Moon Phases: Oreo Lab - Science ROCKS!!!



Moon Phases: Oreo Lab

Classroom Set

During a month, the part of the Moon that we see in the sky changes shape. It passes through different phases, growing from New Moon to Crescent to First Quarter to Gibbous to Full, and then decreasing in the amount that we see from Earth that is illuminated until it is back at New Moon again. Each of these stages is a “phase.”

Materials:

1. 8 Oreo cookies

2. Pencil

3. Black construction paper

4. Templates

5. Plastic utensil

Health Alert:

Do not place Oreos on the table! Keep the Oreos on the clean surface provided.

Procedure:

1. Each group (4 students) will receive only 8 Oreo cookies.

2. Turn your paper so that it is landscape. Put your full heading and title on the paper.

3. Place and label the sun and Earth on your paper. The sun should be on the far right of your paper. The Earth should be in the center of your paper. Be sure to leave room on the paper for the moon phases.

4. Color the Earth and Sun appropriately.

5. Separate your cookies carefully, so that ½ of the cookie has ALL of the frosting and the other ½ of the cookie has NO frosting.

6. Use your utensil to scrape off the frosting from the first cookie, making a shape of the waxing crescent. The cream centers will represent the lit portion of each Moon phase

7. You will continue using the butter knife to scrape off the frosting for each of the moon phases. (How will you represent new moon?)

6. Observe one phase (cookie) at a time and continue all phases are represented.

7. When each phase is represented, call teacher over for initial.

8. Be sure to dispose of the cookies in the way your group feels is the most appropriate.

9. Draw in each phase and your groups paper into the basket.

10. Clean your area. Make sure that the tables have been cleaned completely. NO MOON CRUMBS on the tables or floor.

Questions: Please use complete sentences.

1. Describe what happens to the Moon as it goes from position one to position eight.

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2. Why does this change occur?

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3. How long is one cycle of phases?

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4 Why does the same side of the Moon always face Earth?

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5. What is the source of the Moon’s light?

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6. What keeps the Moon in orbit around the Earth?

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7. Describe the shape of the Moon’s orbit around the Earth.

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Templates

Use the following templates to complete your construction paper diagram. Position 1 would be the new moon, ending with position 8 as the waning crescent.

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First Quarter

Waning Gibbous

Full Moon

Waning Crescent

Last Quarter

Waxing Gibbous

New Moon

Waxing Crescent

OREO

Lunar Cycle Lab

Table # _______

Name 1: _______________________________

Name2: ________________________________

Name3: _______________________________

Name4: ________________________________

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