Summary
Daniel explains all eight phases of the moon — new moon through full moon and back — using clear diagrams showing the moon's position relative to Earth and the sun. Covers why we see different amounts of the moon's lit surface across ~29.5 days.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
The moon's phases change because we see different portions of its sunlit side as it orbits Earth.
- Does the moon produce its own light? What lights it up?
- Put these in order: waxing crescent, full moon, new moon, first quarter.
- How long does one complete lunar cycle take?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: lunar cycle, phase, waxing, waning, crescent, gibbous, quarter, new moon, full moon.
Try it: Draw and label all eight moon phases in order around a circle. Add arrows showing the direction of orbit.