Science Lesson 4: The Phases of the Moon on Oreos

Stage 1: Desired Results

General
Learning 1. 6–7 Observe, describe and interpret the movement of objects in the sky;
Outcome( and identify pattern and order in these movements
s)
1. 7. Recognize that the Moon’s phases are regular and predictable and
Specific
describe the cycle of its phases.
Learning
2. 8. Illustrate the phases of the Moon in drawings and by using improvised
Outcome(
models. An improvised model might involve such things as a table lamp
s)
and a sponge ball.
Learning
1. By the end of this lesson, students will model the phases of the moon,
Objective(
using Oreo cookies.
s)

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Summativ
Formative
e  Oreo cookie activity
 NA Assessme
Assessme  Poster activity
nt
nt

Stage 3: Learning Experience

 Oreo cookies
 Knives
Resource
Tech  Phases of the moon
 NA s to
to Do overhead
Bring
 Paper for phases of
the moon poster
Time Content/Description Notes
Title: Introduction
 Ask some review questions:
 What is the difference between a waxing and
Remember to
waning moon?
take checklist
 What direction does the moon revolve around the
for behaviour.
earth?
5 minutes  How long does it take for the moon to make one
Formative
revolution around the earth? Assessment:
 What are some of the names of the phases of the asking review
moon? (have students come write up these names questions
on the board, with a picture of the phase).
 Reward good behavior like raising hands, giving
correct answers, etc.
15 minutes Title: Oreo activity Formative
 Students will be divided into the groups of 2. Assessment:
 Each group will get 4 Oreo cookies checking and
 Each group will be making the phases of the moon giving feedback
by scraping off some of the icing. on work
 We will be working on this together and taking
turns using the knife. Differentiation:
 You will not eat any of your cookies before I say so. Groups will
If you do, it is an automatic strike and you won’t be have older and
 able to join the activity.
 Divide students into groups. Call out one group at
a time, tell them where to sit.
 Have one student hand out the knives. I will hand
out the cookies myself.
 We will start by breaking open one Oreo cookie
and making a new moon. If you have to put some
icing on the other half to do this, please do. Put the
other half of the cookie to the side for now but put
your ‘new moon’ in the revolution on your desk.
 Break open another cookie. Take away most of the
icing, putting it on the other half, so that you have
a waxing crescent. Put the other half to the side for
younger
now and put your waning circuit in its right spot on
students in it.
your desk.
 Repeat this step for first quarter, and for waxing
Gibbous.
 When you come to full moon, ask students to look
for a cookie which looks like a full moon in the half
cookies you have laid aside. Put it in the
revolution.
 Repeat this step for waning Gibbous, last quarter
and waning crescent. If the shape is not
automatically there, students should make the
phase using their knives.
 Students should now have a complete revolution of
the moon laying on their desk.
Title: Poster activity
 Without eating the cookies, students will make a Formative
poster of what they see. They will draw the earth in Assessment:
the middle, the sun shining and the phases of the making poster
moon in a counterclockwise direction around the
earth. Differentiation:
 Students will label the phases. I will put the phases putting names
on the board, so that students can spell them of phases on
10 minutes correctly. the board.
 They should do this individually and will do this as Encourage
neat as possible, as this is their study guide for a older students
future test. to try write the
 Hand out the blank pieces of paper. Students may phases of the
use a pencil. moon without
 Circulate the classroom, looking for good work. If looking at the
necessary, have the grade 4 students sitting at the board.
horseshoe table.
Title: Dividing up the cookies
 One student from each group will take the full
moon and the new moon. The other student will
Formative
take the waxing Gibbous and waning crescent.
Assessment:
 One student will take the waning Gibbous and
5 minutes see if they can
waxing crescent. The other student will take the
find the correct
first and last quarter.
phase
 Now each student should have 2 cookies. They will
put them on the corner of their desk and eat them
at recess time.
 Title: If time, play game
 Tell students that we are now going to play a
review game. Formative
Assessment:
 Each row will be a group. I will say the name of a
game
phase, and each group will draw the correct shape
of the moon. The groups with the correct drawing
10 minutes Differentiation:
will receive a point. The group with the most points
younger and
wins.
older students
 Let students go find a place in the classroom to sit.
will be working
 Start the game. together.
 Once finished, dismiss students by asking them to
come collect their money, one row at a time.

Reflections
and Follow
Up