Summary
Why does the moon seem to change shape? This interactive-style video walks through the moon phases — new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, full — and offers ways to remember the order. Pairs well with a sky-patterns unit.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
The moon's shape follows a pattern we can predict.
- Why does the moon look like it changes shape?
- What are the names of a few moon phases?
- About how long does it take the moon to go through all its phases?
- What does “waxing” and “waning” mean?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: phase, crescent, quarter, gibbous, waxing, waning.
Try it: Observe the moon for a few nights and sketch its shape each time. What pattern do you notice?