Armadillo Ray

In the classroom/library:

Moon phases and facts - Third grade

Goals: The use of literature to introduce facts and phases of the moon.

Questions:
What is the moon made of? How far away is the moon? How old is the moon? What creates the moon's glow? What causes the moon's changes/phases?

Curriculum:
Science:
Arizona Standard 6 - Earth and Space Science 6SC-F4: Students will identify and understand the moons patterns and movements.

Objectives:
Students will listen to Armadillo Ray.
Students and teacher/librarian will discuss facts and phases of the moon.
Students will demonstrate the moon's phases.

Instruction:
1. Students will listen to Armadillo Ray.
2. Discussion focusing on answers to the above questions.
3. Have students demonstrate the phases of the moon.
4. Explain the moon's phases as you turn 360 degrees.

Observations and Student Demonstration:
Each student will have 2" Styrofoam ball on a pencil. In the center of a darkened room place a bright un-shaded lamp. The lamp represents the sun, the Styrofoam ball is the moon and the student represents the earth.
1. Hold the ball directly between you and the light. The ball should be blocking the light. This represents a solar eclipse.
2. From where you are standing, move the ball below or above the light, this will represent the new moon at 0 degrees.
3. Counter-clockwise (to your left) move slowly while observing the changes of the shadow on the ball. Stop at 45 degrees, this is a waxing crescent.
4. Move to the 90 degree position, this is the half moon or first quarter.
5. Move to 135 degrees, ¾'s of the moon should been seen. This is a waxing gibbous.
6. Move to 180 degrees, observe the full moon. If the student's body is blocking the light, this can represent a lunar eclipse.
7. Move to 225 degrees, the moon will be ¾'s full or waning gibbous.
8. Move to 270 degrees, half moon or last quarter.
9. Move to 315 degrees, waning crescent.
10. Move to 360 degrees or 0 degrees, this is the new moon and the cycle begins again.

Materials:
Armadillo Ray by John Beifuss
Pencils
2" Styrofoam balls
A bright un-shaded lamp

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