1. Do Now Title ISN p. 129, Characteristics and Origin of Our Moon.
On ISN p. 128, answer these questions:
How big do you think the moon is? Is the diameter of (distance across) the moon or the United States larger?
Take out your Moon Phase Calendar.

2. Agenda
Do Now
PowerPoint and notes on the Characteristics and Origin of the Moon.
Video of our moon’s origin.
Stations

3. The Moon’s Surface Craters: Large round pits on moon’s surface.
Created when meteoroids (chunks of rock or dust in space) hit the moon.
Maria: Dark, flat areas on the moon. Made of hardened rock formed from huge lava flows, 3 to 4 billion years ago.
Highlands: light colored features on the moon’s surface.

5. Characteristics
The moon is about 384,000 kilometers away from the Earth. That means we can fit 30 Earths in between us.
It is dry and airless.

6. Size and Density
The moon’s diameter, a little less than the distance across the United States.
1/4 Earth’s Diameter, 1/80 Earth’s mass
The moon’s average density is similar to the density of Earth’s outer layers.

8. Temperature and Atmosphere
The moon’s temperature ranges from 130°C to -180°C
It varies so much because it has no atmosphere
Why do you think the moon has no atmosphere? Talk with a neighbor.

9. Water
The moon has no water, but there is evidence that there may be ice near the poles.
Some areas are also shielded from light from crater walls, so it is cold enough for ice to remain.

10. Origin… what do you think?
Could the moon have formed elsewhere in the solar system and the Earth’s gravity pulled it in?
Was the moon formed near the Earth at about the same time?
This is what most scientists believe happened…

11. Collision-Ring Theory
A planet-sized object collided with Earth to form the moon.

12. Review
What is the relationship between the moon’s surface gravity, lack of an atmosphere, and temperature range?
How does the moon compare in size to the Earth?
Explain the various stages of the origin of the moon.

13. Exit Card
Draw a birds-eye view of spring tides.
Stations
Take the Self-Assessment (We’ll learn about the Our Moon tomorrow)
Check to see how you did based on the answer key in the front.
Complete the stations in the order of what you need to most to least work on.
Check your answers against the answer keys in the front of the room.