Amplify Earth, Moon, and Sun Mid-Unit

Three students made the diagrams above to show what they think the Moon looks like when it is seen from above (top view). In these diagrams, the sunlight is coming from the left, as shown by the arrows. Which diagram is accurate and why?

• Diagram A is accurate.

• Diagram B is accurate.

• Diagram C is accurate

• All three diagrams are sometimes accurate

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which of these things is true about the Moon?

• The Moon is always moving around Earth in a circle.

• The Moon is always in the same position in Earth’s sky.

• The Moon is always moving in many changing patterns/shapes around Earth.

• The Moon is always moving back and forth across Earth’s sky.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

If Suki looks for the Moon again in one month, what will he see?

• Suki will see a quarter moon, like Diagram B.

• Suki will see a crescent moon again, like Diagram A.

• Suki could see either a crescent or a quarter moon; it depends on the time of year.

• There’s no way to tell because the Moon’s pattern is always changing.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The diagram above shows Earth and the Moon from above (top view). Why is there a dotted circle drawn in this diagram?

• To show the way that the Moon can move back and forth across Earth’s sky.

• To show the locations of satellites that are in Earth’s atmosphere.

• To show that the Moon is always moving around Earth in a circle.

• To show the locations where the sun’s light can reach the Moon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What is true about the sun and the moon?

• The sun illuminates the half of the Moon that is facing it, and the other half is dark.

• The sun illuminates the half of the Moon that is not facing it, and the other half is dark.

• The sun illuminates the entire moon and no part of it is dark.

• The Moon makes its own light and the sun doesn't have anything to do with it.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

From Earth...

• we can only see the half of the moon that is facing us

• we see the moon all the time

• we can only see the half of the moon that is facing away from us

• we never see the moon

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Why do we see different phases of the moon?

• We see different amounts of the illuminated half of the moon because the moon moves to different positions around the Earth.

• We see different phases of the moon due to the colored rocks we see from Earth.

• We see different amounts of the Moon due to how close it is to the sun.

• We don't see different phases of the moon.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Is there a pattern to the position of the Moon?

• Yes-because the Moon orbits around Earth.

• Yes-because the Moon gets closer or farther away from the sun.

• No-the moon appears in the sky at different times and is unpredictable.

• No-the moon never moves or changes.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Is there ever a time that the moon will be completely dark from Earth's perspective?

• Yes, only during a lunar eclipse.

• Yes, always during a new moon.

• Yes, always during a new moon and sometimes during a full moon when a lunar eclipse is possible.

• No, the moon is always half illuminated by the sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

a moon phase that looks like less than a half circle from Earth

• exomoon

• full moon

• crescent moon

• gibbous moon

• quarter moon

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1