lesson title: making a moon chart

process goals:

this activity allows students to . . .

observe apparent changes in the shape of the moon's lighted surface

collect data on the time of moonrise and moonset

measure the sun-earth-moon angle with meter sticks

estimate the time when the moon will rise / set / cross the meridian

infer why the moon appears to change shape

communicate by correctly using the terms:
waxing; waning; crescent; gibbous; full and new moon

predict the "six hour span" in which each of the following phases of the moon will first be above the eastern horizon:

new --- at ______________________________

waxing crescent --- between ______________________________

waxing gibbous --- between noon and 6 pm + / -

full --- at ______________________________

waning crescent --- between ______________________________

waning gibbous --- between ______________________________

identify each of the "six general phases" (above) by its shape

correlate sun-earth-moon angles with the "eight general phases"
0 degrees : a _____________ moon occurs when the s-e-m angle is 0 degrees
1-90 degrees : a wx crsc moon occurs when the s-e-m angle is 1-90 degrees
90-180 degrees: a _____________moon occurs when the s-e-m angle is 90-180 degrees
180 degrees: a _____________moon occurs when the s-e-m angle is 180 degrees
180-270 degrees: a _____________moon occurs when the s-e-m angle is 180-270 degrees
270-359 degrees: a_____________moon occurs when the s-e-m angle is 270-359 degrees

concept goals:

exploration lesson
students will keep a moon chart for a "moonth" (see processes above)
concept introduction
- compass directions: North - South - East - West
- the moon appears / seems to change shape
- sometimes the "right side" (west side) of the moon is lighted
- sometimes the "left side" (east side) of the moon is lighted
- sometimes the entire moon as seen from earth, is lighted
- sometimes none of the moon as seen from earth, is lighted
- sometimes the moon is in the east at
  * midnite-6 am --- * 6 am -noon --- * noon-6 pm --- * 6 pm-midnite
- some times the moon is in the west at
  * midnite-6 am --- * 6 am -noon --- * noon-6 pm --- * 6 pm-midnite
- people on the moon see earth phases - opposite in sequence to moon phases
concept application
See you next moonth --- i.e., students use this knowledge for the rest of their lives to predict the shape / time of "rising" / name the phase / sun-earth-moon angles
11 / 6m /95