• Warm/hot temperatures in summer
• Cold temperatures in winter
• Rain in summer
• Snow in winter

5. Student answers will vary depending on how they think our climate will change.   Examples may include, but are not limited to:

• Leaves would not change color in autumn.
• Plants would live all year.
• No snow
• Would not need air conditioning/heat in house
• Could wear the same clothes all year (no heavy sweaters/shorts)

6. Student responses will vary.  Use the following rubric to grade student response.