EARTH-SUN-MOON SYSTEM

By, Jacquelyn Lesko & Nate Polich

Standard

MS ESS1-1.

Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.

Lesson Overview

After this lesson, the students will be able to:Model the positioning of the earth with the

relation of the sun to represent the four seasons.

Explain the occurrences of solar and lunar eclipses due to the specific locations of the earth, sun, and moon.

Describe the changing phases of the moon and why they occur.

List of Materials

PowerPoint Exploration Worksheets Guided notes Pencils Elaboration science journals Colored pencils Access to projector, computer/internet Foam ball on stick Lamp

Engage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47Wa7onrIQ&feature=share

Think-Pair-Share Create a list that describes what you

may already know or a description of what you see in relation to the video.

Explore 3 Centers about 5 minutes each (could be longer

in an actual middle school classroom setting)Station 1: Lunar Phases

○ Students will explore how the moon’s position changes how much we can see

Station 2: Eclipses○ Students continue to explore the moon to discover what

happens when it falls into shadow and casts a shadow on earth

Station 3: Seasons○ Students explore how the earth’s tilt and orbit about the

sun affects our seasons on earth

Explore Center #1: Lunar Phases

Explore Center #2: Eclipses

Explore Center #3: Seasons

Explain Have students share their observations from

the centers. PowerPoint

Many visuals and factual information that explains seasons, moon phases, and solar and lunar eclipses and why they occur.

Teacher’s verbal explanations. Guided notes

Students follow along with the explanations Check your understanding questions built

into guided notes.

Explain: PowerPoint

Explain: Guided Notes

Elaborate 1. What if man established communities on the

moon? How might their point of view be different from the point of view of those on earth during a solar eclipse? A lunar eclipse?

2. What if the moon revolved around the Earth’s poles instead of the Earth’s equator? What would the moon’s phases look like?

3. What if the Earth did not have a tilt along its axis? How would that effect the seasons? Students write and/or draw an explanation in their science

journals. Students volunteer to share their conclusions with the

class, which will stimulate a classroom discussion.

Evaluate

Students will be evaluated by:Teacher observationsExplorations worksheetsCheck your understanding questions during

explain.Elaboration science journals

Sources

http://www.education.com/files/121301_121400/121349/learning-moon-phases.pdf - moon phases worksheet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47Wa7onrIQ&feature=share – earth, sun, moon animation