Lesson 3 of 84 · Days and Seasons

Experiment⭐ 30 XP

The Moon's Changing Shape

🧪Lab Brief #3

Days and Seasons.

🎯 Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

⚡ The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

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Mind = Blown

🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.

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Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

What You'll Learn

The moon changes shape over a month. We see a full moon, half moon, crescent, and new moon.

Key Words

moon
star

Materials Needed

dark room
paper plate
markers
string
tape
pencil

Safety First

Keep small objects away from young children.
Work in a well-ventilated area when using vinegar or other strong-smelling substances.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read the introduction. What is this lesson about?

Step 2 — Do

Use a flashlight and a ball to show how the Earth's spin creates day and night.

Step 3 — Observe

Look for something that changed. What is it?

Step 4 — Record

Circle the correct answer on your worksheet.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

Why does the moon look different each night?

How sure are you going to be?😐 maybe

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Where you see this in real life

This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.

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For the dinner table

“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”

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Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

🪨Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

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Checkout complete lesson on Days and Seasons for 1st Grade

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