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Learn about the phases of the moon.

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For the class, prepare:

20 moon balls

20 pencils, skewers or other short sticks

The sun as a single light bulb in a lamp without a shade (or a bright flashlight)

Darkened room or room capable of limiting the light

Masking or duct tape to tape down the lamp cord (safety)

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Set up the lamp in the middle of the room. This is the sun. Tape the cord to the floor to avoid tripping hazard. (Alternative: One person holds a flashlight and is the sun.)

Give each person a moon ball, and pencil, skewer, or stick. Mount the ball on the pencil, and form a circle around the lamp.

Each person’s head is the Earth, and each person holds up the moon ball at arm’s-length.

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Tell students to always hold the moon ball at arm’s-length in front of them as they do this activity.
Hold the moon in the direction of the light source. Where is the light on the ball? Since the light is shining on the other side of the moon, you (the Earth) should see a dark moon in front of you. This is the new moon.
Turn to the left and watch the moon.
- Ask students the following question: \"What’s happening? When you see a little of the moon illuminated, it’s called a waxing crescent.\"
When you’ve turned one-quarter of the way around the circle, how much of the moon is lit up? This is called a first quarter moon.
Keep turning, and you will see more of the moon illuminated as it becomes a waxing gibbous moon.
Turn so that your back is to the sun. Make sure to hold the moon high enough that your head does not block the light from the sun. Ask students, \"What do you see now?\" This is supposed to be the full moon.
Keep turning, and you will notice that less of the moon is illuminated. Tell students this is the waning gibbous moon.
Continue until half of the side facing you is illuminated. Tell students this is called the third or last quarter moon.
Explain to students, as you turn back through the waning crescent moon to the new moon, that the full cycle of lunar phases from new moon to new moon takes 29.5 days.
To end this activity, discuss with students what they learned about the moon phases. Remind students about the key words \"waxing\" and \"waning.\" As the moon goes from new moon to full moon, we say that the moon is “waxing.” And, when the moon goes from full moon to new moon, we say it is “waning.”

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Eclipses of the Sun and Moon

Eclipses are all about shadows.

Cover up the sun with your moon ball. What is the phase of the moon? (new moon)

This is a solar eclipse. Look at a friend’s face—you will see the shadow of the moon on her face. To see a total eclipse of the sun, you have to be inside the central part of the moon’s shadow, called the umbra. If you are on the daytime side of the Earth, but outside the umbra, you may see a partial eclipse in the part of the moon’s shadow called the penumbra.

To make a lunar eclipse, turn around with the moon held out at arm’s-length until it goes into the shadow of the Earth (your head). What is the phase of the moon? (full) Everyone on the dark side of the Earth can see a lunar eclipse.

Eclipses only happen when the sun, Earth and moon all line up.

Observe the Moon
Go outside at the same time on 3-5 successive days—daytime or nighttime—when you can see the moon. Each time, note the location of the moon and its phase. Draw the image of the moon you see on a sheet of paper. What do you see happening? Is it like the model you created?

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Phases of the Moon

Phases of the Moon

Phases of the Moon

Overview