Moon Motion Lab LESSON PLAN (INQUIRY)

Teacher: Miss Koshy & Mrs. McKee

Subject: Earth and Space Science

Standard: S6.C3.PO3. Explain the phases of the Moon, eclipses (lunar and solar), and the
interaction of the Sun, Moon, and Earth (tidal effect).
Objective (SWBAT): Model how the Moons motion creates eclipses, the Moon phases, and tides.
Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex):
State the differences between the waxing and awning phases.
Model the Moon phases using the Moon pop.
Model eclipses using the Moon pop.
Evidence of Mastery:
Students will complete the lab packet that requires them answer analysis questions
about the lab; a score of 40/50 indicates mastery.
Key vocabulary: Moon, Sun, Earth, umbra, penumbra, eclipse,
solar, lunar, orbit, waxing, waning, crescent, gibbous, full
moon, first quarter, third quarter, & new moon.

Materials: Moon motion lab handout, lamp, dark

paper, moon pops (non-translucent Styrofoam balls
on pencils), & writing utensils.

Explore

Engage/Set: We will be exploring how the moons motion impacts the moon phases and eclipses. Your head will be the
Earth, the Moon pop the moon, and the lamp is the sun.
Teacher Will:
Provide students with the required materials and
explain the objective and demonstrate how to hold the
moon pop. Give directions on what the students are
supposed to do and observe.

Student Will:
Listen to the instructions and follow along
with the teacher. Follow directions and observe the
results.

Elaborate

Explain

Co-Teaching Configuration/Differentiation
One teacher can give general directions while the other corrects individual students.
Teacher Will:
Describe how what the students are seeing and if
that is accurate to the actual sun, moon, Earth system.

Student Will:
Listen to the explanations of what they are
modeling.

Co-Teaching Configuration/Differentiation: Students can be given these main points on a separate piece of
paper if they have cognitive difficulties remembering information when only told verbally.
Teacher Will:
Students will answer analysis questions in pairs
that elaborate on the information gained from doing the
lab.

Student Will:
Complete the questions with the help of a
partner.

Co-Teaching Configuration/Differentiation
Students who need help structuring their sentences can receive sentence starters.

Evaluate:Students will be evaluated based on their lab packet grade, see evidence of mastery for more detail.