1-ESS1-2: Daylight Through the Seasons
Also called NGSS 1-ESS1-2 · Topic: Space Systems: Patterns and Cycles · Earth and Space Science
The Official Wording
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on relative comparisons of the amount of daylight in the winter to the amount in the spring or fall.
Assessment boundary: Assessment is limited to relative amounts of daylight, not quantifying the hours or time of daylight.
NGSS Lead States, 2013 · Read it on nextgenscience.org · checked October 15, 2026
What 1-ESS1-2 Means in Plain English
First graders notice that the amount of daylight changes through the year. By checking the sky at the same time of evening in different seasons, they find that winter days get dark early while spring and fall days stay light longer.
Comparisons stay simple, like more daylight or less, with no counting of hours or clock times for sunrise and sunset. The work pairs with sky patterns in 1-ESS1-1 and leads to 5-ESS1-2, where students graph daily and seasonal patterns.
1-ESS1-2 I Can Statements
- I can tell if it is light or dark at dinnertime.
- I can compare daylight in winter with daylight in spring.
- I can use my sky observations to describe a pattern.
1-ESS1-2 Worked Example
A family sky journal, checked at dinnertime in three different months and shared in class.
Is it still light outside at dinnertime all year long?
Set It Up: A sky journal page for each child and a family helper who notes whether the sky is light, getting dark or dark at about 6 o'clock in the evening.
- In September, each family looks out at dinnertime and colors a sun, a half-sun or a moon on the page.Most pages: sun
- In December, families check at the same time and color again.Most pages: moon
- In April, families check once more.Most pages: sun
- Put the three months side by side on the classroom wall.Sun, moon, sun
- Talk about which month had the least daylight.December got dark earliest
At dinnertime it was light in September and April but already dark in December, so winter had the least daylight.
Why it works: Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun, so in winter our half of Earth gets a shorter stretch of daylight each day than in spring or fall.
Common Mistakes with 1-ESS1-2
Blaming the weather
“It was dark because it was cloudy.”
Try this: Check on more than one evening. Clouds make the sky dimmer, but in December it is dark at dinnertime even on clear days.
Checking at different times
One family looks at 5 o'clock, another right before bed
Try this: Everyone checks at about the same clock time each month. If the time changes, you cannot tell whether the season made the difference.
Thinking every day is the same length
“Day is always the same, from morning to night.”
Try this: Compare the journal pages side by side. Seeing dark December evenings next to light April ones shows the daylight really changes.
Where 1-ESS1-2 Fits
Practice 1-ESS1-2
Quick Check
- It is dark at dinnertime in December but light in April. Which month has less daylight?
- Why should everyone check the sky at the same time?
- Which season has the shortest days?