Phases of the Moon a short,focused research project for the primary grades

Both texts are used with permission from the publishers: Excerpted from the work entitled Phases of the Moon, by Gillia M. Olson, © 2007 by Capstone Press, an imprint by Capstone. All rights reserved. Faces of the Moon Text copyright 2009 by Bob Crelin Illustrations copyright 2009 by Leslie Evans Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc. 85 Main Street Watertown, MA (617)

When you look at the moon, how does the shape seem to change over time? Teacher Tip Provide a well crafted focusing question.

Pull What does the new moon look like? How do you know? Pull What does the author mean when he says, "and we can't see her, night or day "? What does the new moon look like? What does the NEW MOON look like? The moon phases start with the new moon. The new moon looks all dark. p.8 The Moon’s first phase, we call it NEW- when Moon’s between the Sun and you. her sunlit side is turned away, and we can’t see her, night or day. Pull Now, use one of your black circles to show how the new moon looks. Will you need to use your chalk? Why? How do your notes compare to the picture in the book? Teacher Tip When working with complex text repeated reading can increase comprehension.

Students show their understanding of the text by shading a black circle. The set of circles will become their notes for this research project. Teacher Tip Use photos, drawings or objects to take notes.

This is the new moon. It looks all dark. Teacher Tip Model the process by writing together.

Pull What does a crescent moon look like? What does a CRESCENT MOON look like? The next phase looks like a banana. It’s called a crescent moon. p.10 A few days pass, and Moon’s less shy; her smile lights the twilight sky. The more her sunlit surface shows, the more Moon’s WAXING CRESCENT grows. Use the eraser to show what the moon looks like. Pull Now, use a black circle and chalk to show how the moon looks. How do your notes compare to the picture in the book? Pull Everyone smile! Why does the author tell us that this phase looks like the moon is smiling? What shape is a smile? How will you remember what the word crescent means?

The moon seems to be getting b igger. Then comes a crescent moon. It looks like a smile or a banana.

Pull What does the quarter moon look like? What does the QUARTER MOON look like? Then the moon looks like half of a circle. This phase is a quarter moon. p.12 We notice Moon’s FIRST QUARTER phase around the count of seven days. Her western half’s so brightly lit- right down the middle, Moon looks split. Use the eraser to show what the moon looks like. Pull Now, use a black circle and chalk to show how the moon looks. How do your notes compare to the picture in the book? Pull The poem says, "the moon looks split". What does that mean? How could these words help you to draw this phase?

The moon seems to be getting b igger. Then comes a quarter m oon. It looks half lit up. Teacher Tip Write in "chunks".

Pull What does the gibbous moon look like? Pull What does "nearly round" mean? With your fingers show me what round looks like. Now show me what "nearly round" looks like. How will you draw a moon that is nearly round? What does the GIBBOUS MOON look like? The next phase is a gibbous moon. It looks like a circle with a crescent cut out. p.14 Now WAXING GIBBOUS, fat with light, she’s nearly round- up late at night. Use the eraser to show what the moon looks like. Pull Now, use a black circle and chalk to show how the moon looks. How do your notes compare to the picture in the book? Teacher Tip Have children use their bodies to develop and show understanding of text.

The moon seems to be getting b igger. Then comes the gibbous moon. It looks like a circle with a smile cut out.

Pull What does the full moon look like? Can you tell from the words? Maybe the poem will make it clearer… What does the FULL MOON look like? Next, you see all of the sunlit side. It is a full moon. p.16 The FULL Moon ['s], big and bright and round, with not a shadow to be found. Use the eraser to show what the moon looks like. Pull Use your chalk to show a moon that is big and bright and round. How do your notes compare to the picture in the book? Pull The author tells us that the full moon is big and ______ and _______. How is that different from the gibbous moon? Phases of the Moon told us why the full moon is round and bright. Listen to those words again. Can you can tell me why the full moon is bright?

Now the moon is r eally big and bright. Then there is a full moon. It looks all lit up and round.

Look at your notes. What pattern do you see? How will the moon look next? Why do you think so? When you look at the moon, how does the shape seem to change over time?

Pull What important information do we get on this page? Look at the pictures you have drawn so far. What pattern do you see? What shape do you think will be next? Why do you think that? What pattern do you see? It’s a Pattern! After a full moon, you see less and less of the sunlit side. Then there is a new moon again. P. 18 Pull Phases of the Moon doesn’t tell us much about the next phase, but our poem does. You have gotten to be excellent word detectives. Let’s see if we can finish our note sheet using the poem and what we have learned so far about the pattern of the phases of the moon.

The text in Phases of the Moon, led many students toward a misunderstanding. A close reading of Faces of the Moon was needed to extend and clarify the pattern. "It's a Pattern!" What most students thought...

What does the MOON look like? Once past full, the shadows start to darken Moon’s most western part. and later each night she’ll embark: the WANING GIBBOUS Moon. Look at your notes. Use them to help you draw how you think the moon will look next. Pull Our research says that the moon phases are in a pattern. How could that help us to figure out how the moon looks? Use your chalk to show your thinking. How do your notes compare to the picture in the book? Have we seen this shape before? What is the same and what is different? Now WAXING GIBBOUS, fat with light, she’s nearly round - up late at night. Do you remember this part of the poem? Pull It’s hard to get a picture in our heads from those words. I hear the words "dark" and "shadow", so I know the moon is getting darker, but not how much darker. But I remember that we read another part of the poem about the "gibbous moon". Let's reread that stanza. What do you think this phase of the moon looks like? Teacher Tip Model how to connect parts of a text to deepen meaning.

earlier response... This is the gibbous moon. It looks like a full moon with a crescent cut out of it.

Pull What phase is this part of the poem about? ا We have read about the quarter moon before. Listen carefully as I reread that part of the text. What do you hear that will help us draw this phase of the moon.? What does the MOON look like? At Moon’s LAST QUARTER of her trip, her eastern half is brightly lit. Look at your notes. Use the words and the pattern to help you draw how the moon will look next. We notice Moon’s FIRST QUARTER phase around the count of seven days. Her western half’s so brightly lit- right down the middle, Moon looks split. Do you remember this part of the poem? Pull Now, use a black circle and chalk to show how the moon looks. How do your notes compare to the picture in the book?

Then comes the quarter moon. It looks like a full moon with one half cut out. earlier response...

A few days pass, and Moon’s less shy; her smile lights the twilight sky. The more her sunlit surface shows, the more Moon’s WAXING CRESCENT grows. What does the MOON look like? From early dawn to morning blue, her crescent grin is smiling through. Poised high above the morning dew is WANING CRESCENT Moon Look at your notes. Use the words and the pattern to help you draw how the moon will look next. Do you remember this part of the poem? Pull Now, use a black circle and chalk to show how the moon looks. How do your notes compare to the picture in the book? Pull What phase is this part of the poem about? What did the author tell us the crescent moon look like before? Listen carefully as I reread the text. What word does the author use this time that means the same thing as "smile".?

The moon seems to be getting s maller. Then comes the crescent m oon. It looks like a grin.

What phase of the MOON is next? Then Moon returns where she’d begun, to hide between our Earth and Sun, and though this orbit now is done, next month she starts anew. Pull Let’s look at the illustration of the moon in the book. Were you able to figure out how the moon looks from the pattern and the words? How did you work like an astronomer? Look at your notes. Use the words and the pattern to help you draw how the moon will look next. The Moon’s first phase, we call it NEW- when Moon’s between the Sun and you. her sunlit side is turned away, and we can’t see her, night or day. Do you remember this part of the poem? Pull The author says that the moon is "hiding." If she is hiding, can we see her? Which phase do you think this part of the poem is about? Why? What familiar word do you hear in “anew”? What might “anew” mean? What does this part of the poem tell us about the pattern of the moon's phases?

Now it's a new moon again, and we can't see her night or day! Recalled from the first stanza of the poem:...her sunlit side is turned away, and we can’t see her, night or day.

Now we have finished our research on all of the phases of the moon. ِ Arrange your circles in order. Look at all the notes you have taken. What patterns do you see?

The same set of "3 dimensional" notes can be used to record research, reinforce concepts and assess understanding. Teacher Tip Notes that can be manipulated allow students to construct understanding, much the same way manipulatives do in math.

Let’s look at the data we have collected from observing the moon at night. Does this show us the same thing? Let’s go back and see if we can write down the answer to our research question…

When you look at the moon, how does the shape seem to change over time? At first, the moon appears to be getting bigger. The shape of the moon seems to change over time.

When you look at the moon, how does the shape seem to change over time? After the full moon, the moon appears to be getting smaller.

Assessment: Students glue their notes in order to show the pattern over time. Then they cut and paste to label each phase. Teacher Tip For younger children, explore ways students can work with print even before fine motor skills are well developed.

It's a pattern!

Teacher Tips f or successful short, focused research projects Provide a well crafted focusing question Use text dependent questions and repeated reading to help students develop strategies for reading complex text Take notes: use photos, drawings, objects Model by writing together Chunk the writing Have children use their bodies Model how to connect texts and parts of a text Notes can be manipulatives Explore multiple ways to work with print

Thanks to the K-1 students at The Blue School!