California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Moon Phases
We are the world! Each of your class members models Earth and holds a styrofoam ball to see its phases. Thorough teacher background information and a detailed lesson plan will make this a cinch to teach. If you do not want to purchase...
Curated OER
The Sun, Moon, and Our Solar System: Teacher/Student Notes
Introduce basic Earth and space science to your budding astronauts. This handout works in two ways, the first part provides information about the sun, moon, eclipses, and Earth to be read to or by the class. The second part is composed...
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Oreo Moon Phases
Learning about the moon has never tasted delicious! Using the popular Oreo cookie as a model, young scientists carve out the cream filling to represent the different phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Demonstrating Moon Phases
Third graders participate in a demonstration of the moon's phases. For this moon phase lesson, 3rd graders watch as the teacher demonstrates moon phases with a bright light and a Styrofoam ball. They answer questions associated with the...
NASA
Moon Phases and Eclipses
Starry-eyed astronomers draw different views of the Moon in order to introduce its phases. Then they experiment with a ball and a lamp to recreate the phases. A demonstration ensures every pupil understands the process, and the...
Curated OER
Moon Phases
Sixth graders investigate the phases of the moon. In this moon phase lesson plan, 6th graders discover that the moon changes in a cycle as it orbits Earth. Students label pictures of moon phases and keep a moon phase journal. Students...
Curated OER
Take Your Class to the Moon
Get your kids talking about our lunar neighbor with these hands-on lessons.
Space Awareness
Sun, Earth and Moon Model
The moon orbits Earth while the Earth is rotating, and the Earth revolves around the sun. This can be a tricky concept for young astronomers. Implement an activity that helps distinguish between the movements of Earth's systems around...
Curated OER
Moon Phase Flip Books
What better way to study the moon phases than to see them in action? The directions on the handout only have kids cut out and tape on the moon phases to make the flipbook, but it would be even more powerful to include the name of each...
Science 4 Inquiry
Phases of the Moon
The moon takes just over 27 days to orbit around Earth. Young scientists position themselves as the earth as they rotate around the sun and hold the moon. This allows them to observe the patterns and phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Moon Phase Stations
Third graders investigate the moon. In this Earth science lesson, 3rd graders discuss the moon phases and how every 4 weeks the moon cycles through these phases.
Curated OER
Moon Phases
Students model moon phases and observe how it changes. In this investigative lesson students use a model to demonstrate the different phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Lunar Learning
Students learn about the phases of the moon. In this moon phases instructional activity, students learn about what causes the moon to look different to us everyday and how the Earth and Sun's position determine what phase the moon is in.
Curated OER
Moon Phases, Day/Night
Fifth graders observe a demonstration that shows how the alignment of the sun, moon, earth relate to the phases of the moon that occur each month. They describe the moon's phases after experimenting in a small group setting and recording...
Curated OER
Moon Phases
Students engage in a study looking for the differences found during the cycle of one lunar month. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Then the information is used to construct a lunar calendar to observe daily changes and...
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Charon, the largest of Pluto's moons, was discovered in 1978. Lesson is a walk through of how to solve for the phases of Charon. It uses two different points on Pluto and takes into account the tilt of the pole, the rotational axis, and...
Curated OER
A Moon with a View
Third graders explore the rotation of Earth and the moon. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders participate in an Earth and moon simulation in which part of the class "becomes" the sun, while other children represent the moon by...
Curated OER
Moon
Students discover scientific facts about the Moon and how
some American Indian Tribes used the moon to measure time.
They accomplish this by listening to stories and poetry, writing
stories, communicating with an astronaut,...
Curated OER
Blue Moon
Students explore information about the moon. In this trans-disciplinary lesson plan, students first listen to a picture book about the moon, then create an accompanying art project to illustrate a blue moon. Finally, the students write...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan # 1 - Phases of the Moon
Students explore and identify moon phases, watch teacher demonstration of different phases using globe and flashlight to represent moon and sun, and discuss reasons why there are moon phases.
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon: Cooperative Learning
Third graders examine the phases of the moon. In this moon phase instructional activity, 3rd graders listen to a read aloud of The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley and discuss the phases of the moon. They complete a moon phase...
NASA
When Do Lunar Eclipses Happen?
Who needs the daylight to simulate a lunar eclipse? Astronomers model the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon to explain the necessary conditions for a lunar eclipse. Investigators cut and label a paper plate to represent the Earth and...
Curated OER
Clip the Face
Young scholars discover the moon's phases and the rarity of eclipses. In this lunar lesson, students view a video titled Spin Around the Solar System: A Moon Dance, which demonstrates the key differences between a lunar and solar...
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Learners read "The Moon Seems to Change" and conduct an experiment with oranges to demonstrate the phases of the moon. They write about the experiment and describe each phase of the moon.