Emily Harvey 1
University of Richmond
Earth Science Lesson Plan
Introduction
◊ Lesson topic: Moon phases
◊ Length of Lesson: 30 minutes
◊ VA Standards of Learning
◊ Science 4.7 - The student will investigate and understand the relationships among the Earth,
moon, and sun. Key concepts include
◊ a) the motions of the Earth, moon, and sun (revolution and rotation);
◊ b) the causes for the phases of the moon
Learning Objectives
Students will:
◊ Correctly identify the eight phases of the moon
◊ Be able to describe how the moon phases occur
Teaching and Learning Sequence
◊ Introduction/Anticipatory Set
◊ Powerpoint Review Session – Show Powerpoint, ask questions to the students about
each phase. 8 Phases of the moon, New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing
Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Waning Crescent
◊ Lesson Development –
◊ Explain that the students will now create their own moon phases
◊ Pair the students to allow space to move
◊ Turn on light bulb in middle of room
◊ Ask first partner to stand with their nose facing the light bulb
◊ Explain they are at “noon”, they are the planets and their nose is their hometown
◊ Have students turn around until their noses are at midnight
◊ Hand out lunar lollipops (one to each pair)
Emily Harvey 2
University of Richmond
◊ Explain that the lunar lollipops (moons) should be held at an arm’s length away from
head and that they are going to go through the phases of the moon similar to the real
moon
◊ Demonstrate how the Earth rotates counterclockwise, holding a moon out so the
students can see
◊ Call out each phase of the moon, watching each student carefully for accuracy of moon
phase
◊ a. new moon - moon is between the sun and the earth and they see the shadowed side
of the moon.
◊ b. waxing crescent - rotating from a new moon toward a first quarter, backwards "c"
shape will appear on the moon.
◊ c. first quarter - right half of the side of the moon facing earth is lit. The right shoulder is
point towards the sun.
◊ d. waxing gibbous - rotating from a first quarter to a full moon.
◊ e. full moon - earth is between the moon and the sun, the entire lit side of the moon is
visible on earth, (students' backs are to the sun and moons are lifted up to be lit).
◊ f. waning gibbous - rotating from a full moon to a last quarter, less and less of the moon
is lit each night
◊ g. last quarter - left half of the side of the moon facing the earth is lit, left shoulder is
pointing to the sun.
◊ h. waning crescent - rotating from a last quarter to a new moon, a "c" shape of light is
seen on the left side of the moon.
◊ Repeat with second partners
◊ Turn classroom lights back on.
◊ Ask students to be seated.
◊ Closure –
◊ Explain to the students that they will draw the moon phases into their science notebooks
◊ Hand out a sheet of 8 circles to paste into notebook
◊ Have the students shadow the moon phases into each circle
Emily Harvey 3
University of Richmond
◊ Explain to the students to label each phase to the side of the circle.
Homework
◊ The students will complete a writing prompt in their science notebooks: Today you
were a planet. If you had a moon, what would you name it? What would it look like?
Assessment
◊ Formative – View each student as they follow the lunar lollipops’ phases’, correct
positioning of the “moon” when necessary. View writing prompts in science notebooks
for completion.
◊ Summative – Grade moon phase notebook entries. Look for accurate shadowing of the
moon, appropriate titles of each phase, and correct sequencing.
Resources
Lunar Lollipops (2000.) Retrieved Feb 18, 2010 from Windows to the Universe Web site:
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/teacher_resources/lunar_edu.html
Appended Materials
Content Organizer
SOL and Curriculum Framework Essential Understandings and Essential Questions
Science 4.7 - The student will investigate and understand the relationships among the Earth, moon, and
sun. Key concepts include a) the motions of the Earth, moon, and sun (revolution and rotation); b) the
causes for the phases of the moon
Emily Harvey 4
University of Richmond
Materials and Advanced (Pre-Lesson) Preparation
◊ So That’s How the Moon Changes Shape! by Allan Fowler
◊ 25 3”styrofoam balls
◊ 25 tongue depressors
◊ Hot glue gun
◊ Circles for Moon notebook entries (25 copies of 8 circles)
◊ Gluesticks
◊ Science notebooks available
Essential Knowledge (To Include Content Information and Vocabulary)
Identify eight phases of moon
◊ New moon
◊ Waxing cresent
◊ First quarter
◊ Waxing gibbous
◊ Full Moon
◊ Waning gibbous
◊ Last quarter
◊ Waning cresent
Connections – Cross-Curricular and Real-World
English 4.7 The student will write effective narratives and explanations.
a) Focus on one aspect of a topic.
English 4.8 The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and
sentence structure.
Differentiated Instruction Organizer
Alternate Method(s) Alternate Method(s)
Lesson Instructional Method
to to
Components Originally Planned
Assist Students Challenge Students
Emily Harvey 5
University of Richmond
Major Concepts Identify eight phases
of moon
Vocabulary Terms ◊ New moon Add:
◊ Waxing Lunar eclipse
cresent Solar eclipse
◊ First quarter
◊ Waxing
gibbous
◊ Full Moon
◊ Waning
gibbous
◊ Last quarter
◊ Waning
cresent
Activities Read book, move Pair students with Pair with students
through the phases challenge students with difficulty so
of the moon with to receive that students may
“lunar lollipop” assistance in the assist the position
moon activity of other student’s
positioning moon
Assessments Complete shadowing Have moons Remove word
of moons in science preshaded before bank, require
notebooks with word pasted in notebook students to use
bank available for memory to label
labeling
Emily Harvey 6
University of Richmond
WANING CRESENT WAXING CRESENT FIRST QUARTER
WAXING GIBBOUS NEW MOON LAST QUARTER
FULL MOON WANING GIBBOUS
