Solar and lunar eclipses
Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.
“Side view, not to scale:” Ari reads an astronomy book. A diagram shows the Sun, then the Moon, then Earth, in one straight line. Which event does it show?
- A lunar eclipse
- A first quarter Moon
- A solar eclipse
- A full moon
Book drawing (not a view to copy): a bright disk with a dark round disk covering it. In a library book, Kira sees a drawing of the Sun's bright face with the dark Moon covering it. Which event is this?
Book drawing (not a view to copy): a bright disk with a dark round disk covering it and a thin glow around the edge. Book drawing (not a view to copy): a bright disk with a dark round disk covering it and a thin glow around the edge. thin glow around the edge - A full moon rising
- A lunar eclipse
- A solar eclipse
- A sunset behind a cloud
“Side view, not to scale:” During a lunar eclipse, the full moon turns dim and coppery red. Whose shadow is Jun reading about?
Side view, not to scale: the Sun on the left, Earth in the middle, the Moon on the right inside a shadow cone. Side view, not to scale: the Sun on the left, Earth in the middle, the Moon on the right inside a shadow cone. Sun Earth Moon shadow cone - No shadow; it is the Moon's monthly phase
- A cloud's shadow, crossing the Moon
- The Moon's shadow, falling on Earth
- Earth's shadow, falling on the Moon
“Side view, not to scale” During a total solar eclipse, daytime turns dark along a narrow strip of land. Luz reads about it. Whose shadow makes the dark strip?
Side view, not to scale: the Sun on the left, the Moon in the middle, Earth on the right with a small dark spot where a shadow cone touches it. Side view, not to scale: the Sun on the left, the Moon in the middle, Earth on the right with a small dark spot where a shadow cone touches it. Sun Earth shadow cone - A big storm cloud's shadow
- Earth's shadow on the Moon
- The Moon's shadow on Earth
- The shadow that makes a new moon dark
“Side view, not to scale:” Milo reads that a lunar eclipse can keep the full moon dim and red for over an hour. What is covering the Moon?
Side view, not to scale: the Sun on the left, Earth in the middle, the Moon on the right inside a shadow cone. Side view, not to scale: the Sun on the left, Earth in the middle, the Moon on the right inside a shadow cone. Sun Earth Moon shadow cone - The Moon's far side turning toward us
- The Moon's own shadow, cast onto Earth
- Earth's shadow
- Dark spots on the Sun
“Orbit diagram, top view, not to scale:” Noah reads about a solar eclipse for the astronomy club. Which Moon phase must it be during a solar eclipse?
Orbit diagram, top view, not to scale: sunlight from the left; Earth in the center; the Moon drawn between Earth and the Sun. Orbit diagram, top view, not to scale: sunlight from the left; Earth in the center; the Moon drawn between Earth and the Sun. sunlight Earth Moon - New moon
- First quarter
- Any phase, on any day
- Full moon
with one evening marked 'lunar eclipse' and the Moon phases left blank. A lunar eclipse is marked on Pia's astronomy club calendar. Which Moon phase will it be that night?
Club calendar page with one evening marked 'lunar eclipse' and the Moon phases left blank. Club calendar page with one evening marked 'lunar eclipse' and the Moon phases left blank. Club calendar Moon phases lunar eclipse - Full moon
- Whatever phase is up that week
- Third quarter
- New moon
Tala is making a poster of a solar eclipse. Which body goes in the middle of the line-up?
Poster outline: three empty circles in a straight line, labeled left to right Sun, ?, and the third one blank. Poster outline: three empty circles in a straight line, labeled left to right Sun, ?, and the third one blank. Sun ? - Earth
- The Moon
- The Sun
- No body; they form a triangle
Zee lines up an orange (the Sun), a plum (Earth) and a grape (the Moon) to model a lunar eclipse. Nobody may eat the cast. Which fruit goes in the middle?
Table top drawing: an orange, a plum and a grape, not yet in order. Table top drawing: an orange, a plum and a grape, not yet in order. plum grape orange - Any of them, in any order
- The orange
- The grape
- The plum
not yet in order. Esme uses the same orange, plum and grape to model a solar eclipse instead. Which fruit goes in the middle now?
Table top drawing: an orange (the Sun), a plum (Earth) and a grape (the Moon), not yet in order. Table top drawing: an orange (the Sun), a plum (Earth) and a grape (the Moon), not yet in order. orange (the Sun) plum (Earth) grape (the Moon) - The plum
- The biggest fruit
- The grape
- The orange