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Earth and Space Science

moon phases

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Hannah Hoffman Hannah Hoffman 380 Points

What is your best hands on idea for a moon phases project/lesson? 
Dominique Pena Dominique Pena 400 Points

My idea for a project for the moon phases are that coloring the moons in different phases but the more interesting is that cutting out the pictures. Putting the pictures to put them on to a stand like the solar system. 
Laura Pirtle Laura Pirtle 270 Points

As a summercamp teacher we had a space week. I taugh the kids the phases of the moon with a book and then I had the studnts create the moon phases in order using oeros.
Matt Bobrowsky Matt Bobrowsky 6410 Points

The usual activities teachers do with Oreos don't actually teach much about the phases of the moon. For example, they don't explain why the phases have the shapes that they have. Instead, try something more experiential:

In an otherwise dark room, set up a bright light bulb in the center representing the sun, and let students explore how a ball (or any round object, like an orange) shows different phases when looked at from different angles and as the ball moves around the 'sun.'

Then, on a day when the moon is visible in the sky, give them each a small ball or orange, take them outside, and have them hold up the ball in the direction of the moon. The ball will show the same phase as the moon -- and for the same reason! (See attached photo.)

To understand why the phases have the shapes they do, they need to see light falling on a sphere. You don't get phases like crescent and gibbous from light shining on a flat (Oreo) disk.

 

 

Attachments
Lori Norwood Lori Norwood 11126 Points

Loved the ideas of creating the moon phases.  What a great suggestion of cutting out the phases and pasting them on colored paper.  I think it is a fun way of having our students learn the different phases.  Thank you for sharing such good ideas that I will be able to utilize in my classroom.

Lori
Matt Bobrowsky Matt Bobrowsky 6410 Points

I'm not sure that having students cut out the phases is the best use of time.  For instance, it doesn't teach them why the moon displays those different shapes.  Also, keep in mind that memorizing things, like the names of the phases, is not science.  Science is a process of exploration and discovery.  Consider having students explore what a ball (representing the moon) looks like as it changes its position relative to a light-bulb sun.  Then they can discover the phases for themselves and understand the reason for them.  See the additional information -- including an extension activity -- that I posted above.

Matt
Yesenia Contreras Yesenia Contreras 607 Points

One activity that I have done to learn about the moon phases is to get foam balls and color each side that needs coloring. For example, if the moon phase is the third quarter, I would color half of the foam ball. After completing the phases of the moon you can glue the foam balls in order in a poster.  
Matt Bobrowsky Matt Bobrowsky 6410 Points

Remember that, at any phase, half of the Moon is always illuminated by sunlight (except during a lunar eclipse).  The key is to let students see what that half-lit moon looks like when viewed from different angles.  Doing this shows why we see different phases when the Moon is in different positions in its orbit.
Angelica Flores Angelica Flores 370 Points

I remember in Elementary my teacher had us learn the moon faces with oreos. We would take the cookie apart and with a plastic spoon draw out the moon phase. It was very fun especially since we got to eat the cookies afterwards! :)
Matt Bobrowsky Matt Bobrowsky 6410 Points

Angelica, see my comments above (posted Aug 25, 2021) about that kind of Oreo activity.
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