Lunar Cycle
Lunar Cycle
Purpose:
Students will investigate the moon's appearance and changes during the lunar cycle using the information provided from the internet as well as teacher made activities.
Created by: T. Dennehy
Savanna School District
Resources Needed:
Students will need a computer connected to the internet as well as activity sheets found on this WebQuest.
MEET THE MOON:
Click here to see a detailed time-lapsed sequence during a complete lunar cycle.
SEE HOW THE MOON CHANGES:
See the moon from space and from the earth. You can even change how the appearance of the moon looks from your point of view!
Go to Moon Phases Interactive.
VOCABULARY:
Use the words below to create your own fun puzzle!
Click on the image above to complete the Lunar Phases Excercise and accompanying Work Sheet.
Phases of the moon = various shapes of the moon.
New moon = the time when we do not see the moon at all.
Synodic period = duration of moon cycle from new moon to full moon and back to new moon. Last about 30 days.
Waxing = when the moon appears to be growing or getting bigger. When we see more of the moon each day. From new moon to full moon.
Waning = when the moon appears to be shrinking or getting smaller. When we see less of the moon each day. From full moon to new moon.
First quarter moon = waxing quarter moon
Third quarter moon = waning quarter moon
Gibbous moon = more than quarter but less than full
Crescent moon = less than quarter
HAVE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT PHASE THE MOON IS IN RIGHT NOW!
The moon phase right now
WATCH A MOVIE AND TAKE A QUIZ:
Watch a BrainPop movie then take a quiz to see how much you have learned!
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT BLUE MOONS
When two full moons occur in a single month, the second full moon is called a "Blue Moon." Another definition of the blue moon is the third full moon that occurs in a season of the year which has four full moons (usually each season has only three full moons.)
WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST?
Ever wonder how much you would weigh on the moon or on another planet? Just type in your weight and click on the moon or planet. Find out now!
OTHER COOL WEB SITES TO CHECK OUT:
INCONSTANT MOON - Multimedia tours of the lunar surface.
NASA KIDS - A nasa site dedicated to kids
THE MOON - Everything you ever wanted to know about the moon.
A Few Internet Resources:
Sheppard's Science Resources
Sheppard's Useful Links
Email: dennehyt@hotmail.com
Created August 17, 2001
Last Revised August 16, 2001
Teacher Notes
Suggested Grade Level: Third
Science Content Standards:
Grade 3:
Physical Sciences (1a, 2a, b, d)
Earth Sciences (4b, c, d, e)
Investigation and Experimentation (5a, b, c, d, e)
S.C.O.R.E. Lessons Standards Search by Grade and Subject
S.C.O.R.E. Standards and Framework
California Content Standards Grades K-12
California Content Standards Grades K-12 - Science - PDF Format
Background:
Phases of the Moon is at the top of the list of things that students seriously misunderstand. Most teachers run into problems in trying to explain the Moon's phases to third graders, and my experience suggests that many have a very difficult time with the concepts. The BrainPop movie and quiz provides excellent background information.
Open Issues:
Why are the Maria concentrated on the near side?
Why is the Moon's center of mass off center?
Because of the tidal lock with the Earth?
Now that we've found water on the Moon, what are we going do to with it?
Only twelve men have ever on walked the surface of the Moon. Who will be the 13th?
Who will be the first woman to visit the moon?
Who was the first woman astronaut?
Skills:
Making inferences, forming hypotheses, making predictions
Assessment:
Teacher observation, peer evaluation, teacher made worksheets, web quiz, writing samples,
"Moon Journal" documenting the lunar cycle during one month.
Enrichment:
Students can create their own puzzles, visit interactive sites, and information on the web.
What is the is possibility of finding intelligent in the universe? - See the Drake equation.
Closure:
"We can observe the shape of the moon and the direction of the moon during one day and over the course of a month. The shape of the moon does not change over the course of a day, but the direction you must look to see the moon changes over the course of a day. The moon generally moves from east to southeast to south to southwest to west. The shape of the moon changes over the course of a 30 day period. As the moon waxes, we see more of the moon (from new moon to waxing crescent to first quarter to waxing gibbous to full moon). As the moon wanes, we see less of the moon each day (from full to waning gibbous to third quarter to waning crescent to new moon). " Students record closure statement in their science learning log under Summary of learning.
Evaluation:
Learning log entries will be used to assess student learning. The concepts and examples from the data will be assessed for scientific accuracy.