The Moon The Moon

By: Andrea Tennes By: Andrea Tennes

Indicator 4.3.1 Indicator 4.3.1

Observe and report that the moon Observe and report that the moon can be seen sometimes at night and can be seen sometimes at night and sometimes during the day.sometimes during the day.

Definitions Definitions BLM Lunar Sighting – a chart which is set up by the teacher to help BLM Lunar Sighting – a chart which is set up by the teacher to help

keep track of the different times you see the moon. keep track of the different times you see the moon.

Moon Stages:Moon Stages:

First Quarter First Quarter Waxing Crescent Waxing Crescent NewNew Waning Crescent Waning Crescent Third Quarter Third Quarter Waning Gibbous Waning Gibbous Full Full Waxing Gibbous Waxing Gibbous

Reflections – the act of reflecting or the state of being reflected Reflections – the act of reflecting or the state of being reflected (www.dictionary.com)(www.dictionary.com)

Background Information Background Information

Students will observe and report that the Students will observe and report that the moon can sometimes be seen during the moon can sometimes be seen during the night and during the day. night and during the day.

Pre Activity Pre Activity

Tell the class that the moon does not give Tell the class that the moon does not give off its own light. off its own light.

Ask questions to the class like: Ask questions to the class like: When do you normally see the moon? When do you normally see the moon? What times do you normally see the moon? What times do you normally see the moon? What does the moon look like when you see What does the moon look like when you see

it? it?

Activity Activity

Tell the class that you are going to model the Tell the class that you are going to model the moons reflecting the sunlight. moons reflecting the sunlight.

Turn off the lights in the classroom. Next, point Turn off the lights in the classroom. Next, point the mirror at the globe and shine a flashlight at the mirror at the globe and shine a flashlight at the mirror. the mirror.

Ask the class what they think the objects all Ask the class what they think the objects all represent. What will happen when I shine the represent. What will happen when I shine the flashlight with the lights off? flashlight with the lights off?

Go ahead and turn the lights off and point the Go ahead and turn the lights off and point the mirror at the globe while shining the flashlight at mirror at the globe while shining the flashlight at the mirror. the mirror.

Activity Continue Activity Continue

Ask the class, what they think will happen with Ask the class, what they think will happen with the lights on? the lights on?

Next repeat, the last steps with the lights on.Next repeat, the last steps with the lights on. Ask the class the following questions: Ask the class the following questions:

Were you able to see the light on the globe with the Were you able to see the light on the globe with the lights off? lights off?

When was the light on the globe more apparent? When was the light on the globe more apparent?

Now compare the experiment to how well you Now compare the experiment to how well you can see the moon during the day and the night.can see the moon during the day and the night.

Activity Continue Activity Continue Now you will tell you students about an activity Now you will tell you students about an activity

that you will do for a month long project. You will that you will do for a month long project. You will be observing when you can see the moon during be observing when you can see the moon during the day and night. the day and night.

Hand out two copies of a BML Lunar Sighting to Hand out two copies of a BML Lunar Sighting to each student. Model to your students how this each student. Model to your students how this chart is to be used on the overhead.chart is to be used on the overhead.

Have students make predictions of what they Have students make predictions of what they think they will see. think they will see.

Have students take home the BML Lunar Have students take home the BML Lunar Sighting chart to complete the nighttime moon Sighting chart to complete the nighttime moon check and bring them back to class everyday, so check and bring them back to class everyday, so they can do the morning check.they can do the morning check.

Conclusion Conclusion

My conclusion of this activity is that it give My conclusion of this activity is that it give students a better understanding of when students a better understanding of when you can see the moon and why you can you can see the moon and why you can see the moon. This will be a learning see the moon. This will be a learning experiences for the whole class because experiences for the whole class because most students have probably never gave most students have probably never gave any thought to when they can see the any thought to when they can see the moon. moon.

Resources Resources

http://www.indianastandardsresources.org/fihttp://www.indianastandardsresources.org/fies/sci/sci_4_3_1.pdfes/sci/sci_4_3_1.pdf

www.dictionary.comwww.dictionary.com

http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phahttp://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases.phtmlses.phtml