ASPIRE: Lunar Phases

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written by Pierre Sokolsky
published by the University of Utah

This interactive tutorial features an inquiry-based approach to promote understanding of moon phases. Part of the Astrophysics Science Project Integrating Research and Education (ASPIRE), the tutorial opens with a diagram of the Earth-Moon system. The user "spins" the Earth, then determines which sections of Earth and Moon are receiving sunlight. In Part 2, users investigate how sunlight reflecting off the Earth is related to moon phases. The animation divides Earth into 8 sections and places the direction of incoming sunlight. Using only the images in the diagram, students must correctly label the moon phases. Part 3 puts everything together as Moon orbits around Earth.

This resource is part of ASPIRE, an interactive lab project designed to be visually attractive and fun, yet mentally challenging for students in the middle grades. Materials include complete lesson plans authored collaboratively by teachers and research scientists.

Please note that this resource requires Flash.

http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.ht...

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Astronomy - Solar System = The Moon Education Practices - Active Learning = Inquiry Learning	- Middle School - High School - Informal Education	- Instructional Material = Activity = Interactive Simulation = Tutorial - Audio/Visual = Movie/Animation

Intended Users	Formats	Ratings
- Learners - Educators	- application/flash - text/html	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2007 The University of Utah-High Resolution Fly's Eye Group, http://www.cosmic-ray.org/abouthires.html
Keywords:: Animations, Astronomy simulations, Interactive labs, Middle school , Simulations, inquiry, inquiry-based labs, lunar phase, moon phases
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created July 12, 2010 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: August 2, 2016 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: July 31, 2005
Other Collections:: The Physics Front

Help!

Author: faith wiliams
Posted: January 9, 2011 at 6:25PM
Source: The PSRC collection

Hello:
I would love to do the activity on the lunar phases, but the link doesn't seem to be connecting. I had planned on doing the activity tomorrow, Jan. 10.
Faith Williams

» reply

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AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

4. The Physical Setting

4B. The Earth

6-8: 4B/M5. The moon's orbit around the earth once in about 28 days changes what part of the moon is lighted by the sun and how much of that part can be seen from the earth- the phases of the moon.

ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=10259">Sokolsky, Pierre. ASPIRE: Lunar Phases. Salt Lake City: University of Utah, July 31, 2005.</a>

AIP Format

P. Sokolsky, (University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 2007), WWW Document, (http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.html).

AJP/PRST-PER

P. Sokolsky, ASPIRE: Lunar Phases (University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 2007), <http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.html>.

APA Format

Sokolsky, P. (2005, July 31). ASPIRE: Lunar Phases. Retrieved May 10, 2024, from University of Utah: http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.html

Chicago Format

Sokolsky, Pierre. ASPIRE: Lunar Phases. Salt Lake City: University of Utah, July 31, 2005. http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.html (accessed 10 May 2024).

MLA Format

Sokolsky, Pierre. ASPIRE: Lunar Phases. Salt Lake City: University of Utah, 2007. 31 July 2005. 10 May 2024 <http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.html>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Author = "Pierre Sokolsky", Title = {ASPIRE: Lunar Phases}, Publisher = {University of Utah}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {10 May 2024}, Month = {July 31, 2005}, Year = {2007} }

Refer Export Format

%A Pierre Sokolsky %T ASPIRE: Lunar Phases %D July 31, 2005 %I University of Utah %C Salt Lake City %U http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.html %O application/flash

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %A Sokolsky, Pierre %D July 31, 2005 %T ASPIRE: Lunar Phases %I University of Utah %V 2024 %N 10 May 2024 %8 July 31, 2005 %9 application/flash %U http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/LunarPhases/lunar_phases_main.html

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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

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ASPIRE: Lunar Phases:

Is Part Of ASPIRE: Lessons

A link to the full collection of ASPIRE materials. Topics include force and motion, kinetic energy, wave basics, star life cycle, electronics, and more.

relation by Caroline Hall

Covers the Same Topic As Phases of Moon Model

This resource integrates a hands-on investigation with a computer model of moon phases, allowing students to test whether the computer simulation accurately depicts the real phenomenon.

relation by Caroline Hall

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