5th grade

Unit 4: Position and Motion of Objects in the Sky

Moon Phase Writing Activity

GOAL

This activity is intended to be used after the students have investigated the cause of the Moon phases. Students will analyze two hypotheses of what causes the Moon phases and write argumentatively to state their opinion.

Big Ideas:

Objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns around the sun.

GLCE Content:

E.ST.05.22 Explain the phases of the moon.

GLCE Process Skills:

S.IA.05.12 Evaluate data, claims, and personal knowledge through collaborative science discourse about the position and motion of objects in the sky.

S.RS.05.11 Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and data regarding the reasons for the position and motion of objects in the sky.

BACKGROUND

  • The moon does not give off its own light.
  • The light we see is light from the sun that hits the moon’s surface and is reflected to Earth.
  • One full side of the moon is always lighted.
  • As Earth revolves around the Sun, the moon revolves around the Earth.
  • The moon takes a little less than 28 days to revolve around the Earth.
  • As the moon moves through its orbit around the Earth, its position in the sky changes. Because of this, the moon seemsto change shape from night to night.
  • The moon does not actually change shape. The shape we see depends on how much of the moon’s lighted half we can see from Earth.
  • These changes, or different shapes we see, are called moon phases.
  • The 8 different moon phases are: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last/Third Quarter, Waning Crescent (see diagram on back).

VOCABULARY

State Assessable: lunar, solar, revolution, rotation

MATERIALS

For each student: Moon Phase Writing Frame worksheet

PROCEDURE

  1. Go over the worksheet with the whole group. The worksheet has more detailed, clear instructions for the students.
  2. Allow children to discuss their ideas with others.
  3. Students should then work on developing their writing independently.

HOW TO INCORPORATE MORE INQUIRY

EXPECTED RESULTS

See Teacher Answer Key/s & Big Ideas

CONCLUSIONS

See Teacher Answer Key/s & Big Ideas

NAME ______

Moon Phase Writing

You are helping two of your friends prepare for a test on the phases of the Moon. Here is how they explain the causes of the phases:

Friend #1: “It depends on how much of the Moon is in the Earth’s shadow.”

Friend #2: “Sunlight hits the Moon at different angles, lighting different amounts.”

Do you agree with either student? ______

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IF SO, which student do you agree with and why? ______

______

______

Why is the other student not right? ______

______

______

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IF NOT, explain why you do not agree with either student. ______

______

______

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, use the writing frame on the next page to write how you would explain the cause of the Moon phases to your friends.

NAME ______

What causes the Moon Phases?

Writing Frame

There is a lot of discussion about the issue of what causes the Moon phases. My decision is that the Moon phases are caused by______

______.

My decision is based on the following evidence. (Evidence is information learned through observation or from a trustworthy source.)

First, ______

______

Second, ______

______

Third, ______

______

People who disagree (object) with my decision might say that ______

______

I still think ______

because ______