Have you ever wondered why the days feel longer in the summer?; Why do the leaves change colour in the autumn? and why does winter bring cold and snow? These everyday miracles sparked our Grade 2 students' interest in the STEM Lab, where they discovered the science behind the changing seasons.

Through this  engaging STEM activity, our young learners learned about how the Earth's movement around the Sun plays a crucial role in creating the four seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. They discovered that the Earth does not simply revolve around the Sun in a straight line; rather, it follows an elliptical orbit while remaining tilted at an angle of around 23.5 degrees. This tilt, together with its movement, causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight at different times of the year, leading to the seasonal changes we experience.

Students created interactive models to visualise the Earth's orbit. They observed that during the summer, the hemisphere tilted towards the Sun has more daylight hours and higher temperatures, while the opposite hemisphere experiences winter. In autumn, the Sun's rays are more equally distributed, resulting in cooler weather and trees shedding their leaves in preparation for winter. Spring, on the other hand, provides new life as plants bloom, animals come out of hibernation, and the weather begins to warm up again.

One of the most exciting moments was when students tested their understanding by relating the seasons to real-life observations. They eagerly discussed their favorite things about each season - from playing in the summer heat and jumping into mounds of fall leaves to creating snowmen in winter and watching flowers bloom in spring.

This session was a lot more than a lesson; it was an experience that made learning enjoyable and unforgettable. Students not only learned about seasons through pictures, hands-on discovery, and discussion, but they also developed a deeper appreciation for nature's beauty and rhythm.

As they left the STEM Lab, their minds were buzzing with curiosity and excitement, eager to observe the changes in the world around them with a new perspective. The magic of science has truly come to life, proving once again that learning is most effective when it is interactive, engaging, and filled with moments of wonder!