The Moon
COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will make observations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of the earth/moon/sun system. Objective: 3.02 Observe that objects in the sky have patterns of movement including: Sun, Moon,Stars. 3.05 Observe and record the change in the apparent shape of the moon from day to day over several months and describe the pattern of changes.
Earth in the Universe 3.E.1.1 Recognize that the earth is part of a system called the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons and the earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.
This is the moon . The moon travels around the earth in a circle called an orbit.
Click on this link and follow the directions from Zach!
http://nineplanets.org/luna.html
The moon takes 27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes, and 11.6 seconds to go all the way around the Earth . When the moon is orbiting the Earth, the Earth is also moving because it is orbiting the sun .
Click below to see a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47Wa7onrIQ&feature=related
The moon is 4.5 billion years old. The moon is about 250,000 miles from Earth. It would take 130 days to get there by a car!
The moon is not a light source, it gets its light from the sun. The sun always lights up one side of the moon.
The moon goes through different phases because of its rotation . The bright part of the moon is the part that the sun is shining on. The dark part is the shadow. This is very similar to day time and night time on planet Earth.
Click here to see a video on the moon phases:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXseTWTZlks
The moon goes through many phases .
We will explore the four main stages of the moon!
New Moon:
The new moon is when the moon and the sun are on the same side of the Earth. We see the part of the moon that is in a shadow, so the moon is dark. Then the moon moves around in its orbit.
Check out this video! It will show you great views of a new moon and some other cool things!
First Quarter Phase:
In the first quater phase the moon has gone 1/4 of the way around the Earth, We can see part of the moon that is lit by the sun- but part of the moon is still in a shadow.
Click this link to see a video about the quarter moon:
The Full Moon:
A week later, the moon becomes a full moon. On Earth we can only see the sunlit side.
Check out this animoto video to see pictures of the full moon:
http://animoto.com/play/PI81Rwqcr2VyHkzNuDwRkQ
Last Quarter Moon:
In this phase the moon is 3/4 of the way around the Earth. Only part of the moon is showing. A week from this phase the moon will become a new moon again- which we can't see!
The moon actually doesn't change!
It only SEEMS to change because the moon goes around the Earth. As it goes around we see more of it: Waxing Moon .When we see less of it: Waning Moon .
Check out this rap about the moon phases!
The moon is a very important part of our solar system.
The moon causes the tides, if it wasn't for the moon the ocean wouldn't have waves. The tides rise because of the pull of the moon's gravity.
There are many more things to learn about the moon! Have fun exploring!
Check out these websites for more moon fun and games:
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/astroskymap/lunar.htm
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/puzzlesquizzes/quizyournoodle-the-moon/
Resources:
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/moon/facts.htm
http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/lunar/education
http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/kids/moon_facts
http://nineplanets.org/luna.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47Wa7onrIQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXseTWTZlks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o7R0xJtYpE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22OtTZW-J3c
Games:
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/astroskymap/lunar.htm
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/puzzlesquizzes/quizyournoodle-the-moon/
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/earth/moons.htm
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/index.html
Pictures Courtesy of: