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47658/Moon's Motions Modeling the Moon’s Motions 47658 KIT CONTENTS ITEM QUANTITY/VOLUME DESCRIPTION 1 10 Sun models (yellow balls) 2 10 Earth models (blue and black balls) 3 10 Moon models (white and black balls) 4 10 Moon reference markers (white ball with black dot) 5 10 Zip-lip plastic storage bags 6 30 Screw caps 7 1 set of 3 Transparencies 8 1 pad of 100 “Orbit of the Moon” sheets (legal sized) 9 1 Instructions (this booklet) Teacher’s Guide — pages 1 -18 Student Guide and Worksheets (reproducible — pages S1 - S12) Additional materials needed (not included in kit): Flashlights (optional) Masking tape Pencils Overhead projector (for transparencies) Washable marking pen, to fill in answers on transparencies TOPICS/OBJECTIVES • To model the motion of the Moon. • To observe the effects of the Moon’s motions on Earth-bound observations. • To discriminate between rotation and revolution. • To understand the difference between a lunar month and a sidereal month. INTRODUCTION This kit uses a combination of teacher-directed lessons and student activities to help students understand the motions of the moon and how to interpret them. Primarily, students will learn about the phases of the moon, as well as the difference between a lunar (synodic) month and a sidereal month. Teaching tools provided in this kit include: • transparencies for the teacher to use as part of his/her classroom lessons; students are provided with blank hard copies of the transparencies, to fill in and take notes on during the lecture/discussion. • small models of the Sun, Earth, and Moon, which students manipulate as part of their activities. • worksheets with analysis questions, to be completed by students at the end of each activity. These are designed to test students’ understanding of the concepts modeled during each activity. Generally, you should plan on spending one 40-minute class period for each activity. This will allow time for the activity and any related discussion or analysis. If desired, the questions at the end of each activity can be completed as homework. This kit contains enough materials for 10 groups of students. For the student activities, groups of 2-3 are recommended. p.1 SK04561-00 PRIOR TO CLASS 1. Read through this Teacher’s Guide and the Student Guide to familiarize yourself with the activities. 2. Make photocopies of the Student Guide and Worksheets (pages S1-S12 of this booklet; one per student or lab group) for distribution. 3. Prepare introductory lesson(s) for students. This kit includes three instructional transpar- encies, as well as a glossary and short introductory notes for the teacher to use as a guide. You may want to supplement this information to more thoroughly cover terminology, historical background, overall concepts, etc. Additional lesson suggestions are listed below, under the “General Suggestions For Use” heading. 4. Organize and assemble materials for each student group. Each group will need: • 1 yellow ball (or flashlight), to represent the Sun • 1 blue and black ball, to represent the Earth • 1 white ball with black dot, to represent the Moon in Student Activity #1 • 1 black and white ball, to represent the Moon in Student Activity #2 • 3 screw caps, to hold balls in place • 1 zip-lip plastic bag, to store materials • 1 copy of the Student Guide (you may want to make additional copies of the Questions for each activity, if you prefer that students complete these individually) • 1 “Orbit of the Moon” sheet (from the legal sized pad) GENERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR USE • Advise students that the diagrams they receive and the notes that they take during the lesson(s) are the only resources that they will be allowed to use during the lab investiga- tions. This encourages students to pay attention, take notes, and work with each other to successfully complete each lab task. • As part of your introductory lesson(s), you may want to present historical information that is pertinent to the activities in this kit. Suggested lessons include information on geocentric versus heliocentric models of the solar system and how various cultures interpreted the phases of the Moon, etc. This provides an opportunity to address the science history component of the National Science Education Standards. • This kit includes three transparencies. Use the transparencies in a lecture/discussion format to introduce students to the concepts of lunar (synodic) months vs. sidereal months and the motions of the Moon and Earth. Transparency #1 can be used to illustrate occulta- tion and the difference between a sidereal month and a lunar month. Transparency # 2 can be used to illustrate the changing times of moonrise as a result of sidereal motion. Transparency #3 can be used to illustrate the phases of the Moon, as well as the phases of Earth as viewed from the Moon. A key for each transparency is provided in the Teacher’s Guide. Students have blackline copies of each transparency in their Student Guide. As you go through your lectures, have students take notes and fill in the blanks on their blackline copies. • In the student activities, a medium sized blue and black ball is used to represent the Earth; a large yellow ball is used to represent the Sun; and there are two models used to repre- sent the Moon: a small white ball with a black dot marked on it, to help illustrate the rotation of the Moon as it revolves around the Earth (Activity 1), and a small black and white ball, to illustrate phases of the Moon (Activity 2). For your more concrete operational students, you may wish to replace the yellow Sun model with a flashlight. This helps some students better understand that the Moon’s light is reflected sunlight, and that the apparent size and shape of the Moon as viewed from Earth are a function of the Sun, Earth, and Moon’s positions relative to each other. p.2 SK04561-00 SUGGESTED LESSON OUTLINE 1. Initial Lesson on Occultation, and the Difference Between a Lunar and Sidereal Month Present a lesson on occultation and the difference between a lunar and sidereal month, using the notes on page 5, Transparency #1, and/or any other materials you desire. The key for Transparency #1 is on page 6. The student blackline copy of this transparency is on page S2. Using the key as your guide, fill in the blanks on the transparency as you teach your lesson, and have students fill in the blanks and take notes on their blackline copies. 2. Classroom demonstration — Modeling the Moon’s Motions In this teacher directed activity, two students, representing the Earth and Moon, respec- tively, model the motions of each of these bodies relative to the Sun (represented by a third student). The students properly position themselves with respect to one another and then rotate and revolve, as appropriate. The rest of the students in the class observe this activity and use it as the basis for Student Activity #1, described below. Step-by-step instructions for this activity/demonstration are on pages 7-8. 3. Student Activity #1 — Modeling the Moon’s Motions In this activity, students basically repeat the demonstration described above. This time, however, they manipulate the models of the Sun, Earth, and Moon that are provided in this kit. By using the models to demonstrate one complete revolution in the Moon’s orbit, students illustrate one complete sidereal month. Teacher instructions for this activity are on page 8; student instructions are on page S3. The key to the Student Worksheet for this activity is on pages 9-10 of the Teacher’s Guide. 4. Lesson on The Changing Times of Moonrise as a Result of Sidereal Motion Present a lesson on the changing times of moonrise, using the notes on page 11, Transparency #2, and/or any other materials you desire. The key for Transparency #2 is on page 12. The student blackline copy of this transparency is on page S6. Using the key as your guide, fill in the blanks on this transparency as you teach your lesson, and have students fill in the blanks and take notes on their blackline copies. 5. Lesson on the Phases of the Moon Present a lesson on the phases of the Moon and the related terminology, using the notes on page 13, Transparency #3, and/or any other materials you desire. The key for the phases of the Moon is on page 13. The student blackline copy of the phases of the Moon is on page S7. Using the key as your guide, have students fill in information for the phases of the Moon. After you have presented your lesson on the phases of the Moon, use Transparency #3 as you present a lesson on viewing the Moon’s orbit from various perspectives. The key for Transparency #3 is on page 14. NOTE: Students should not fill in their blackline copies of this transparency during the lesson; they will fill this in as part of the Student Activity #2 (described below). 6. Student Activity #2 — The Phases of the Moon and the Earth In this activity, students place Sun, Earth, and Moon models in the proper positions on the “Orbit of the Moon” worksheet, and then manipulate the models. By observing the models from various points along the orbit of the Earth, students are able to observe the various phases of the Moon in one complete lunar or synodic month. Students also observe the models from other points of reference in space. p.3 SK04561-00 GLOSSARY The following terms are among those used in the lessons/activities discussed in this kit. By the end of all of the activities, students should have a good understanding of these terms.
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