Amplify Earth Moon Sun

Shira looked up one night and saw a full moon. How long will it be before she can see a full moon again?

• About one week.

• About one month.

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

• It could be two weeks or a month, depending on what time of year it is.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What is the definition of MOON PHASE?

• the nearly circular path a smaller object travels around a larger object

• the shape of the illuminated part of the Moon as it appears from Earth

• something we observe to be similar over and over again

• the border between light and dark on the Moon

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Three student astronomers 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 because the Moon is almost as far as it can be from the sun, so almost none of the Moon is lit by the sun.

• Diagram B is accurate because the half of the Moon that is facing the sun is lit by the sun, and the other half is dark.

• Diagram C is accurate because the whole Moon is bright as long as there are no shadows covering parts of it.

• All three diagrams are sometimes accurate.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Jaime looked up one night and saw a crescent moon. If Jaime looks for the Moon again in one month, what will he see?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What is the definition of TERMINATOR?

• a rocky sphere that travels around a planet

• to shine light on an object and make it visible

• the star that is the main source of light at the center of our solar system

• the border between light and dark on the Moon

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What is the definition of ORBIT?

• the nearly circular path a smaller object travels around a larger object

• the shape of the illuminated part of the Moon as it appears from Earth

• something we observe to be similar over and over again

• the border between light and dark on the Moon

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

How does light travel?

• Light travels like a river, wherever there is an open path.

• Light travels in straight lines only.

• Light travels in unpredictable ways.

• It depends; if the light is bright enough it can change direction.

What is the primary reason for the phases of the Moon as observed from Earth?

• The Moon's rotation on its axis

• The Earth's rotation on its axis

• The relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun

• The Moon's distance from the Earth

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which of the following best explains why solar eclipses do not occur every month?

• The Moon's orbit is elliptical

• The Earth's orbit is elliptical

• The Moon's orbit is tilted relative to the Earth's orbit

• The Sun's orbit is tilted relative to the Earth's orbit

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1