To Teach The Stars Workshops

DeKalb 4^th Grade Teachers Moon Phases Workshop Outline (45 minutes)

November 13, 2009

Pretest – Questions via Powerpoint on causes, shapes and names of Moon phases.

Real Research Pathways

The Scientific Method?? BAH HUMBUG! The real ways scientists research are demonstrated (Research Questions, Start with a Hypothesis or Theory, Make Observations and Analyze....THEN we do predictions, testing, etc.)

Here's a research question: Why did we bomb the Moon? (Discussion with photographs of LCROSS explosion)

Ping Pong Balls and The Sun

We go outside (early morning session) and hold the ball at arms length. Starting near the Sun we move the ball around us towards the left, seeing the sunlight causing phases of light on the ball. We identify known phases, including New and Full. It is noted that OUR own shadow (we represent Earth) does NOT fall on the ball, nor are there any clouds between eyes and balls, so neither is an acceptable situation to cause phases. (If the real moon is visible, we would match up the ball to the moon's location and duplicate the phase exactly).

Moon's visible surface

We discuss the bright and dark features (if seen during day or from general knowledge)

Bright and dark areas.

Moon Phases

Names for each phase, when they are visible.(see below, too)

Full Moon

Imaginary images seen (Man in the Moon, Women in the Moon, the Hare), and then checked against a real Full Moon photo.

Real Surface Features

Dark areas are Maria or Seas, with Latin Names. "Holes" are craters and named for scientists, religious and philosophical persons. Crater Rays, Mountains and other features shown.

Moon Phase and Orbital Period are not the same.

Difference between them due to Earth's motion.

The relevant GPS would be shown and discussed

Other things that would be added in a 90 minute session:

Crater survey -- examine large photomosaics of the moon and identify key parameters, creating a classification system for crater types.
Inquiry exercise: Make a crater with various spheres (marbles, mini-soccer balls, etc.) in a pan of flour and cocoa. Identify and test parameters that can be changed to recreate the crater classification system we found on the moon (adjusting velocity/height, angle of throw, type and size of sphere, surface composition, and more)
Returning to the Moon
Kinesthestically reproducing moon's motion around earth, then adding in Earth's motion around the Sun, reproducing the eclipses, and showing the moon's rotation rate.

To Arrange a Workshop

DeKalb 4th Grade Teachers Moon Phases Workshop Outline (45 minutes)

DeKalb 4^th Grade Teachers Moon Phases Workshop Outline (45 minutes)