Spring Equinox - March 19, 2024

The spring (or vernal) equinox marks the moment when the sun sits directly above the equator. The Northern and Southern Hemispheres share the sun’s rays equally, and night and day are approximately equal length. This year, the event takes place on March 19th at 11:06 PM EDT. Looking for ways to bring this fascinating astronomical event to life in your science classroom? Look no further than SAFARI Montage! Seasons, solstices, equinoxes – we’ve got you covered!

NEW! What are the Shortest and Longest Days of the Year? - This video from MooMooMath and Science discusses Earth's tilted axis, Earth's rotation on its axis and revolution around the Sun, the two equinoxes (vernal equinox in March, autumn equinox in September), the two solstices (summer solstice in June, winter solstice in December), and the days with the shortest and longest amount of daylight each year. Hosted on YouTube. Grades 2-6.

NEW! Crash Course Geography: How Does the Earth Move? - This irreverent, fast-paced and humorous video from John and Hank Green's Crash Course series discusses the movement of Earth. Topics covered include the formation of the solar system from a nebula, Earth's rotation on its axis, circle of illumination, day vs. night, precession, Milankovitch cycles, Earth's revolution around the Sun, orbit, perihelion, aphelion, Earth's axial tilt, seasons, solstices, and equinoxes. Hosted on YouTube. Grades 7-Adult.

The Longest Day of the Year: The Solstice! - This video from SciShow Kids discusses how the summer solstice, the first day of summer, is the longest day of the year due to the Earth's axis tilting toward the Sun, allowing it to reach its highest position in the sky. Hosted on YouTube. Grades K-5.

Solstice (Mazzarella Media) – This live-action video program is about the term solstice. The program is designed to reinforce and support a student's comprehension and retention of the term solstice through use of video footage, photographs, diagrams and colorful, animated graphics and labels. Viewers will see and hear solstice used in a variety of contexts providing students with a model for how to appropriately use the term. Available in English/Spanish. Grades 3-8.

Equinox (Mazzarella Media) - This live-action video program is about the term equinox. The program is designed to reinforce and support a student's comprehension and retention of the term equinox through use of video footage, photographs, diagrams and colorful, animated graphics and labels. Viewers will see and hear equinox used in a variety of contexts providing students with a model for how to appropriately use the term. Available in English/Spanish. Grades 3-8.

Days & Seasons on Earth (Schlessinger Media) - Are the seasons and days the same everywhere? Join Adi and Woops as the curious alien duo investigates how Earth's rotation and revolution affect the seasons and the length of day and night. Available in English/Spanish. Grades 2-5.

Chasing the Equinox (National Geographic) - Ancient people hid the secrets of their incredible knowledge of astronomy in temples and palaces, built to align with the Sun on the same day all over the world. This program explores the human obsession with the Sun across thousands of years and on every continent. Grades 7-Adult.

The Seasons: Spring (Visual Learning Systems) - This program explores the features of spring, focusing on the unique habits of plants, animals, and people during the spring season. Grades K-3.

Real World Science: Our Sun (Mazzarella Media) - Featuring peer hosts, colorful graphics and detailed diagrams, this educational, live-action program uses real-world examples to teach children all about the Sun. Through telescopic video and photos combined with animated graphics, students will learn about the layers of the Sun and its effects on Earth, the moon, and all the objects in our solar system and the universe. Grades 2-6.

Bill Nye: Earth’s Seasons (Disney Educational) - Bill Nye the Science Guy explores the reasons for the seasons in this episode of The Disney Channel series, featuring an interactive question-and-answer format and hands-on activities. In this episode, Bill's worldly perspective explains why the seasons are different in different parts of the world. Grades 3-8.

The Reasons for Seasons (Dreamscape Media) - Why is there winter in the Southern Hemisphere at the same time there is summer in the Northern Hemisphere? Gail Gibbons explores how the position of Earth in relation to the Sun causes seasons, and describes the wonders of summer, fall, winter and spring. Grades K-3.

Crash Course Kids Space Science: Seasons and the Sun - This video from Crash Course Kids discusses the seasons. Topics covered include the relationship between Earth's revolution around the Sun and a year, the origin of the seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall), and seasonal differences in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Hosted on YouTube. Grades 5-8.