Two 45-minute classes (and one
complete cycle of moon phases)
The lessons contained in the Moon
Mania CD are designed to help the student learn more
about the Earth’s moon. The particular lesson utilized
in this activity focuses on providing an understanding of the
phases of the moon. The CD-ROM is for teacher reference and
it is a source of ideas and student worksheets. The Web sites
included in the lesson are for the student to use for reference.
Science
The learner will:
• Model the motions of the Earth-Moon-Sun system to
explain moon phases.
• Understand the relationship between the movement
of the Earth and the illumination of the Moon.
• Make observations of the Moon to better undestand
the phases.
• Become familiar with the history of the United States’
exploration of the Moon.
• Use computer software to create a plaque that would
symbolize a mission to the Earth’s moon.
• Explore selected Web sites to learn more about the
Moon phases and Moon exploration.
National Science Education Standards
http://bob.nap.edu/html/nses/html
Content Standard D: Objects in the sky Changes in Earth and
Sky
Louisiana Science Frameworks: State Standards
for Curriculum Development
http://www.lcet.doe.state.la.us/doe/assessment/standards/SCIENCE.pdf
SI-E-A2: Planning and/or designing and conducting a scientific
investigation;
SI-E-A4: Employing equipment and tools to gather data
and extend the sensory observations;
SI-E-A6: Communicating observations and experiments in
oral and written formats;
SI-E-A7: Utilizing safety procedures during experiments.
SI-E-B1: Categorizing questions into what is known, what
is not known, and what questions need to be explained;
SI-E-B2: Using appropriate experiments depending on the
questions to be explored;
SI-E-B3: Choosing appropriate equipment and tools to
conduct an experiment;
SI-E-B4: Developing explanations by using observations
and experiments;
SI-E-B5: Presenting the results of experiments;
SI-E-B6: Reviewing and asking questions about the results
of investigations.
ESS-E-C4: Modeling the motions of the Earth-moon-sun
system to explain day and night, a year, eclipses, moon phases,
and tides;
PS-E-B3: Describing an object's motion by racing and
measuring its position over time.
CD-ROM:
Moon Mania CD. The contents of this CD-ROM can
also be accessed at : http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania
Web sites:
http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania//lessons/phases/
This Web site is the online version of the Moon Mania CD. It
is for the teacher to use to print out activity sheets and read
background information on the topic.
http://www.googol.com/moon/
This Web site provides a monthly calendar illustrating the moon
phases for any year given.
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.html
U.S. Naval Observatory maintains this site that explains how
the moon phases occur. It has diagrams that would help students
complete the moon phase activity sheet.
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
This Web site uses virtual reality to allow students to view
the current phase as it would appear from any location or time,
as well as the current time.
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/apollo11
This Web site details the NASA Apollo 11 mission.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo11.html
This is an excellent site that shows examples of mission patches
for Apollo 11
http://www.nasm.edu/apollo/AS11/a11av.htm
This site contains Real Player videos of the launch of Apollo
11
Per Class:
• Moon Mania CD
• Computer (Internet access) with PC/TV converter,
printer and paper
• Kid Pix software (http://www.kidpix.com)
• 8 cups and pin
• One large Styrofoam ball (4 inch diameter at least)
with one hemisphere shaded with a marker
• Stick to support Styrofoam ball
Per Group of Four Students:
• Computer (Internet access) and Kid Pix
or drawing software
• Moon model
• Styrofoam ball (held on a stick/pencil)
Per Student:
• Blank paper
• Phases of the Moon activity sheet
from Moon Mania CD or http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania/
• Monthly Moon Phase Calendar HTML PDF
• Chocolate filled cookie such as Oreo
• Plastic knife
• Napkin or paper towel
1. From the Moon Mania
CD-ROM, print out the lesson on Moon Phases to be used as reference
during the activities
2. Print the Student Activity sheets
3. Bookmark Web sites:
• For the Learning Activities:
http://www.googol.com/moon/
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.html
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania//facts.htm
• For the Culminating Activity:
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/apollo11
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo11.html
http://www.nasm.edu/apollo/AS11/a11av.htm
http://stipo.larc.nasa.gov/browse/apollo11.html
4. Set up eight desks or chairs in an octagon shape
(chairs placed about 6 feet away from center) with the Styrofoam
model of the moon in the middle. (Shade one hemisphere of a
Styrofoam ball black and place it on a stick/pencil.) Line up
the moon so one position sees a New Moon. (Station 1) The other
desks are labeled Station 2, 3, etc. Each desk/chair should
have a viewer (a paper cup with a pencil hole punched in the
bottom).
