Academy Curricular Exchange
Columbia Education Center
Science

TITLE:  Phases of the Moon

AUTHOR:  Cynthia Giroux, Carminati Elementary, Tempe, Az.

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  4-6    Intermediate, Science/Language

OVERVIEW:  By reading with students about how the moon changes,
demonstrating the experiment, then letting students try the experiment
in cooperative groups, followed by having them demonstrate what
they've learned in written and illustrated form to others, the students
will be actively involved in learning about what causes the moon to
change as well as giving them opportunities to articulate what they've
come to understand.  Students learn by doing, but they retain what
they've learned by teaching it to someone else.

OBJECTIVES:  Students will acquire knowledge of how the phases of the
moon occur in planet and satellite rotation and demonstrate their
understanding by writing an explanation of what they did and how and
why it happens.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:  Franklyn M. Branley's The Moon seems to Change,
oranges marked with an 'X' on one side (1 for every 4-5 students),
pencils, flashlights, pencil and paper for writing and drawing.  A
poster illustrating the phases of the Moon.
  The Moon Seems to Change, Crowell Publishing, 1960.  Poster: Crowell
Publishing.  Scientific Recording Process: AIMS Activities in Math and
Science, Fresno Pacific
College- Project AIMS.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:  
  1.  Read The Moon Seems to Change as a motivation.
  2.  Demonstrate how to use the materials to do the experiment.
  3.  Have students do the experiment in cooperative groups, making
sure they identify each phase of the moon.
  4.  A discussion of what they saw as they did the experiment and
how the moon's rotation, as well as that of the earth and sun, effect
the phases of the moon that we see.
  5.  After discussion, demonstrate how they might write a description
of what they did and what happened at each phase(ie. supplies,
procedure, observation, cause/effect, and conclusion.)

  In addition to writing about what they saw, student
groups will demonstrate to the class, using illustrations.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  Students will be graded on
participation (15%)' written work (content 50%, mechanics 25%) and
illustrated demonstration (oral, dramatized or art work, 10%)

Click here to return to OFCN's Academy Curricular Exchange

Click here to return to OFCN's Academy
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Menu