Moon Phases
Subject / grade level: Phases of the Moon – 4rd Grade
Materials:
7 Oreo cookies for each student, 1 plastic spoon for each student,2 napkins per student, enough worksheets for each student, internet/computer and projector (BrainPOP), and The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
NJ State Science Standard:
5.4.4.A.2 Identify patterns of the Moon’s appearance and make predictions about its future appearance based observational data.
Lesson objective(s):
Students will be able to explain why the moon has phases, explain what the moon looks like in each phase, and understand the correct order in which the different phases occur.
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
Students that may need extra help grasping the concept may use a manipulative chart of the moon phases to guide them during the activity. They may also be paired with students who will be able to help them understand better.
ENGAGEMENT
· I will start the lesson by engaging students in a do-now. The do-now will be up on the board and it will be the following riddle: I am round. Sometimes I’m light. Sometimes I’m dark. Sometimes I’m both. Many people want to walk on me but few ever will. What am I?
· Following the riddle I will explain to students that today we will be learning about the moon and the different phases it goes through.
· Next, I will read The Moon Book to the class out loud.
· After reading the book students should be asking themselves: What are moon have phases and why does the moon have them? What causes the p phases? How long does it take the moon to go through a lunar cycle? Why can we see the moon? Why does the appearance of the Moon change over time? Can this “change” be predicted? How long does it take the moon to orbit around the earth?
EXPLORATION
· I will then move into a BrainPOP video on the phases of the moon. Students will answer the questions as a class. (http://www.brainpop.com/science/space/moonphases/)
· After the video, I will ask for the students help as I draw a diagram on the board on what the moon phases look like. This will also act as a guide for the next activity.
· Students will then move into the Oreo activity. For this activity, students will carve out the cream in Oreo cookies with a spoon to represent the different phases of the moon. The white cream will represent the light side of the moon and the chocolate cookie will represent the dark side of the moon. The will place their “moon cookies” on the worksheet provided for them in the correct order. Before giving students instructions, teacher should model exactly what she wants students to do.
· Students will use their diagram to help them answer questions on a worksheet.
Source: http://www.pawneeschools.com/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/4e6199b98dd88/PhasesoftheMoonCookieActivityFREE-1.pdf
EXPLANATION
· After doing the activity, the students will come gather on the carpet. Here is where we will have a discussion about the activity and I will be able to listen to students explanations.
· I will ask students:
· What did you learn today?
· What did the cream/cookie represent?
· How long is a lunar cycle?
· Where is the moon look like when it is a gibbous/crescent?
· What does a new/full moon look like?
· Why do you think we did this activity today?
· Why can we see the moon some days even during sunlight?
Interpret the role the moon has played in human history
ELABORATION
· To elaborate and extend on this lesson, I will have students keep a moon journal for one month. Every night they must go out and observe the moon and keep track of what it looks like in a journal (specific notebook used only for this project since it will be collected). They must answer questions such as: Why can we see the moon in the daytime on some days? Can we predict the nightly appearance of the Moon? The journal and questions will be handed in at the end of the month.
· To elaborate even further I will have students work in groups and create a Wikispace page. Here they will describe the differences of what the moon looks like from Earth and what they think Earth may look like from the moon.
· Students will be able to answer the questions: Why does the moon have different phases? How is our perspective from earth different than if we were viewing the sun, earth, and moon from outer space above earth?
EVALUATION
· Students will demonstrate their understanding of why the moon has phases, what the moon looks like in each phase, and their understanding of the correct order in which the different phases occur through verbal discussions, worksheets, the Wikispaces project, and the moon journal/questions.
Materials:
7 Oreo cookies for each student, 1 plastic spoon for each student,2 napkins per student, enough worksheets for each student, internet/computer and projector (BrainPOP), and The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
NJ State Science Standard:
5.4.4.A.2 Identify patterns of the Moon’s appearance and make predictions about its future appearance based observational data.
Lesson objective(s):
Students will be able to explain why the moon has phases, explain what the moon looks like in each phase, and understand the correct order in which the different phases occur.
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
Students that may need extra help grasping the concept may use a manipulative chart of the moon phases to guide them during the activity. They may also be paired with students who will be able to help them understand better.
ENGAGEMENT
· I will start the lesson by engaging students in a do-now. The do-now will be up on the board and it will be the following riddle: I am round. Sometimes I’m light. Sometimes I’m dark. Sometimes I’m both. Many people want to walk on me but few ever will. What am I?
· Following the riddle I will explain to students that today we will be learning about the moon and the different phases it goes through.
· Next, I will read The Moon Book to the class out loud.
· After reading the book students should be asking themselves: What are moon have phases and why does the moon have them? What causes the p phases? How long does it take the moon to go through a lunar cycle? Why can we see the moon? Why does the appearance of the Moon change over time? Can this “change” be predicted? How long does it take the moon to orbit around the earth?
EXPLORATION
· I will then move into a BrainPOP video on the phases of the moon. Students will answer the questions as a class. (http://www.brainpop.com/science/space/moonphases/)
· After the video, I will ask for the students help as I draw a diagram on the board on what the moon phases look like. This will also act as a guide for the next activity.
· Students will then move into the Oreo activity. For this activity, students will carve out the cream in Oreo cookies with a spoon to represent the different phases of the moon. The white cream will represent the light side of the moon and the chocolate cookie will represent the dark side of the moon. The will place their “moon cookies” on the worksheet provided for them in the correct order. Before giving students instructions, teacher should model exactly what she wants students to do.
· Students will use their diagram to help them answer questions on a worksheet.
Source: http://www.pawneeschools.com/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/4e6199b98dd88/PhasesoftheMoonCookieActivityFREE-1.pdf
EXPLANATION
· After doing the activity, the students will come gather on the carpet. Here is where we will have a discussion about the activity and I will be able to listen to students explanations.
· I will ask students:
· What did you learn today?
· What did the cream/cookie represent?
· How long is a lunar cycle?
· Where is the moon look like when it is a gibbous/crescent?
· What does a new/full moon look like?
· Why do you think we did this activity today?
· Why can we see the moon some days even during sunlight?
Interpret the role the moon has played in human history
ELABORATION
· To elaborate and extend on this lesson, I will have students keep a moon journal for one month. Every night they must go out and observe the moon and keep track of what it looks like in a journal (specific notebook used only for this project since it will be collected). They must answer questions such as: Why can we see the moon in the daytime on some days? Can we predict the nightly appearance of the Moon? The journal and questions will be handed in at the end of the month.
· To elaborate even further I will have students work in groups and create a Wikispace page. Here they will describe the differences of what the moon looks like from Earth and what they think Earth may look like from the moon.
· Students will be able to answer the questions: Why does the moon have different phases? How is our perspective from earth different than if we were viewing the sun, earth, and moon from outer space above earth?
EVALUATION
· Students will demonstrate their understanding of why the moon has phases, what the moon looks like in each phase, and their understanding of the correct order in which the different phases occur through verbal discussions, worksheets, the Wikispaces project, and the moon journal/questions.
oreo_lesson.doc | |
File Size: | 225 kb |
File Type: | doc |