Exploring Moon Phases
Learning Objective
I can describe the patterns of the Moon’s phases.
Key Concepts
The moon appears to change shape a little bit every night, which are called phases, because we see different amounts of the moon lit up by the sun.
The cycle of lunar phases begins with the new moon, when the moon appears completely dark, and ends with the full moon, when the moon is the biggest and brightest.
The phases of the moon in order are: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 5 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. What causes the Moon to appear to change shape throughout the month?
2. The word 'month' comes from what other word?
3. What does 'waxing' mean when describing a phase of the Moon?
...and 2 more questions
Educational Video
Phases of the Moon: Astronomy and Space for Kids - FreeSchool
Free School