Disclosure:
Affiliate links
to Amazon are included in this post.
What are the phases of the moon?
When learning about the phases of the moon, students need to remember the names of each phase, the sequence of phases, and what each phase looks like. It can be a lot for the students... and some teachers... to remember! The phases of the moon starting with the new moon are:- new moon
- waxing crescent
- first quarter
- waxing gibbous
- full moon
- waning gibbous
- third quarter
- waning crescent
- new moon (sometimes called dark moon)
Reminder: When the moon waxes, we see more of its surface each night. Once it starts to wane, we see less of its surface.
Is the moon waxing or waning in this photo?
Phases of the Moon + Oreo Cookies STEM Craft
Using Oreo cookies to create models of the moon's phases is a popular science
and STEM activity among teachers and students. For decades, teachers have used
this as a culminating activity to enrich their students' new knowledge. Very
few materials are needed for this activity and can be purchased inexpensively
online.
Materials Needed
- Lots and lots of Oreo cookies (Generic or off-brands are OK, but double-stuffed or mega-stuffed Oreos are the easiest to work with.)
- white glue
- toothpicks
- phases of the moon printable below
- optional: Ziploc baggies for students to take their projects home
It's not easy to scrape 100% of the filling while carving each phase of
the moon with a toothpick. If some of the filling remains in the small
cracks and crevices of the cookies, please don't penalize the children
for it.
Directions
- Review the eight stages of the moon, their sequence, and what they look like.
- Each student will need a minimum of eight Oreos and a toothpick. They can use their own white glue.
- Pass out the phases of the moon printable below, one per student.
- The students are to break open each Oreo and use their toothpicks to carve out the shape of each phase of the moon in the filling.
- The students then use their white glue to glue their Oreos moons to the printables.
- Let the glue dry completely before sending this STEM craft home.
Free Phases of the Moon Printable
Each student will need their own copy of the printable below. For best results, I suggest printing this on white cardstock.
To download a FREE copy of this printable (one page in all), please
click on the image above. Clicking this image will take you to the
Teachers-Pay-Teachers third-party website. This is a
FREE download-- no purchase necessary.
Suggested Reading: A Big Mooncake for Little Star
I love integrating children's literature into science and STEM whenever possible. A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin is a modern-day fable / folktale about why the moon changes shape each night.🍎 Author's Summary: A gorgeous picture book that tells a whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon, from award-winning, bestselling author-illustrator Grace Lin
Pat, pat, pat...
Little Star's soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake...
.
Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she's not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can't resist a nibble? In this stunning picture book that shines as bright as the stars in the sky, Newbery Honor author Grace Lin creates a heartwarming original story that explains the phases of the moon.
🍎 Title: A Bigcake for Little Star
🍎 Author: Grace Lin
🍎 Illustrator: Grace Lin
🍎 Publisher: Little Brown Books for Readers
🍎 Year: 2018
🍎 Pages: 40
Did you enjoy this post about the phases of the moon STEM craft?
If so, check out these blog posts for more science and STEM
activities:
- STEM Experiment: What Happens If You Don't Brush Your Teeth?
- STEM Experiments: 20+ Spring STEM Experiments and Activities
- General Science: Top Five Science Materials in Your Junk Drawer
- General Science: What is STEM Education?
- STEM Experiment: Oozing Pumpkins STEM Experiment
- STEM Experiment: Hot Chocolate Surprise + STEM Activity
No comments:
Post a Comment