Phases of the Moon
Ages: 12-13
Duration of the project – 28 days or a month
Objectives
1. Learning by direct observation 2. Building observational skills 3. Challenging existing knowledge 4. Building ability to form understanding and expression of the same
Methodology
The teacher elicits what the students already know about the moon and the moon cycle. Also draws upon what they think they know. For example – the common notion is that the moon rises at night. Then having heard all their perceptions, the teacher asks the students to confirm their perceptions by actual observation over the next month.
The teacher does a daily check with the students....
Many hitches are likely to come up such as:
1. Students will not look for the moon in the day time 2. They will not know in which direction to look – East/ West/ Directly above. 3. Cloudy days 4. How to depict angle to the horizon? 5. How to differentiate between East and West in the observations?
The teacher also has to bring about focus to the shape and size of the moon.
1. At what time of the day did i see the moon? 2. What was its shape? 3. At what angle was it located? 4. Did i notice the rising and or setting of the moon? 5. At what time was it? 6. Did i notice variation in the time? Each day? 7. Why do i think the shape is changing each day?
Deeper observations will take us to:
1. Noticing the time of rising on Full moon day 2. What about New moon day then?
Notes for teachers :
It may be tempting for the teacher to state the facts. However it is more rewarding and pedagogically sound to let the students arrive at the understanding on their own.
It also is more valuable if the learning is individualized.