1. Ask the question: Why is it
that the moon appears to be different each night? (answers will
vary, but some will probably say because the earth and moon
rotate as the sun illuminates both objects)
2. Each
group of four students should divide a sheet of paper in half.
On the first half, students can list as many facts as they can
about the Earth. Using the opposite side of the paper, list
moon facts. Resource materials and websites may be used. Direct
students to the book marked sites:
http://www.googol.com/moon/
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.html
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Ask the students to correct any misconceptions they might have
had or to add to their list of facts by reading information
on the Web sites.
These activities are based on the Moon
Mania CD-ROM lesson: Moon Phases
Step 1: Students
will then move to the circle of chairs around the Styrofoam
model. They will rotate through the positions and at each place
carefully view the phases of the moon through their viewer.
(Hold the cup opening close to the eye to view) They then draw
that phase on their Phases of the Moon sheet.
Students should rotate counterclockwise through the eight positions
drawing the phase of the moon they view from each position.
After every student has drawn the phases of the moon, review
what they did and have them write the common names given to
these phases. (answers will vary, but they may not know the
correct names) Explain to them that the moon and the earth are
moving when the phases are observed from the earth.
Step 2: Send the students
to the computer and have them access the book marked sites:
http://www.googol.com/moon/
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.html
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Step 3: Instruct them to compare their drawings with the
phases of the moon that they will find at these sites. (alternate
plan: If there is only one computer in the classroom, the teacher
will access the sites. The image can be projected on a screen
with an LCD projector or viewed on a television monitor with
a PC/TV converter.) They should record the names of the phases
of the moon with the appropriate drawing. Step
4: Take the students outside with unmarked Styrofoam spheres
that have been attached to the sticks/pencils. Have students
experiment with standing between the sun's light and someone
else holding the Styrofoam ball on the stick. (Discuss how shadows
cause the light and dark side of the moon.)
Step 5: Make
the following assignment: Distribute a copy of the Moon
Phase Calendar to each student.
Using a Web site to track each night's moon phase. Provide the
URL's of the book marked class Web sites for reference. It is
also advised that the students attempt to make their own observations
of the moon, if weather permits. At the end of the moon's cycle,
there will be a completed calendar of the moon phases and the
class can then compare the monthly calendar to their own Moon
Phase activity sheet.
To stimulate interest in lunar topics,
the teacher will review with the students in a whole group the
Apollo 11 moon landing, with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and
Michael Collins. The Moon Mania CD-ROM has a similar
activity with examples of plaques. The name of the lesson found
there is Design a Plaque: What Would You Leave on the
Moon? http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania//lessons/plaque/
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/apollo11
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo11.html
http://www.nasm.edu/apollo/AS11/a11av.htm
For a better view of the plaque show students the website with
the original moon plaque leftby Apollo 11 astronauts: http://stipo.larc.nasa.gov/browse/apollo11.html
Students may want to use the planning sheet on Kid Pix
to make a rough drawing of a plaque they would leave if they
visited the moon. Have students create their plaques in Kid
Pix. Print and display the students plaques around the
classroom.
Assess student work with a rubric found on Moon Mania
CD or at
http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania
As an extra fun treat: In groups of eight, give each student
a chocolate cookie with white filling. Divide the cookie into
two parts. Spread the icing to represent a moon phase. Plan
to have extra cookies that can be eaten at the end of the class
period.
• The culminating activity may be conducted in conjunction
with the art, social studies, and/or technology portion of the
curriculum. In a self-contained class, the teacher will be able
to coordinate these activities into the lesson plans.
• Students can be encouraged to look for current events
in space exploration and research results of moon exploration
missions.
• Student activity sheets and the
evaluation rubric are located on the Moon Mania
CD and on the Web at http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania.
These can be printed by the teacher, or the students can use
the CD-ROM to print them individually
• Moon Phases Calendar HTML PDF
