The Summer Solstice: Earth’s Tilt and Seasons with Merge EDU

June 20 – Summer Solstice
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year and the official start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. But beyond the sunshine, it’s also the perfect opportunity to dive into some powerful Earth and space science lessons—made even more engaging through hands-on augmented reality.

☀️ Why Does the Solstice Happen?

On June 20, 21 or 22nd each year, the Earth’s North Pole is tilted closest to the sun. That tilt, combined with Earth’s orbit, gives us the most daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere—and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere.

It’s an abstract concept—but with Merge EDU, students can see it happen in the palm of their hands.

Students can even compare summer in one hemisphere with winter in the other, helping them build a global perspective on seasonal science.

Using the Merge Explorer app, students can learn about Earth’s axial tilt, rotation and revolution and the sun and seasons.

The Rotation of the Earth

The Earth spins on its own axis, the Moon rotates around us, and we rotate around the Sun. It’s a complex system that is responsible for everything from tides, to seasons, to life itself! Learn more about it in this topic card and why these rotations matter!

Merge Explorer

🌎 Using Activity Plans to Extend the Learning

Merge EDU makes it easy to integrate these science simulations into your daily lessons with pre-written Activity Plans. These activity plans are fully editable, and include guiding questions, vocabulary, assessment options, and extension ideas. You can find the activity plans that correspond to the rotation of the Earth and its axial tilt here: https://dashboard.mergeedu.com/science/activity-plans/c/c29

Try other activities related to the seasons found in Merge EDU:

Earth Axial Tilt with Moon

Object Viewer for MERGE Cube

Seasons

Earth’s tilted axis causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Each season has its own vegetation and temperature throughout the year that repeats every year.

Merge HoloGlobe

With Merge EDU, you’re not just talking about sunlight—you’re giving your students a hands-on way to experience the science of seasons.

👉 Ready to experience it today? Sign up for a free trial at TryMerge.com, and print a Merge Paper Cube at MergeCube.com/paper.