Catharina Jensen

43282512

Lesson 9: Phases of the Moon

Year: 3
Prior Learning and Rationale: This lesson will introduce the students to the rotation of the Moon around the Earth and link this investigation
with the observable changes of the Moon in the nights sky through hands-on investigations (Inan & Inan, 2015). This lesson will also follow on
from the long-term science investigation of observing the changes of the moon over a period of a month (Lesson 3).
KLA (s): For links to other KLA areas click on QR code to the right or http://ech430thescienceofnightandday.weebly.com/ksk-and-curriculum-links.html
Science:
ST2-9ES: Describes how relationships between the sun and the Earth cause regular changes. (BOSTES NSW, 2012, p.55).
ST2-8ES: Describes some observable changes over time on the Earths surface that result from natural processes and human
activity (BOSTES NSW, 2012, p.55).
Use appropriate tools and equipment to collect and record data about some changes in natural conditions (BOSTES NSW, 2012,
p.55).
Whole class objective:
For the students to gain an understanding and be able to describe the relationship between the Sun, Earth and Moon by engaging in hands-on
learning experiences that investigate the observable changes of the Moon caused by the rotation of the Moon around the Earth and the rotation
of the Earth around the Sun (BOSTES NSW, 2012; Inan & Inan, 2015).
Resources & Equipment:
Classroom organisation:
On the floor as a whole
Light on stand
class, stand in circle, at
31 x Styrofoam ball on popsicle stick
desks. These three learning
One Interactive whiteboard (IWB)
areas will be visited at
Hands-on moon phases instructions- https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxvTvf396ZXTd1g1LVBwVkR0V2c
different times throughout
the lesson.
Phases of the Moon PowerPoint- https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxvTvf396ZXTenVtdEhaMG8xdDQ
Quarter Moon Phase Video- https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxvTvf396ZXTVXNZZ1V4N0pSV3c
Moon Investigation worksheet (Remind students to bring them in for this science lesson)https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxvTvf396ZXTOFVGSVNZcmp2LXc

Introduction: The students will be instructed to sit down on the floor as a whole class. The teacher will explain that today they will be learning
about the rotation of the Moon. The teacher will relate this lesson back to students prior knowledge by directing students attention to the word
wall. The teacher will put up a PowerPoint she created that is interactive and for the class to write the answers on the IWB. Throughout this
PowerPoint the teacher will pose questions to the students including; What does rotation mean? Do you remember what the Earth rotates
around? What does the Moon rotate around? Has the Moon been changing each night?, How? This use of questioning will encourage
students to link their prior learning to what they are going to learn in the lesson (Kermani & Aldemir, 2015; MacNaughton & Williams, 2009).
Body: The teacher will explain that the hands-on activity the class will engage in next will allow them to model how the phases of the Moon
occurs. This will be a teacher-led, hands-on learning experience. The light (representing the Sun) will be placed in the middle of the room. The
teacher will model actions that each student will copy. The teacher will hold the Styrofoam ball on a popsicle stick at shoulder height in front of
her face, about thirty centimetres away from her face and explain that the Styrofoam ball represents the moon and our head represents the
Earth. The class will work together to represent the eight phases of the Moons rotation. To see detailed instructions use link in resources
section called, Hands-on moon phases instructions.
Conclusion: The students will be instructed to come and sit down on the floor. The students will be asked, Do you know why the quarter moon
phase is called that? The teacher will play a video she created on the mathematics behind why the quarter moon is called a quarter moon when
the view from Earth is half a circle. The teacher will ask the students to think about how they can relate what they have learnt today with their
Moon observations. The class will make a mind map together on the IWB on the final PowerPoint slide. The teacher will instruct students to go
to their desks and finish their Moon investigation by writing in the results section, if they have not already done so and then write in the final
section, to explain their results. Students will be encouraged to use the mind map they had created on the IWB as a class, to scaffold them
(Charlesworth & Lind, 2011).
Differentiation of learning for individual children
Support:
Extend:
For student/s to learn about the rotation of the Moon around the Earth
For student/s to learn about the rotation of the Moon around the
by engaging in and being scaffolded throughout a whole-class, handsEarth by engaging in a whole-class, hands-on learning experience and
on learning experience (Inan & Inan, 2015).
encouraged them to problem-solve (Inan & Inan, 2015).
ATSI students and other students that need support will be scaffolded
The teacher will ask these students more complex questions that
by using visual aids e.g. PowerPoint and diagram, for the instruction
encourage them to think about the scientific process and use
(Hackling et al., 2015).
scientific language (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009).