A⁺nticipatory Set

Have students journal on “Why don’t we see the moon every night?”  and “How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth?”

Answer:

There are times that the moon’s orbit places it in the daytime sky.

The Moon orbits the Earth every 28 days.

Objective (s)

Students will be able to write a short journal on the moon.

Students will be able to fill out a pre-visit KWL on Moon Phases

Procedures of Instruction

Make a KWL chart and have the students fill out only the sections K and W.

K=I Know …

Can be a list of moon phase names that they know.  The current moon phase, or best approximation.

W=I Wonder …

List the questions they students have on the causes of the moon phases.  They can also write about the way that moon phases are named and what their order is. 

Summary

Suggested readings

The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn Bradley

This works well as a story time book, have the students write additional items in the KWL.  Read up to the explanations sections (they are going to be used after the visit).

A⁺nticipatory Set

Have students journal on “Why don’t we see the moon every night?”  and “How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth?”

Answer:

There are times that the moon’s orbit places it in the daytime sky.

The Moon orbits the Earth every 28 days.

Objective (s)

Students will be able to write a short journal on the moon.

Students will be able to fill out a pre-visit KWL on Moon Phases

Procedures of Instruction

Make a KWL chart and have the students fill out only the sections K and W.

K=I Know …

Can be a list of moon phase names that they know.  The current moon phase, or best approximation.

W=I Wonder …

List the questions they students have on the causes of the moon phases.  They can also write about the way that moon phases are named and what their order is. 

Summary

Suggested readings

The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn Bradley

This works well as a story time book, have the students write additional items in the KWL.  Read up to the explanations sections (they are going to be used after the visit).

A⁺nticipatory Set

Welcome to the planetarium including safety rules and policies.

Objective (s)

Students will be able to develop understanding of moon phases.

Students will be able to identify 60% of moon phases on the first attempt.

Students will be able to identify 80% of moon phases on the first or second attempt.

Procedures of Instruction

Watch the presentation “The girl who married the moon”

Impress upon the audience that they will be doing the orange around the earth.

Have the students group by rows and hand out kits.  (Elementary presentations have moon pages with four already labeled.  Secondary has 2 labeled on their form.)

Use the ping pong ball to represent the moon and have one student play the Earth.  They need to place the ping pong ball between them and the flashlight and see how much of the moon is lit up (NONE THIS IS NEW MOON).  Then repeat with the earth between the flashlight and the ping pong ball (THIS IS FULL MOON).

Complete for the remaining positions.

Gather equipment and supplies.

Summary

During the current night sky presentation have the student identify the current moon phase and when it should be seen.

A⁺nticipatory Set

Welcome to the planetarium including safety rules and policies.

Objective (s)

Students will be able to develop understanding of moon phases.

Students will be able to identify 60% of moon phases on the first attempt.

Students will be able to identify 80% of moon phases on the first or second attempt.

Procedures of Instruction

Watch the presentation “The girl who married the moon”

Impress upon the audience that they will be doing the orange around the earth.

Have the students group by rows and hand out kits.  (Elementary presentations have moon pages with four already labeled.  Secondary has 2 labeled on their form.)

Use the ping pong ball to represent the moon and have one student play the Earth.  They need to place the ping pong ball between them and the flashlight and see how much of the moon is lit up (NONE THIS IS NEW MOON).  Then repeat with the earth between the flashlight and the ping pong ball (THIS IS FULL MOON).

Complete for the remaining positions.

Gather equipment and supplies.

Summary

During the current night sky presentation have the student identify the current moon phase and when it should be seen.

A⁺nticipatory Set

Have students fill in the L section of the KWL from previous class.

L= I Learned …

This area should be sort of like a journal for the students to write the about the items that they learned while in the planetarium.

Objective (s)

Students will be able to complete the KWL from the previous period.

Students will be able to make a moon phase necklaces.

Students will be able to arrange moon phases from New Moon to the end of the Moon phase cycle.

Procedures of Instruction

Finish Reading The Moon Seems to Change to the students.  Then give student a paper plate with a name of a moon phase on the back.  They are to color the plate to match the moon phase and then string yarn through the hole in the top to make a necklace.  The students are to then arrange themselves into order based on their moon phase.

1.        New Moon

2.        Waxing Crescent

3.        First Quarter

4.        Waxing Gibbous

5.        Full Moon

6.        Waning Gibbous

7.        Third (Last) Quarter

8.        Waning Crescent

9.        New Moon

Summary

After arranging themselves have the students arrange their plates on the bulletin board around a picture of the Earth showing pictures of the moon at different parts of it’s orbit.

A⁺nticipatory Set

Have students fill in the L section of the KWL from previous class.

L= I Learned …

This area should be sort of like a journal for the students to write the about the items that they learned while in the planetarium.

Objective (s)

Students will be able to complete the KWL from the previous period.

Students will be able to make a moon phase necklaces.

Students will be able to arrange moon phases from New Moon to the end of the Moon phase cycle.

Procedures of Instruction

Finish Reading The Moon Seems to Change to the students.  Then give student a paper plate with a name of a moon phase on the back.  They are to color the plate to match the moon phase and then string yarn through the hole in the top to make a necklace.  The students are to then arrange themselves into order based on their moon phase.

1.        New Moon

2.        Waxing Crescent

3.        First Quarter

4.        Waxing Gibbous

5.        Full Moon

6.        Waning Gibbous

7.        Third (Last) Quarter

8.        Waning Crescent

9.        New Moon

Summary

After arranging themselves have the students arrange their plates on the bulletin board around a picture of the Earth showing pictures of the moon at different parts of it’s orbit.