Concept featured in film: Earth-Sun Relationships resulting in seasons. Use of Analemma to tell month of year.

DVD: Chapter 21- The Raft (watch 6 min of clip)

Play Flickclip Here (Quicktime)

Summary of clip: Chuck Noland is stranded on a deserted Island and is using the sunlight coming through a hole in his cave to tell the time, down to the months. At the beginning of the flickclip we see his Analemma diagram drawn on his cave wall. Later in the clip after he decides to make a raft, we see him use the drawing to plan out his attempt to get off the island. He says he has a month and a half until he is into March and April which is the best chance for high-tides and the offshore breezes.

Connection of flickclip to the concept: This flickclip would be good to use when getting into a lesson on Earth-Sun relationships, axis-tilt defining our seasons, equinoxes and solstices, and the use of an Analemma.

1. Prior to watching the flickclip have the students answer the question: What controls our seasons?

2. Watch the flickclip on Chuck using the Analemma to tell what month it is.

3. Break off into groups to discuss what Chuck was doing with the drawing and how he was able to tell what month it was by using the sun.

4. Come back together to report findings.

5. Start lesson to explain that the axis tilt defines our seasons and how to use the Analemma to figure out you latitude.

6. Run a simple noon sun angle experiment to tell what degree latitude the school is located at.