Fall Into Autumn!

  FACT: Seasons change as we orbit the sun.

Spring • Summer • Autumn • Winter

Twice a year, around March 20 or 21 and Sept. 22 or 23, our sun shines directly over the equator. That event marks the beginning of spring or fall. What is the equator?

Public Domain photo

e·qua·tor

[əˈkwā•dər]

noun

1. an imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres and constituting the parallel of latitude 0°.

In March when the sun shines directly over the equator, the event is called the spring or vernal equinox. In September, when the sun shines directly over the equator, the event is called the fall or autumnal equinox. 

The Autumnal Equinox will occur in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. on Thursday, September 22, 202w, at 6:03 P.M.

Things to look for in fall:

1. Deciduous (di•si•jo͞o•əs) trees will change color and drop all their leaves. Evergreen trees will not. Evergreen trees will stay forever green. :-) Why do the leaves of deciduous trees change color? Use World Book Online to research. Remember, do NOT copy sentences. That is plagiarism, and it is against the law! Take notes, and then turn your notes into your own sentences. 

Photo by Grandma Barb

Photo by Grandma Barb

2. On the equinox, there are exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The day and night hours are equal. However, as we continue into fall, the days will get shorter and the night hours will get longer. This pattern will continue until we reach the winter solstice. That is the longest night of the year and marks a new season, winter.

3.  Because the northern hemisphere is now tilted away from the sun, the days will start to become cooler. People will change their behavior. What sorts of behavioral changes will your family make as the days get shorter and cooler?  (In southern California, we have mild climate. We don't get too cold in our community.)

There are many fall festivals or holidays. Watch the BrainPop video about fall to learn about the many harvest festivals celebrated. Do you celebrate any of these autumn holidays? If so, please share so we can learn from you! 

Check out the FREE BrainPop video about Fall. 

4. Some animals in the northern hemisphere will change their behavior. As fall leads to winter, some animals migrate, or move, to a warmer area. Others try to fatten up for the winter they know is coming. 

Again, BrainPop Jr. has a FREE video about fall. 

Check it out by clicking here.  

https://jr.brainpop.com/science/weather/fall/

  

Share some fun facts about fall!

If you are in the southern hemisphere, tell us what season you are enjoying! How are you changing your behavior? 

Welcome to Blogging! Let's Learn the Terms!

This week, I begin my 15th year of blogging with third graders.  Blogging is a great way to practice digital citizenship, to build an online footprint, and learn with other classes around the world. Let the fun begin!    ~Mrs. Yollis 

 

What is a blog? 

A blog is a digital website that is updated regularly. Blogs have themes. Some blogs are sport-related, while others might feature travel or science topics. Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog is about what is happening in a third-grade classroom in California. 

 What are the parts of a blog?

 

Header: The header is found at the top of a blog. It has the title of the blog and some headers feature a logo. The header uses text to showcase the title of the blog and sets the color theme.  Our blog header has a title and a subtitle. The subtitle says, "Third graders learning and sharing together". The header clearly informs readers what to expect on this blog. 

Pages: Pages are not updated regularly and do not allow comments.  These static (unchanging) pages provide special information about the blog. 

Posts: A post is a story on the blog. The most recent post is featured at the top.  The post has a time stamp above the title to let readers know when it was published. Posts can include text, photos, videos, or other digital platforms. 

Sidebar: The sidebar runs along the side of the blog. It feautres little gadgets that readers might find useful or fun. One gadget is the archive. The archive lists the published posts by month and year.

There are many interesting gadgets in our sidebar. One is the "Visitor Flags". Check out where visitors are from! The "Search this Blog" will help you find specific posts, and the "Photo of the Day" gadget will take you to another blog that features interesting photos. 

Comments: Under each post is a comment section. The comment section is where the blog comes to life. Readers can leave a compliment about the post, add new information that wasn't included in the post, or ask a question. Bloggers often reply to readers to extend their learning and build friendships. 

Privacy: Privacy is important on the web. When posting or commenting, never give away personal information.  What is personal information? THINK: Never give away your YAPPY!

Now that you know the basics of blogging, you are invited to leave a comment! Remember, use only your FIRST NAME. 

What is your favorite part about the blog?

What topics should be published on the blog?