Discussing Predictions, Observations, and Explanations of the Moon

Emily asked each group to sketch where the sun and moon would be, when the sun is rising, for the following phases: full, waning gibbous, and third quarter.
How will the moon seem to move over a 24 hour period? Within one day, the moon seems to move east to west, like the sun. The earth is moving, rather than the idea that the sun and moon are moving around the earth.

The students acted this scenario out. They spun in place and watched the lamp and basketball appear to move around them. In reality, their spinning- or rotating- motion caused this phenomena. The moon is moving, about 14 degrees each day. I held a basketball and moved slowly counterclockwise around the students to demonstrate different phases of the moon as they spun in place seven times (to represent one week).

During waning phases, it appears that the sun is chasing the moon.
During waxing phases, it appears that the moon is chasing the sun.


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