Modeling the Phases of the Moon

This article introduces a 5E lesson plan that models the phases of the moon from both the perspective of the Earth and the perspective of space. Using a "Mission from NASA" as a launching p... See More

This article introduces a 5E lesson plan that models the phases of the moon from both the perspective of the Earth and the perspective of space. Using a "Mission from NASA" as a launching point, students engage in a hands on investigation of the Earth, Moon, and Sun system. Different colored paper plates represent the Earth, Moon, and Sun inthis effective lesson engages students as they explore the phases of the moon. I really like this approach to teaching about the phases of the moon and I look forward to using this lesson with my students soon!

Moon-Phase Models

The relationship between the Earth and the Moon is Identified as a high-stakes topic in many school districts: (1) analyzing and predicting the sequence of events in the lunar cycle as viewe... See More

The relationship between the Earth and the Moon is Identified as a high-stakes topic in many school districts: (1) analyzing and predicting the sequence of events in the lunar cycle as viewed from Earth and space, and (2) representing the natural world using models, and identifying the limitations of those models. However, choosing lessons that address these topics by fully exploring how lunar phases look from two perspectives, Earth and space, can be a challenge. This article, nicely written, provides a new way to address the difficulty of the student being able to model and manipulate the Sun, the Moon, and Earth. It explains ways to help the student bridge the divide between their real-life, three-dimensional experience and two-dimensional assessments. I really liked the way this article addresses this difficult problem and feel that the teachers that use this "activity/approach" will agree.

Moon phases viewed from Earth and Space

This article describes activities used by a team of teachers seeking to address concepts in which students were not successful on state mandated tests. In this case the concepts were the pha... See More

This article describes activities used by a team of teachers seeking to address concepts in which students were not successful on state mandated tests. In this case the concepts were the phases of the moon and building and critiquing models. The activities are set in a problem based methodology. Students create 2D models from different perspectives and compare them. They then critique the models they have created and use them to solve the problem.