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Janet, the usual activities you hear about using paper plates or Oreos don't actually teach much about the phases of the moon. They don't explain why the phases have the names that they have; and knowing that makes the names much easier to remember. 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 the attached photo. Cool, huh?)
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