How to Teach Moon Phases on Computers

This moon phase is called the waning gibbous.

Teachers can recognize when a lesson becomes mundane and stale. Using worksheets and giving a lecture can only work so many times before students begin to lose interest. The best way to avoid this situation is to change a lesson plan. If you are going to give a lesson about the phases of the moon, use a computer with a projector. This approach will give your students a visual lesson they will remember for a long time.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Projector
• Moon phase pictures
• Flashlight

Instructions

1. Download pictures of all eight moon phases onto a computer and save them to a program with a slide show function. The most popular program with this function is PowerPoint.

2. Connect the computer to a projector so the image data can be sent and projected onto a wall or projection screen.

3. Turn off the lights in the classroom. This will allow the projections to appear more brightly and will duplicate night conditions, simulating an authentic moon-watching experience.

4. Go through each phase of the moon, starting with the new moon (the first stage a new moon cycle). Also, talk to the class about the connection between sunlight and why sections of the moon light up as opposed to completely lighting up like most celestial bodies.

5. Test the class on their moon phase knowledge. Call on them by turning on a small flashlight and shining directly at the student you want to answer the question. Again, this added element will help create a different learning environment and mimic nighttime moon watching.

References

• Education.csc.edu: Moon Phases
• Enchantedlearning.com: Phases of the Moon