A "Moonth" of a Phase

Guiding Question: What are the phases of the moon? Why do they occur?

When investigating the simulation, the moon clock, and/or the model, what did you notice about the phases of the moon? Why do we see different parts of the moon each night?

First thing that I notice about the moons is that they are all shaded in half because one side is facing the sun but then then the other side is not, so it is darker. So they all then seem the same from above. But when you are standing on earth it is differnt sometimes its half, sometimes full, or none at all. But that is the reason we see differnt parts of the moon each night, because th moon is rotating around the earth and at differnt points different parts of the moon is facing the sun, so we then see the part that the light is hitting on the moon.

How well did making a model help you understand the phases of the moon? What are some disadvantages of using models?

The models did not help as much I think really it just got me confused. But doing the pictures and drawing the moons helped me more, because I got to do all the drawing and shading and then everything made more sense to me. And once the pictures made sense to me so did the models we were doing. So I had a 2d visual on my paper and then I had a real life visual right in front of me. So drawing my observations really helped.

Scientists are thinking all the time about how they can make models of objects that are too small or too large to see: Can you think of another way to make a model to represent the various phases of the moon?

I can't think really of any but when someone is trying to explain something to me it would be awsome if I were actually there and I am with it apart of it. Because it would sort of be hard to actually do that in my opinion instead they could make a 3d movie!



What is a lunar month?

The time between successive new or full moons, equal to 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes.

Guiding Question: How does the title of Earth’s axis affect the light received by Earth as it revolves around the sun?

Hypothesis:

I think that it will have more light when either the south or northern hemisphere is facing the sun. Because it is summer at that time, depending on which hemisphere you have the June Solstice in Northern hemisphere and December solstice in the southern hemisphere. Also during summer it is hotter, more sunlight, more heat, and also longer days. And its winter when one of the hemispheres are not facing the sun. When its colder, not as much heat, and less sunlight.

Observations:

The Northern Hemisphere in summer:

-there is more light on the northern hemisphere so it is summer there, and there is less sun facing the southern hemisphere so it is winter there

- In there northern hemisphere because its summer the tooth pick has a longer shadow, but it is winter in the southern hemisphere so there is a shorter shadow

-Because the northern hemisphere is facing the sun around that time it is called the June Solstice so the days are longer in Northern hemisphere, but in the southern hemisphere the days are shorter

The Northern Hemisphere in winter:

-There is less light facing the Northern hemisphere so it is winter there, but in the southern hemisphere there is more light so it is summer there

-There is a shorter shadow in the northern hemisphere because it is winter and less light, but more light in the southern hemisphere so longer shadow there

- At this time the southern hemisphere is facing the sun so it is the December Solstice, so the days are longer in the southern hemisphere, but in the northern hemisphere the days are shorter

The North and Southern Hemisphere in spring and autumn:

-Neither the north or southern hemisphere is facing the sun so it is either spring or fall in the south or northern hemisphere

- Because there is spring or fall the shadow is in-between the short shadow and the long shadow

- At this time because neither hemisphere is facing the sun, we have this twice a year, the September and March equinox, so they have around the same temperature, and twice a year in both sides of the earth they have the same amount of hours in a day

Conclusion:

Doing this activity really helped me get a better idea of how the seasons work. Before I knew that the earth turned around the sun but I never really though about the hemisphere changing and facing the sun causing it to make seasons. What I find most interesting is when neither hemisphere is facing the sun, I find it interesting how twice during a year in each hemisphere they both have the same amount of hours during the night and day. So I really enjoyed doing this activity, I have learned a lot.