Dana Franey

LS 2000/3000
Final Lesson Plan
Anchor Assignment
Grade 5
I.

Academic Content Standards- Earth Science 5B. 5-ESS1-22: Represent data in graphical
displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and
night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
Prior Learning: The students have learned all 8 planets and their order; Mercury, Venus, Earth,
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
II. Unit of Study- This lesson will address the phases of the moon along the importance of
these phases, the order of the moon phases, and importance of these phases.
I. Academic Learning Outcomes- Students will make one Moon phase each, put their moon
phase in order with the rest of their groups phases (6 students), and present them as a group
to the class. By doing this, students will be able to memorize the phases of the moon, their
order, and what they look like .
II. Implementation
1. Introduction to Lesson (the hook)- Okay class! Today we are going to use milks
favorite cookie to learn the phases of the moon. Oreos! Does anybody know any of the moon
phases? (Students respond). Well today we are going to learn about the 8 different moon
phases that occur every month. We are going to divide into groups of 4, and use Oreos to
represent each moon phase! Who's ready? (Students respond.)
2. Sequence of Activities- Alrighty class! So I am going to divide you into groups of 4 for
this lesson. (2 girls and 2 boys). Does anybody remember how many moon phases I said their
were every month? (Students respond). Thats right! We experience 8 moon phases every month.
So that means each student will be using 2 Oreos to represent 2 moon phases. Now, at your
tables I have passed out 12 Oreos just in case one crumbles or breaks, 2 paper towels per student,
2 spoons per student, and 4 worksheets that show each moon phase, a picture of it, the name of
it, and its order in comparison to the other phases. On each of your seats I have put 2 pictures of
the moon phase you will be creating, so that no one does the same phase. Any questions so far?
(Students respond). Alright so now I am going to tell you how we are going to demonstrate a
moon phase with just a cookie! Sometimes when we open up an Oreo into two haves, icing is on
just one side, while other times, the icing is on both sides. So I am going to demonstrate how to
properly twist an Oreo so that all the icing is only on one side. (Demonstration). Once you have
properly divided your cookie into two halves, you are going to put it down on the paper towel,
cream side facing up. You are going to recreate the moon phases by scraping off the cream of the
cream half of the cookie, onto the paper towel or onto the frostless half of the cookie, until your
cookie and icing match the phase on the pictures youre representing. Once you have completed
the two moon phases given to you, go ahead and wash your hands, clean up the area that you
used, and see if anyone else in your group may need help. Remember not to do it for them
though. Once your entire group has completed their representations of the moon phases, I am
going to pass out a worksheet to each group that shows the order they go in. You will then, as a
group, place your cookies in order along your table. Clean up everything else other than the
moon phases, so that the only thing left on the table are the cookies that became moons. Wash

hands, and meet back at the carpet when your finished! (I assign students into groups, and they
go to their tables and work.)
3. Closure- All right class, so we've now learned about the planets, and we now know the
cycles of the moon! Who can tell me one of their favorite phases they learned? (student answers)
And who knows what phase comes after that? (students answer) Alright, let's go ahead and go
back to the tables we were working at. Since their are 4 students per group, and 4 materials we
used, 2 of you are going to clean up anything that may have dropped on the floor, and the other 2
group members will each clean up the materials used. (Paper towels, cookies, plastic spoon,
pictures of the moon phases). Once you and your group are done, lets meet back on the carpet to
get ready for lunch.
III. Assessment- Ask students to share what they see when they look at the Moon. Have them
share the different shapes they have seen it in, and draw them on the board.
IV. Materials- Paper towels, 12 cookies per group, plastic spoon, and pictures of each moon
phase.