As Emily clarified many of the moon concepts, questions began arising about the orbit of the earth.
Emily: “We think the moon as moving around the earth, but why is it moving around the earth?”
*Emily swings the ball and string in a circle above her head* “Why is the moon moving around the earth?”
Student: “because you're swinging it.”
Emily: “Whats making it go around? Why isn't it just flying off?”
Student: “The string!”
With the ball and string visual representation, the students were able to see how the earth has a gravitational pull on the moon. | ![emilyswingingthemoon.jpg emilyswingingthemoon.jpg](lib/exe/fetch31b7.jpg?w=&h=&cache=cache&media=days:fall2009daybyday:fall2009day15:ballandstringdemonstration:emilyswingingthemoon.jpg) |