New
New
Year 5

The movement of the Moon

You can use the idea of the Moon's movement to begin to explain why the Moon appears to change shape.

New
New
Year 5

The movement of the Moon

You can use the idea of the Moon's movement to begin to explain why the Moon appears to change shape.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Moon moves around the Earth. It takes approximately 28 days for the Moon to complete its orbit of the Earth.
  2. As the Moon orbits the Earth, the same side of the Moon is always facing us.
  3. We see the Moon because light from the Sun shines on the Moon and this light is reflected to Earth.
  4. The Moon appears to change shape depending on the amount we see from Earth being lit by the Sun.

Common misconception

Pupils will think that the Moon actually does change shape, or that it becomes covered with clouds.

Pupils should use models to see and feel for themselves what is actually moving and how this affects the apparent shape of the Moon.

Keywords

  • Moon - Our Moon is an object that travels around planet Earth.

  • Reflect - To reflect light is when light hits a surface and bounces off in another direction.

  • Orbit - Orbit is when something travels around a star, planet or moon.

  • Satellite - The Moon is a satellite because it moves around the Earth.

  • Observations - When we make observations we look closely at something and use other senses too.

For Task 2, pupils need to hold the white ball at arms length, slightly above their head, otherwise their head will block the light from the 'Sun' when they are facing away from the torch.
Teacher tip

Equipment

selection of spheres, white ball (polystyrene sphere), stick (pencil), bright torch

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment
  • Exploration of objects

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Approximately how many miles away from Earth is the Moon?
An image in a quiz
1 mile
200 miles
Correct answer: 2,000 miles
20,000 miles
Q2.
Match the descriptions with the names of these objects in space.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:Earth,A rocky planet

A rocky planet

Correct Answer:The Sun,A star

A star

Correct Answer:The Moon,A satellite of Earth

A satellite of Earth

Q3.
The Moon is mostly made of and dust.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: rock
Q4.
Which statement about the Moon is true?
An image in a quiz
People have travelled to the Moon but not landed on it.
Correct answer: People have travelled to the Moon and walked on its surface.
No-one has ever travelled to the Moon.
Q5.
Which of these objects produces its own light?
The Moon
Correct answer: The Sun
Cat's eyes
A mirror
Q6.
Which statement is not a scientific skill involved in looking at the Moon every night for a month.
Observing the shapes of the Moon.
Recording the shapes of the Moon.
Correct answer: Enjoying the shapes of the Moon.
Describing the shapes of the Moon.

6 Questions

Q1.
Some objects in space move in different ways. Which statement is not true?
An image in a quiz
Earth rotates on its axis.
Earth orbits the Sun.
Correct answer: The Sun orbits Earth.
The Moon orbits Earth.
Q2.
Approximately, how long does it take the Moon to orbit Earth?
1 day
7 days
Correct answer: 28 days
365 days
Q3.
Why do scientists use the word approximately to describe how long it takes the Moon to orbit Earth?
Sometimes it takes more than 28 days and sometimes it takes less than 28 days.
Correct answer: It is not exactly 28 days, it actually takes 27.3 days.
Because no-one knows exactly how long it takes.
Q4.
Which statement about the Moon is not true?
An image in a quiz
The Moon rotates on its axis.
The Moon orbits Earth.
From Earth, we only ever see the same side of the Moon.
Correct answer: From Earth, we see all of the Moon as it spins.
Q5.
Which statement explains what is happening when we see a full Moon in the night sky from Earth?
An image in a quiz
None of the Moon is being lit by the Sun.
All of the Moon is being lit by the Sun.
Correct answer: From Earth, the side of the Moon being lit by the Sun is facing us.
From Earth, the side of the Moon being lit by the Sun is not facing us.
Q6.
Which statement explains what is happening when there is a new Moon in the night sky from Earth?
None of the Moon is being lit by the Sun.
All of the Moon is being lit by the Sun.
From Earth, the side of the Moon being lit by the Sun is facing us.
Correct answer: From Earth, the side of the Moon being lit by the Sun is not facing us.

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