Kid Scoop News—SH December 2025

16

Why are sunny winter days COLD, while sunny summer days are HOT? Kid Scoop News’ winter expert Dr. I. Cicle explains it all!

Standards Link: Earth Science: Students know that weather can be observed, measured and described; changes in weather and seasons are affected by the Earth’s position.

Try this experiment to understand the difference between indirect and direct sunlight. Keep track of your work on a separate sheet of paper like the Scientist’s Notebook. • 2 metal pie tins or flat pans • A sunny winter day • Watch or clock 1. Lay one pan flat on the ground in the direct sunlight. (Fig. 1) 2. Tilt the other pan on its side. Lean it against a rock or a shoe. This pan is being hit with indirect sunlight. (Fig. 2) 3. Wait three minutes. 4. Which pan is warmer?

SCIENTIST’S NOTEBOOK

Which pan do you think will feel warmer after three minutes in the winter sun? Question

What do you think the answer to the question is? Hypothesis

Which pan was warmer in three minutes? Observation

Conclusion

Was your hypothesis correct? What did you learn from this experiment?

(Fig. 1) direct sunlight

pan in direct sunlight pan in indirect sunlight

pan in direct sunlight pan in indirect sunlight

(Fig. 2) indirect sunlight

© Vicki Whiting December 2025

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