Moon Pops Activity

Who says you can't lasso the moon? Bring miniature moons on a stick into the classroom to illustrate phases of the moon and how the positions of the Earth, sun, and moon cause each phase. Each Moon Pop consists of a wooden stick supporting a sphere with one black half and one white half.

Students working in pairs position the sun on a wall and one student acts as an observer on Earth while the other walks around the observer holding the Moon Pop, allowing the observing student to note and record the appearance and phase of the moon in each position. This activity allows students to act as observers on both Earth and the sun, observing the positions and gaining an accute understanding of the relationships between the Earth, sun, and moon. Includes materials for 15 student groups and instructions with reproducible student worksheets. Grades 2–6.