Effects of Solar Change

This open-ended science worksheet supports students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 as they explore how changes in the Sun’s energy output could affect Earth. Through five thought-provoking questions and a reflective writing prompt, students practice scientific reasoning, cause-and-effect analysis, and extended written responses as they examine hypothetical scenarios involving temperature shifts, weather changes, ecosystem disruption, and impacts on human technology.

Learning Goals

• Solar Energy & Climate Science (Grades 6-8) – Explain how variations in solar energy influence Earth’s climate system
• Cause-and-Effect Reasoning – Analyze how changes in energy input affect weather, ecosystems, and technology
• Critical Thinking – Apply scientific knowledge to hypothetical, real-world scenarios
• Explanatory Writing – Communicate ideas clearly using scientific reasoning and evidence

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with middle school science and ELA standards
• Open-Ended Question Format – Encourages deeper thinking and multiple valid responses
• Higher-Order Thinking Focus – Promotes scientific imagination grounded in factual understanding
• Flexible Use – Ideal for science units, discussion-based lessons, assessments, or enrichment activities

This solar science worksheet helps students deepen their understanding of the Sun’s role in maintaining Earth’s habitability. By considering how changes in solar energy could impact climate and life, learners strengthen critical thinking, scientific literacy, and explanatory writing skills. It’s a meaningful, no-prep resource for both classroom and homeschool settings that supports deeper engagement with Earth and space science concepts.

This worksheet is part of our The Sun collection.