Week 6: Earth Sun Moon

1. What did you do in lab today?

    In lab today we started our new unit which is Sun, Earth, and Moon. We talked a little bit about the moon phases, eclipses, and why we have seasons. All of these things have to do with the position of the Earth, which we represented with a globe. We also used a globe a styrofoam ball, and a light to show phases of the moon and figure out how to make a full moon. 

2. What was the big question?

    What are your best understandings about how the phases of the moon occur, what causes the seasons, and what causes a lunar eclipse?

3. What did you learn in Thursday's discussion?

    In Thursday's discussion we learned about why we have seasons, the phases of the moon, and lunar eclipses. We have seasons because the Earth is tilted on its axis, so as it travels around the Sun the Northern Hemisphere gets closer and farther away from the Sun. For the phases of the moon we learned how to determine what phase the moon is at depending on where the sun is in the sky. Last, for lunar eclipses, this is when the moon moves into the Earth's shadow.   

Textbook Chapter 5

1. What did you learn?

    Something that I learned from this week's chapter reading is the phases of the moon. I have obviously seen these phases, but I have never learned about them scientifically before. That phases are, new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full. 

2. What was most helpful?

    The thing that was the most helpful for me was the section on seasons. I never knew the scientific reason that we have seasons, so learning that it is because the Earth is tilted on its axis, was very helpful. Different areas of the Earth are tilted towards the Sun at different points of the year. 

3. What do you need more information on?

    Something that I might need more information on is heliocentrism and geocentrism. Not that I do not understand it, but I would just like to do more research on it because I'm curious. 

1. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have?

    I don't have any questions, but I'm excited to start this new unit!