Name: Mallory Weast

Class: ELED 3221

Date: 3-6-16
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Moon Phases
_____________________________________________________________________________
Central Focus/Big Idea: Astronomy
Subject of this lesson: Moon Phases
Grade Level: 4th grade
NC Essential Standard(s): 4.E.1.2 Explain the monthly changes in the appearance of the moon,
based on the moons orbit around the Earth.
Next Generation Science Standard(s):
MS-ESS1-1. Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic
patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving- Students construct their own
scientific understanding and develop their scientific process skills by asking scientific questions,
designing and conducting investigations, constructing explanations from their observations, and
discussing their explanations with others. Collaboration- Students work collaboratively with
others, both in small and large groups, in their science classroom.

Academic Language Demand

Language Function: By the end of this lesson students should be able to explain what the
moon phases are and why they exist.
Analyze

Argue

Categorize

Interpret

Predict

Question

Scientific Vocabulary:
-new moon
-waxing
-first quarter

Compare/contras
t
Retell

Describe
Summarize

Explain

-full moon
-waning
-third quarter
-crescent
-gibbous
Instructional Objective: Students should be able to independently explain what the moon
phases are and why they exist as well as the moon cycle. To show they understand the concept,
students will need to get 80% accuracy on the final activity.
Prior Knowledge (student): Students should know that the moon goes through a cycle.
Content Knowledge (teacher): The phases of the Moon depend on its position in relation to the
Sun and Earth. As the Moon makes its way around the Earth, we see the bright parts of the
Moon's surface at different angles. These are called "phases" of the Moon. The moon phases are
produced by the alignment of the moon and the sun in the sky. The moon is illuminated because
it reflects the light from the sun. The part of the moon facing the sun is lit up. The part facing
away from the sun is in darkness. The phases of the moon work in a cycle starting with the new
moon. A complete cycle of the Moon's phases from new Moon to full Moon takes twenty nine
and a half days. The phases of the moon in order are new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter,
waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent. The new moon
occurs when it is positioned between earth and the sun. After the new moon, the sunlit portion is
increasing, but less than half, so it is waxing crescent. Waxing is always bright on the right side
and waning is always dark on the right side. The first quarter happens when the moon is at a 90
degree angle with the earth and the sun. After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still
increasing, but now it is more than half, so it is waxing gibbous. At a full moon, the earth,
moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new moon, but the moon is on the
opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us. After the full moon
the light beings to decrease which then leads to the waning gibbous. The third quarter also
happens when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with the earth and the sun. Following the third
quarter is the waning crescent, which wanes until the light is completely gone -- a new moon.
Accommodations for special needs (individual and/or small group): For ELL I will provide
them a handout with the information on it in their native language. For any student with hearing
or eye sight issues I will place them at the front of the classroom so they can hear and see the
teacher a little better. I will also place them with a partner that is responsible and can provide
them any assistance if needed.
Materials and Technology requirements:
-Oreos (8 for each student)
-foldable
-pencils/pens
- toothpicks
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV-BPLKjQB4
Total Estimated Time: 45 minutes-1 hour

Source of lesson:
http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/moon/phases.html
http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases.phtml
Safety considerations: I will make sure no student is allergic to the oreos. I will precut the
foldables so we dont have to take the time to cut them and use scissors. Students are not to poke
each other with toothpicks.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage: We will have short true/false quiz about the moon phases and the moon cycle. The
teacher will say the statement and the all the students that think it is true will raise their hand,
followed by all the students that think the statement is false.
1. The moon goes through six stages as is travels around the Earth. These are called phases.
False, the moon goes through eight phases.
2. When the moon is all in shadow it is called a full moon. False, At a full moon, the
earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new moon, but the
moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is
facing us.
3. Waxing and waning are terms used to describe the phases of the moon. True
4. One cycle of the moon phases takes 29.5 days. True
Explore: ? I will give all of the students 8 regular Oreos and some toothpicks. With the
toothpicks they will carve out one moon phase in each Oreo and then put the moon phases in the
correct order. Students will focus on what they see and how this determines what phase of the
moon cycle they are in. What phase does the moon cycle start with? What is the difference
between waxing and waning? What is the different between the new moon and the full moon?
What three things are needed for the moon cycle? How long does it take for the full moon cycle
to take place?
Explanation: Together we will go through the moon phases that the students have made with
their Oreos. The students will describe what each phase of the moon looks like and then identify
the term that goes along with the moon phase. As we go through all of the phases I will ask the
students questions to get them to identify the pattern of the moon phases. What happens at each
phase of the moon cycle? What is different from the new moon and the waxing crescent? What is
different from the waxing crescent and the first quarter? What is different from the first quarter
and the waxing gibbous? What is different from the waxing gibbous and the full moon? What is
different from the full moon and the waning gibbous? What is different from the waning gibbous
and the third quarter? What is the different from the third quarter and the waning crescent? What
is the difference between the waxing phases and the waning phases? What is the difference
between the new moon and the full moon? Is there a pattern you have recognized that goes from
phase to phase? This section will be more of a student led discussion.

Elaborate: Students will watch a video about the moon phases. I will stop the video as we go
and have the students identify the moon phase. What is this phase called? What is the next
phase? How do you know? What pattern goes throughout the moon cycle?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV-BPLKjQB4
Evaluate: I am going to give the students a foldable with eight different flaps. They will write
the name of the moon phases in order on the flaps and then write a sentence or two describing
the moon phase and what it looks like. Then they will draw a picture illustrating the moon phase.
Each student will do this assignment individually. My formative assessment will be all of the
questions that I ask throughout the lesson. My summative assessment will be the foldable that the
students created. To show that they understand the concept they will need to get at least 80%
accuracy. For each phase the student could get a total of 5 points, all in all the total could be 40
points. For the sentence describing the phase the student could receive a total of 3 points. For the
illustration the student could receive a total of 2 points.
To be completed after the lesson is taught as appropriate
Assessment Results of all objectives/skills:
Reflection on lesson:
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________