This interactive simulation allows students to explore how the relative position of Sun, Earth, and Moon produce the various phases of the moon, as seen from the Earth. The main window displays Earth (at the center) and Moon, with a circle tracing out Moon's orbit. Sun is far to the right in this picture and therefore the right side of Earth and Moon are bright while the left sides are dark. As the simulation runs, a separate "Moon View" window shows progressive photos of the appearance of the Moon as seen from Earth.
Editor's Note: Don't miss the supplementary lesson plan, student guide, and homework problems. The author has cohesively integrated a hands-on investigation with the simulation. Together, these resources will promote understanding of a process that is often difficult for adolescents to grasp. SEE SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS below for links.
This item was created with Easy Java Simulations (EJS), a modeling tool that allows users without formal programming experience to generate computer models and simulations. To run the simulation, simply click the Java Archive file below. To modify or customize the model, See Related Materials for detailed instructions on installing and running the EJS Modeling and Authoring Tool.
Please note that this resource requires
at least version 1.5 of Java (JRE).
Moon Phases Model for Teachers
A customizable Moon Phases Model that allows teachers to set the display parameters. The customized simulation is automatically saved with associated curricular in a new jar file that can be redistributed. download 1250kb .jar
Last Modified: July 23, 2012
Phases of Moon Model: Student Version
EJS Phases of Moon Model: Student Version is a simulation for college students. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive and has the exploration pdf built-in. Double clicking the ejs_MoonPhasesStudent.jar file will run the program if Java is installed. download 1444kb .jar
Published: October 12, 2009
Phases of Moon Model: Homework Exploration
A pdf file with a college-level homework exploration for use with the Phases of Moon: Student Model. download 206kb .pdf
Published: October 12, 2009
Phases of the Moon Model: Middle School Version EJS Phases of Moon Model: Middle School Version is a simulation for middle school and high school students. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive and has the exploration/lesson plan pdf built-in. Double clicking the …
EJS Phases of Moon Model: Middle School Version is a simulation for middle school and high school students. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive and has the exploration/lesson plan pdf built-in. Double clicking the ejs_MoonPhasesMiddleSchoolStudent.jar file will run the program if Java is installed.
Phases of Moon Model: Lesson Plan
A pdf file with a teacher lesson plan for use with the Phases of Moon: Middle School Model. download 138kb .pdf
Published: October 12, 2009
Internationalized Moon Phases Model
Internationalized Moon Phases Model with Spanish and Portuguese documentation. download 1196kb .jar
Last Modified: January 21, 2012
Moon Phase Answer Simulation by Lookang Lawrence Wee
This simulation helps provide context for the answers to the moon phase exploration assignments. The simulation adds a local time grid as well as showing the current view of the Moon an observer would see if it is above the observer's horizon. download 1998kb .jar
Published: February 16, 2012
Rights: original simulation by Todd Timberlake; additional material by Lookang Lawrence Wee.
Phases of Moon Model Source Code
The source code zip archive contains an XML representation of the Ejs Phases of Moon Model. Unzip this archive in your Ejs workspace to compile and run this model using Ejs. download 78kb .zip
Published: July 31, 2009
Moon Phases for Teachers Source Code
Source Code for the Moon Phases Model for Teachers. The source code archive contains an XML representation of the EJS model. Unzip this archive in your EJS Workspace to compile and run this model using Ejs. download 221kb .zip
Last Modified: July 23, 2012
Author: lookang
Posted: August 16, 2010 at 10:51PM
Source: The Open Source Physics collection
I. ENGAGEMENT i especially liked the tennis ball and torchlight to situated the learning to a real world example, a lot of teachers will benefit from this kind of insightful lesson strategy, instead rushing into the powerpoint and talk and talk.
T. Timberlake, Computer Program PHASES OF MOON MODEL, Version 1.0 (2009), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9308&DocID=1247).
T. Timberlake, Computer Program PHASES OF MOON MODEL, Version 1.0 (2009), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9308&DocID=1247>.
Timberlake, T. (2009). Phases of Moon Model (Version 1.0) [Computer software]. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9308&DocID=1247
Timberlake, Todd. "Phases of Moon Model." Version 1.0. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9308&DocID=1247 (accessed 30 April 2025).
%0 Computer Program %A Timberlake, Todd %D July 31, 2009 %T Phases of Moon Model %7 1.0 %8 July 31, 2009 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9308&DocID=1247
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This is an inquiry-based tutorial for grades 6-9 on the topic of moon phases. Students work with partially-competed diagrams to understand how the Earth's rotation, moon's orbit around Earth, and reflected sunlight all come together to produce a "changing" moon.
7 supplemental documents are available
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