Name: ________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________________
LCPS Core Experience | Space Investigation TWO
Space – Moon Phases
L ea rn ing Re view
Lesson One: Modeling the Moon’s Phases
Note: Each person will have an opportunity to be the “Earth” and draw
the phases of the Moon as seen from Earth.
1. The diagram to the right is used to represent the set-up on your desk.
5
6
7
2. Use the chart below to draw the part of the Moon that you
DO SEE at each position.
How Would the Moon Appear
What Phase is the Moon In?
New Moon
2
Waxing Crescent
3
First Quarter
4
Waxing Gibbous
5
Full Moon
6
Waning Gibbous
7
Third Quarter
8
Waning Crescent
Waxing = the moon is getting LARGER
2
8
1
3
Earth
3. Once you have drawn each phase of the moon, fill in the names for each
phase of the Moon.
Position
4
Waning = the moon is getting SMALLER
1
Sun
LCPS Core Experience | Space Investigation TWO
Learning Review
The Earth
1. Around what object does the Moon revolve? ___________________________
The Earth’s gravity keeps the moon in orbit around it
2. What causes the Moon to stay in orbit? _______________________________________________________
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New Moon
3. In what phase are you not able to see the Moon? ________________________________________________
4. Complete the Moon phase sequence:
Waxing Crescent
Waxing Gibbous
New Moon – _________________________
– First Quarter – _______________________
– Full Moon
5. Why, from Earth, do we see different phases of the Moon?
We see different phases of the moon because the moon reflects light from the Sun. The part of the
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moon that we see depends how much of the sunlit side of the moon is facing Earth.
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6. Explain what is happening in the picture to the right.
The moon revolves around the Earth while the Earth
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revolves around the Sun.
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7. A solar eclipse is when the moon passes
between the Sun and the Earth. The moon is
blocking the sunlight from reaching the Earth.
Draw a picture of this and label all the parts.
8. A lunar eclipse is when the Earth passes
between the moon and the Sun. The Earth is
blocking sunlight from reaching the moon.
Draw a picture of this and label all the parts.
9. Tides are the daily rise and fall of Earth’s waters on the shorelines caused by the gravitational pull between
the Earth, moon, and Sun. Which would have a greater effect on Earth’s tides, the moon or the Sun? Why?
The moon’s gravity would have a greater effect on Earth’s tides because it is closer to Earth than the
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Sun is.
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Space Investigation ONE
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LCPS Core Experience | Space Investigation TWO
10. There are two types of tides, spring tides and neap tides. Spring tides happen twice a month, when the Sun
and the moon are lined up. Draw two different pictures of what this would look like in the boxes below.
This combined gravity would create the STRONGEST or WEAKEST pull on the water. (Circle one)
Explain why:
Spring tides create the strongest pull on the water because the Sun, the Earth, and the moon are all
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in a straight line and the force of gravity is working or pulling in a straight line and direction.
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11. Neap tides happen twice a month as well. Neap tides happen when the Sun and the moon are at right
angles to each other. Draw two different pictures of what this would look like in the boxes below.
This combined gravity would create the STRONGEST or WEAKEST pull on the water. (Circle one)
Explain why:
Neap tides create the weakest pull on the water because the Sun, the Earth, and the moon are at
__________________________________________________________________________________________
right angles and the force of gravity is working or pulling in different directions.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Space Investigation ONE
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