Moon Phases

A student is creating a model of the Earth and the Sun to explain why the length of day and night change throughout the year. Which of the following will be the MOST important feature to add to the model and why?

• The Earth should make a perfect circle around the Sun so that the Sun’s light hits all surfaces equally.

• The Earth should make an elliptical orbit around the Sun so that the Sun is at different distances throughout the year.

• The Earth should be tilted on its axis as it goes around the Sun so that the amount of light hitting the Earth varies depending on the tilt.

• The Earth should be placed upright on its axis as it goes around the Sun so that it shows the Earth slowing its rotation.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

All parts of the Earth do not have day and night at the same time. Why does this happen?

• Earth revolves around the Sun on an axis, and it is a day only.

• The Sun revolves around Earth, and it can only shine on half of Earth at one time.

• Earth rotates on its axis, and only the part of Earth facing the Sun experiences day.

• The moon revolves around Earth and blocks the Sun from certain parts of Earth at different times.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which explanation is supported by this model?

• The part of the Earth that is receiving direct sunlight is experiencing night.

• The part of the Earth that is receiving direct sunlight is experiencing day.

• The part of the Earth that is receiving direct sunlight is experiencing spring.

• The part of the Earth that is receiving direct sunlight is experiencing fall

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

A student created a model about the phases of the moon.

Which statement is TRUE based on the model?

• It shows how each phase appears when viewed from Earth.

• It shows that the cycle of moon phases takes exactly one day.

• It shows that the moon is always half-illuminated in every phase.

• It shows why the moon is visible during the day and the night.

When the Moon is in the position shown, how would the Moon look to an observer?

• View A

• View B

• View C

• View D

Which argument regarding the earth’s tilt, the earth’s orbit, and the seasonson Earth is CORRECT?

• The Earth’s orbit and the Earth’s tilt cause the seasons on Earth.

• The Earth’s orbit and the seasons on Earth cause the Earth’s tilt.

• The Earth’s tilt and the seasons on Earth cause the Earth’s orbit.

• The Earth’s tilt, the seasons on Earth, and the Earth’s orbit are not related.

Use the information to answer the following question.

A student wrote the argument to explain why we experience different seasons on Earth:

We experience seasons on Earth because the Earth is tilted on its axis. The Hemisphere experiencing summer is tilted toward the sun and receives more direct sunlight. The Hemisphere experiencing winter is tilted away from the sun and receives more indirect sunlight.

Which of the following is a way that the student’s argument can be improved?

• The student should not say that the tilt of the Earth causes the seasons.

• The student should not say that direct and indirect sunlight causes the seasons.

• The student should add the Earth’s orbit around the sun to the argument.

• The student should add the Earth’s distance from the moon to the argument.

Students are given the following image to try to figure out which season is represented in the images and provide evidence for their explanation.

Which of the following explanations BEST describes the seasons shown?

• Image A represents the summer months because there are direct rays of sunlight.

• Image A represents the summer months because the Earth is tilted away from the sun.

• Image D represents the winter months because there are direct rays of sunlight.

• Image D represents the winter months because the Earth is tilted towards the sun.