Get a free trial until June 30, 2026!
New members get full access to our science units, hands-on activities, mini-lessons, & more!

New members get a full, free trial through June 2026!
Back > Share
When can you see the full moon?
Spinning Sky Unit | Lesson 5 of 7
Back > Share

When can you see the full moon?

Spinning Sky Unit | Lesson 5 of 7
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
Video trouble?

DISCUSS (1 of 2):

How can you show the shape of the full moon with your arms?

Slide Image
This is what we thought. But the Moon doesn't always look like this.
Sometimes, the Moon DOESN'T look like a circle.

DISCUSS (2 of 2):

What OTHER shapes can the Moon look like?

Try making one of those shapes with your arms.

Video trouble?

DISCUSS:

What events happen over and over again on the same schedule?

Video trouble?

DISCUSS:

Suppose we watched the Moon night after night.

Do you think you'd see the Moon's shape change in a cycle?

Why or why not?

Video trouble?
Step
01/24
Get your supplies.
Video trouble?
Step
02/24
Find a partner. You and your partner will help each other make your
Moon Books.
Video trouble?
Step
03/24
Cut on the solid black line on your Moon Book sheet.
When you’re done, you’ll have two equal pieces.
Video trouble?
Step
04/24
Flip both pieces of your Moon Book over. Fold each piece in half, like
this, so that the words are on the outside. Make sure to line up the
corners and edges before you fold.
Video trouble?
Step
05/24
One folded paper has a TRIANGLE on it. The other one has a STAR.
Turn the papers so you can see the triangle and and the star. Set the
papers on your table, like this.
Video trouble?
Step
06/24
Fold each paper in half like a book. Be sure to match up the corners
and run your finger over the fold. After you have folded them, unfold
them both, like this.
Video trouble?
Step
07/24
Find the paper that has a STAR on it.
Set it on top of the paper that has a TRIANGLE on it.
Video trouble?
Step
08/24
Bring the ends of your pipe cleaner together to make a loop.
Then squeeze the sides of the loop together, like this.
You’ve folded your pipe cleaner in half.
Video trouble?
Step
09/24
Have your partner hold your book open. Slide one half of the pipe
cleaner into the middle of the book. The other half is on the outside.
Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together.
Video trouble?
Step
10/24
Write your name on the front of your book. Now you can watch the
Moon and draw pictures of its shape in your book. Those pictures will
help you remember all the moon shapes and when they appear!
Video trouble?

If you need a natural stopping point!

Teachers: If you are short on time, this is a good stopping point.

You can come back and finish your Moon Book later.

If you’re continuing right now, advance to the next slide.

Step
11/24
The full moon is round and bright. Look at the white circle on page 1
of your Moon Book. Let’s outline the shape of the full moon. With
your pencil, draw a line on the edge of the circle.
Video trouble?
Step
12/24
Turn to page 2. Use your pencil to outline where you see the bright
part of the Moon, like this. Then shade in the part of the Moon that’s
dark.
Video trouble?
Step
13/24
On page 3, use your pencil to outline where you see the bright part
of the Moon, like this. Then shade in the part of the Moon that’s dark.
When you’re done, make sure it looks like the Moon in our photo.
Video trouble?
Step
14/24
On page 4, use your pencil to outline where you see the bright part
of the Moon, like this. Then shade in the part of the Moon that’s dark.
Make sure the Moon in your book matches the Moon in our photo.
Video trouble?
Step
15/24
A few days later, the Moon is dark. The Moon is still there, but it looks
like it’s gone! On page 5, use your pencil to shade in the whole Moon
so it looks like our photo.
Video trouble?
Step
16/24
Use your Moon Book to see what’s happened with the Moon so far.
Start on page 1 where you drew the full Moon. Then look at the
Moon’s shape on page 2, page 3, page 4, and page 5. Discuss:
Video trouble?
Step
17/24
Here’s what we noticed. The bright part of the Moon got smaller and
smaller as the days went by. The Moon went from a bright circle, to
a half moon, to a crescent, and now it’s completely dark! Discuss:
Video trouble?
Step
18/24
Here’s what happened next. It’s a crescent moon again! But wait a
minute — compare this moon shape to the one on page 4. Discuss:
Video trouble?
Step
19/24
On page 6, use your pencil to outline where you see the bright part
of the Moon, like this. Then shade in the part of the Moon that’s dark.
Video trouble?
Step
20/24
On page 7, use your pencil to outline where you see the bright part of
the Moon, like this. Then shade in the part of the Moon that’s dark.
Video trouble?
Step
21/24
Turn to page 8. Use your pencil to outline where you see the bright
part of the Moon, like this. Then shade in the part of the Moon that’s
dark.
Video trouble?
Step
22/24
We took our last photo a few days later. That’s FOUR weeks after we
started taking pictures. Here’s what the Moon looked like. Discuss:
Video trouble?
Step
23/24
Now let’s look at what happened after the Moon was completely
dark. Start with page 5. Look at the Moon’s shape on page 6, page 7,
page 8, and page 1. Discuss:
Video trouble?
Step
24/24
Here’s what we noticed. The bright part of the Moon got bigger and
bigger as the days went by. The Moon went from completely dark, to
a crescent, to a half moon, and now it’s full again. Discuss:
Video trouble?
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Slide Image

Moon


1 of 8

a large round object that you can usually see in the night sky
Slide Image

full moon


2 of 8

when the Moon looks like a big, round circle
Slide Image

crescent moon


3 of 8

when the Moon looks like a tiny sliver
Slide Image

half moon


4 of 8

when the Moon looks like half of a circle
Slide Image

observe


5 of 8

to pay close attention to something
Slide Image

cycle


6 of 8

a set of events that repeats in the same order over and over
Slide Image

pattern


7 of 8

something that happens again and again and again in a way that can be predicted
Slide Image

predict


8 of 8

to guess what will happen based on things you know
🎉 That’s it for this lesson! How did it go?
Sign up now for more great lessons!
Sign up
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grade 1

Sun, Moon, & Stars

Moon Phases & Patterns

1-ESS1-1

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students explore all of the different shapes of the Moon that can appear on different nights. In the activity, My Moon Book, students observe photos of the Moon taken over the course of four weeks and draw pictures of the Moon's phases in their book. They use these observations to discover patterns in how the Moon’s shape changes and predict when the next full moon will appear.
Preview activity

I have a Mystery Pack

Moon Book printout Print 30 copies
Pencil
30 pencils
Scissors
30 pairs
Pipe Cleaners
30 pipe cleaners
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs.

Each student will construct a Moon Book. Then they will observe photos of the Moon taken over the course of four weeks and draw pictures of the Moon's phases in their book.

Plan Your Time

This is a long activity. If you have limited time, you can divide this lesson into two sessions. We have marked a natural stopping point after the construction of the book.

Part 1 (create a Moon Book) takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Part 2 (record observations of the Moon in your Moon Book) takes 15-20 minutes. Part 2 begins here.

Teacher Background

You may have heard the term “quarter moon” — the name astronomers use to describe the Moon when half its surface is bright. In this lesson, we have opted instead for the descriptive term “half moon" that matches what students see in the sky.

Exploration

15 mins

Hands-On Activity

35 mins

Wrap-Up

5 mins

Grade 1

Sun, Moon, & Stars

Moon Phases & Patterns

1-ESS1-1

Slow internet or video problems?
Credits