Students see firsthand that stars and constellations are not arranged in a flat, 2-D pattern in this Moveable Museum unit. The five-page PDF guide includes suggested general background readings for educators, activity notes, step-by-step directions, and a Big Dipper map. Students make their own 3-D models of the Big Dipper using readily available materials and examine their models, observing the 3-D constellation from new perspectives.

In this lesson, students will know the appearance of the moon changes in a specific pattern and repeat this sequence over the course of approximately 28 days. In addition, discuss that Earth’s rotation causes one side of planet Earth to receive light rays from the sun. Earth to receive light rays from the sun. This phenomenon is called day. (Understand, Key Concept 2). Discuss that Earth’s rotation causes one side of planet Earth not to receive light rays from the sun. This phenomenon causes darkness which is called night. Lesson integrates computer science using Bee-Bots

This parent guide supports parents in helping their child at home with the 4th grade Science content.

This resource accompanies our Rethink 4th Grade Science course. It includes ideas for use, ways to support exceptional children, ways to extend learning, digital resources and tools, tips for supporting English Language Learners and students with visual and hearing impairments. There are also ideas for offline learning. 

In this lesson, students will learn about the moon. Students will learn why they can see the moon sometimes during the day and at night. Students will look at the lunar calendar to see the phases of the moon. Students can also take a virtual tour of the moon.

This resource describes how to build a moon phase board to illustrate the changes in the appearance of the moon over time. This Moon Phase board allows students to visualize and better understand the cause of moon phases and comprehend the 2 different views that are often given on a diagram (view from space and view from the Earth).

In this lesson, students explore the ways that stories are used to explain the shapes seen in the Moon's appearance and compare them with the scientific explanations for moon phases. Versions of the referenced story can be found online.

Students make a 3 dimensional model of the Earth and the Moon to discover that the Moon does rotate in the same amount of time it takes to make one orbit. The "dark side of the Moon" myth is debunked and scientific background information is provided along with links to other resources about the Moon.

This online module focuses on astronomy: changes in the day and night sky, orbits of the Sun, mooon, and Earth, and the phases of the moon.

After recreating Aristotle's discovery that the Earth is round, students will create a moon box to model the phases of our moon.

In this lesson students watch a video about the supermoon lunar eclipse. Then they will keep a moon journal and watch the moon phases video that shows the relation between the moon and the earth to create the different moon phases. Finally the students will listen to a pod cast about the moon features and then create a moon impact painting.

In this activity, students will use models of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon to discover why moon phases occur. Students will also learn the order of the moon phases from one full moon to the next.

In this lesson, students deepen their study of the Earth and the moon and generalize what they learn about the rotation and translation of the earth in order to understand the way that the moon revolves around the Earth. Students will also appreciate the importance of technological advances in the study of the moon. Students will build a telescope and work individually and in groups to design and build a spaceship with cardboard boxes.

In this interactive resource, students will click and drag pictures of different phases of the moon to complete a calendar of lunar cycles. Narration in the interactive provides ongoing feedback and guidance to the students as they work to complete the patterns. There is also a printable version of this activity, allowing for a hands-on activity where students can physically manipulate illustrations of the phases of the moon, placing them in the correct sequence in lunar cycles.

Students use a flashlight and lollipop to model how the moon's orbit causes the moon phases.

This interactive gives you a chance to view the Moon from an unusual place - standing on the ground in the northern hemisphere, looking south - and, simultaneously, from an unusual place - in space, far above the North Pole of the Earth.

In this inquiry investigation, students conceptualize the Earth--Moon--Sun relationship in the solar system through observation of the moon's phases and modeling of the moon's orbit around the Earth. They will also participate in a "moondance."

In this short video, an animated moon explains and illustrates the different phases of the moon.

Students create kinesthetic models of the Sun and Moon in the sky to better understand the relationship between lunar phases and the time of day.

Students play a variation of "Go Fish!" in order to reinforce their knowledge of moon phases.