Lesson Objective You will be able to demonstrate

Lesson Objective: You will be able to demonstrate and predict the sequence of events in the lunar cycle.

Why is there not a full moon every night?

The Lunar Cycle: • Caused by the moon’s orbit around the Earth. • As the moon orbits the Earth, its appearance looks different.

Partner Challenge! Draw as many possible shapes of the moon that you can think of!

What does “illuminate” mean?

Illuminating: • Illuminated = it’s lit up. • Unilluminated = not lit up (dark).

Sunlight & the Moon: • The Sun ALWAYS illuminates exactly half of the moon. • We can only see the part of the moon that is illuminated. • We see it at different angles as it orbits, so it looks a little different each night.

Waxing & Waning: • Waxing = When the light part of the moon is getting bigger. • Moving towards a “Full Moon”. • Waning = When the light part of the moon is getting smaller. • Moving towards a “New Moon”.

Waxing Moon:

Waning Moon:

Phases of the Moon: • Eight phases of the lunar cycle. • Each phase represents a different “lunar phase”, thus a different shape.

Phase 1: New Moon • Also called “Dark Moon”. • The Moon’s unilluminated side is facing Earth. • The Moon is not visible at all.

Phase 2: Waxing Crescent • Waxing = growing. • Crescent = less than half of the moon is illuminated.

Phase 3: First Quarter • Half of the moon is illuminated during the waxing period.

Phase 4: Waxing Gibbous • Waxing = Growing. • Gibbous = In between being half and fully illuminated.

Phase 5: Full Moon • The moon’s illuminated side is facing the Earth. • The entire moon is illuminated.

Phase 6: Waning Gibbous • Waning = Getting smaller. • Gibbous = In between being half and fully illuminated.

Phase 7: Third Quarter • Half of the moon is illuminated during the waning period.

Phase 8: Waning Crescent • Waning = Getting smaller. • Crescent = Less than half the moon is illuminated.

And then it begins all over again!! Each complete cycle takes roughly 28 days.

Waning means _____ while waxing means ______. A – growing, shrinking B – shrinking, growing C – changing, staying the same D – crescent, gibbous

Which phase of the moon is starred? A – Waning Crescent. B – Waning Gibbous. C – Waxing Crescent. D – Waxing Gibbous.

Which phase of the moon is starred? A – Third Quarter B – First Quarter C – New Moon D – Full Moon

What causes the different moon phases? A – The orbit of the Earth around the Sun. B – The orbit of the Sun around the Earth. C – The orbit of the moon around the Sun. D – The orbit of the moon around the Earth.

During which phase is no moon visible? A – New Moon B – Full Moon C – Waning Crescent D – Waxing Gibbous