HOMEWORK CORNER

TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2011
Today

Oreo Moon Phases

During the month of May, 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.” Invite your child to create the 8 phases of the Moon using Oreo

cookies.

In this activity, you and your child will learn about the Moon’s phases using Oreo

cookies!

What You Need:

4 Oreo cookies

Paper towel

Plastic knife, spoon or popsicle stick

Phrases with Phases song sheet

What to Do:

Twist open the Oreo cookies and remove the cream with the knife, spoon or

popsicle stick so that it looks like the pictures below.

Place the cookies in order in a line to represent the order of our Moon’s

phases.

Point to and name the different phases with your child while singing the

Moon phase song – Phrases with Phases.

Parent Prompts:

What are the different phase names – can you place them in order?

What phase is the Moon in tonight?

How does the Moon’s appearance change?

Which phase will the Moon change to next?

Phrases with Phases SONG

Lyrics by Becky Nelson, The Lunar and Planetary Institute

Sung to the tune The Ants Go Marching . . Moon phases and important terms are in capital letters.

Each Moon phase marches COUNTERCLOCKWISE —

Now, let’s start . . .

The FIRST PHASE is the NEW MOON that we see as DARK.

Then next the WAXING CRESCENT shines

A LITTLE LIGHT upon the RIGHT,

And after that’s the

QUARTER MOON, where the

RIGHT HALF’S LIGHT.

Following is WAXING GIBBOUS on the RIGHT,

Where the LIGHT continues SPREADING and becoming bright.

We’ll be HALFWAY through the phases soon,

With the FULLest, brightest, biggest MOON,

Just before the DARK creeps

On the RIGHT

Of a WANING MOON.

The WANING GIBBOUS phase is when the LIGHT will SHRINK,

Then what will be the next phase after that, you think?

It’s once AGAIN a QUARTER MOON,

But the DARK HALF’s now upon the RIGHT,

And the LEFT side is the

One’s that’s BRIGHT!!

Did you get that right?

The next phase is the LAST phase where there’s just a spark

Of light, so WANING CRESCENT appears ALMOST DARK!

The Moon is really magical,

When it’s WAXING, WANING, NEW OR FULL.

And it COULDN’T SHINE at all

WITHOUT…….

THE SUN’S……..bright light!!