Earth, Moon, and Sun Amplify Vocabulary

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 SUN?

• 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

Leticia is a space scientist who made this diagram of the Moon and Earth as seen from above (top view), with sunlight coming from the left, as shown by the arrows. Why does Leticia’s diagram show that it’s brighter on the left half of the Moon?

• Because there is a shadow from Earth falling on half of the Moon.

• Because the Moon has some lighter-colored rock and some darker-colored rock

• Because half of the Moon that is facing the sun is lit by the sun, and the other half is dark.

• Because as the Moon gets closer to the sun more of it is lit by the sun,

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

Tania went outside and made two observations of the Moon that were several days apart. Her observations are shown above. The light part of the Moon appeared to get larger over time. Why did this happen?

• The Moon moved so that Tania was able to see more of the half that faces the sun.

• The Moon moved closer to the sun so more sunlight reached the Moon’s surface.

• The Moon rotated so that more of the light-colored rock on the Moon’s surface faced Earth.

• Earth’s shadow moved and was blocking less of the Moon so Tania was able to see more of it.

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

Astronomers made two observations of the Moon that were several days apart. Their observations are shown in the diagram above. The light part of the Moon appeared to get larger over time. Why did this happen?

• Between the first observation and the second observation, the Moon rotated so that more of the light-colored rock on the Moon’s surface faced Earth.

• Between the first observation and the second observation, the Moon moved so that the astronomers were able to see more of the half that faces the sun.

• Between the first observation and the second observation, the Moon moved closer to the sun so more sunlight reached the Moon’s surface.

• Between the first observation and the second observation, Earth’s shadow moved and was blocking less of the Moon so the astronomers were able to see more of it.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The diagrams above show Earth and the Moon in different positions, as seen from above (top view). Sunlight is coming from the left, but these diagrams do not show what parts of Earth or the Moon are light or dark. Could the half of the Moon that faces Earth ever be completely dark in any of these diagrams?

• No, the Moon is always lit by the sun.

• Yes, always in Diagrams 1 and 3, but never in Diagram 2.

• Yes, always in Diagram 3 and sometimes in Diagram 1.

• Yes, always in Diagram 3, but never in Diagrams 1 or 2.

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

What is the primary reason for the occurrence of tides on Earth?

• Gravitational pull of the Moon

• Gravitational pull of the Sun

• Earth's rotation

• Wind patterns

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4