Our Neighbor, the Moon!

Designed for grades K-5 and to be done at home or with small groups, this interactive multi-activity mini-course introduces children to the real science behind the phases of the moon and is customizable to the Northern or Southern hemisphere. The mini-course includes a richly illustrated story-based lesson as well as games, activities, and projects that appeal to all types of learners.

For all those children who love to stare at phases of the moon, there is now a way to teach them without memorization. An illustrated story helps teach children that what we see on any given night is the result of our line of sight and the relative positions of the earth, moon, and sun. Children re-enact the orbit of the moon and see for themselves how the positions of these three objects create the shapes we see in the sky. Children then convert their understanding of the three-dimensional objects to two-dimensional shapes in an additional hands-on experiment. Included Field Journal pages and links to online resources then help children create their own Moon Phase journals, and guide them in making their own observations. Finally, in the movement-based Moon Phase Bingo game, kids practice matching a three-dimensional situation with a two-dimensional moon phase image.

Most materials needed to complete the mini-course can be cut from the book itself (or, if preferred, downloaded and printed using an included link). The mini-course requires only a few additional common household items to complete the activities: light-colored ball, black marker, flashlight, paper, eight Oreo sandwich cookies, butter knife, colored pens, chalk, concrete for drawing (driveway, sidewalk, or playground), scissors, bingo card markers (e.g., pennies, pebbles, or poker chips), hat or pouch.

Upon completing the mini-course, children will be provided with links to additional online resources and will earn new concept badges for their Science Tool Kit (included in the mini-course)-including Moon Phases, Cycle, Maria and Terrae, and Orbit.