Vocabulary
Light & Illumination
Models & Scale
Phases & Observations
Patterns & Orbit
100

How is the moon defined?

What is A ROCKY SPHERE THAT TRAVELS AROUND A PLANET?

100

Does the Moon make its own light? Explain briefly.

What is NO; THE SUN ILLUMINATES/LIGHTS UP THE MOON?

What is NO; THE MOON REFLECTS LIGHT FROM THE SUN?

100

What is a model?

What is A DIAGRAM OR MODEL OR COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND SOMETHING BY MAKING IT SIMPLER OR EASIER TO SEE?

100

Name the phase when the Moon appears completely lit from Earth.

What is A FULL MOON?

100

About how many days does it take the Moon to orbit Earth once?

What is ABOUT 29 DAYS?

200

What does it mean to illuminate?

What is TO SHINE LIGHT ON AN OBJECT AND MAKE IT VISIBLE?
200

At any moment, how much of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun?

What is HALF OF THE MOON?

200

When a model is “________”, object sizes and distances are larger or smaller than in the real world but the same relative to one another.

What is "TO SCALE"?

200

Name the phase when the half of the moon facing Earth appears half lit.

What is A QUARTER MOON?

200

Why do moon phases follow a predictable order?

What is BECAUSE THE MOON'S PHASES/ORBIT AROUND EARTH ARE A PATTERN?

300

What is the terminator?

What is THE BORDER BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK ON THE MOON?

300

In what direction does light from the Sun travel?

What is IN STRAIGHT LINES?

300

What is a possible reason that a space model might NOT be to scale?

What is IT'S TOO BIG?

What is BECAUSE REAL DISTANCES IN SPACE ARE TOO LARGE TO SHOW IN A CLASSROOM MODEL?

300

Sunlight is coming from the left. The Moon is directly between the Sun and Earth. What would we see from the perspective of the Sun?

What is WE WOULD SEE THE ILLUMINATED HALF OF THE MOON?

300

TRUE or FALSE

The moon is not rotating on its own axis.

What is FALSE?

(The moon IS rotating on its own axis.)

400

What is an orbit?

What is THE NEARLY CIRCULAR PATH THAT A SMALLER OBJECT TRAVELS AROUND A LARGER OBJECT?

400

If the half of the Moon facing Earth looks dark, what phase is the Moon likely in?

What is NEW MOON PHASE?

The illuminated half is facing away from the Earth.

400

What is the purpose of the Moon Sphere Model?

What is TO HELP EXPLAIN WHY PART OF THE MOON APPEARS DARK FROM EARTH'S PERSPECTIVE?

What is TO VISUALIZE THE MOON PHASES?

What is TO VISUALIZE MOON'S ORBIT AROUND THE EARTH?

400

If the bright part of the Moon appears to shrink over several days, what does that mean we are seeing from Earth?

What is WE SEE LESS OF THE ILLUMINATED HALF OF THE MOON?

What is WE SEE A DIFFERENT PHASE OF THE MOON?

400

From Earth, what part of the Moon can we see?

What is ONLY THE HALF FACING US?

What is ONLY THE ILLUMINATED PART?

500

A pattern is...

What is SOMETHING WE OBSERVE TO BE SIMILAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN?

500

TRUE OR FALSE

Earth’s shadow is never the cause of the dark side of the moon. Explain.

What is FALSE; SOMETIMES IT IS THE CAUSE?

(Lunar eclipse - The Sun, Earth, and Moon align precisely so the Earth is between the Sun and Moon. The Earth blocks the sunlight, casting a shadow on the moon.)

500

TRUE OR FALSE

If a model shows the Moon further away from Earth than it is in real life, it is to scale.

What is FALSE?

For a model to be to scale, the sizes AND distances need to be the same relative to the real thing.

500

TRUE or FALSE

We can only see the half of the moon that is facing us. 

What is TRUE?


500

Explain why we see different moon phases over the course of a month.

What is AS THE MOON ORBITS EARTH, WE SEE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF THE ILLUMINATED HALF OF THE MOON?

What is THE MOON PHASES ARE A PATTERN?

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