Phases of the Moon
Explain the phases of the Moon as the changing angle of sunlight on the lunar surface as seen from Earth, and describe how solar and lunar eclipses occur
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If your child noticed the Moon looking like a thin crescent one night and a full circle two weeks later, could they explain what has changed and why — and describe what happens during a lunar eclipse?
Explain the phases of the Moon as the changing angle of sunlight on the lunar surface as seen from Earth, and describe how solar and lunar eclipses occur
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Check understanding
- Explains that the phases of the Moon arise from the changing geometry of Sun, Earth, and Moon, not Earth's shadow
- Describes the sequence of Moon phases over approximately 28 days
- Distinguishes between a solar eclipse (Moon between Sun and Earth) and a lunar eclipse (Earth between Sun and Moon)
“If your child noticed the Moon looking like a thin crescent one night and a full circle two weeks later, could they explain what has changed and why — and describe what happens during a lunar eclipse?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Space Systems & Earth's History
- Age range
- Ages 11–12
Standards