Phases of the Moon

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   At 4 p.m., Jun sees the Moon in the southeast while the Sun is still up. Its right half is lit. Which explanation fits?

   • A third quarter Moon, which rises around noon
   • A daytime glare, since the real Moon rises after dark
   • A first quarter Moon, which rises around noon
   • A full moon, which rises around noon
2. 2.

   Luz sees a full moon on the first night of summer camp. Camp lasts about 15 days. Which phase will the Moon be in on the last night?

   • Third quarter
   • Full moon again
   • New moon
   • Waning crescent
3. 3.

   A first quarter Moon hangs over Milo's weekly soccer practice. Which phase will light up practice one week later?

   • Waxing gibbous
   • First quarter again
   • Full moon
   • New moon
4. 4.

   Noah starts a Moon diary on the night of a new moon. About 22 days later, which phase will the diary show?

   • Waxing gibbous
   • New moon again
   • Third quarter
   • First quarter
5. 5.

   Pia's friend says a first quarter Moon looks half lit because Earth's shadow covers the other half. Which response is best?

   • Agree: Earth's shadow covers half the Moon at a quarter moon
   • Disagree: the Sun lights half the Moon, and we see half of that half
   • Agree: the Moon dims half of its own glow in this phase
   • Disagree: a quarter moon should show a quarter of its face lit
6. 6.

   Ren reads a class blog post saying a full moon happens when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun. Which response is best?

   • Disagree: Earth's shadow on the Moon is what makes it full
   • Agree: the Moon is between Earth and the Sun at full moon
   • Disagree: at full moon, Earth is between the Sun and the Moon
   • Agree: the Moon glows brightest when it is closest to the Sun
7. 7.

   “Orbit diagram, top view, not to scale” Tala's cousin says nobody sees a new moon because its sunlit side faces away from Earth. Which response is best?

   • Disagree: the Moon has no sunlit side, since it lights itself
   • Disagree: the side facing away from Earth stays dark
   • Disagree: a new moon is hidden inside Earth's shadow
   • Agree: the lit half faces the Sun, which is beyond the Moon

8. Read this first

   Classroom model, top view

   a lamp on the left; a student in the middle; four ball spots around the head: W between the head and the lamp, X and Z at the sides at right angles to the lamp, Y on the far side from the lamp.

9. 8.

   In a class model, a lamp is the Sun, a foam ball is the Moon and Zee's head is Earth. Where should Zee hold the ball to show a full moon?

   • At W, between the head and the lamp
   • At Y, raised just above the head's shadow
   • At Y, low enough to sit in the head's shadow
   • At X, beside the head at a right angle

10. Classroom model, top view

    a lamp on the left; a student in the middle; the ball at spot X, beside the head at a right angle to the lamp, with its lamp-facing half white.

11. 9.

    In the lamp model, Ari holds the ball at spot X, at a right angle to the lamp. What does Ari see on the ball?

    • Half of the ball's face lit, like a quarter moon
    • A thin sliver lit, since a quarter moon is a quarter lit
    • No lit part, since the head's shadow covers the ball
    • The whole face lit, since the lamp shines on the ball

12. Classroom model, top view

    a lamp on the left; a student in the middle; the ball at spot W between the head and the lamp, with its lamp-facing half white.

13. 10.

    In the lamp model, Bo holds the ball at spot W, between the head and the lamp, and sees no lit part. Why?

    • The ball's own glow turns off near the lamp
    • The side of the ball away from the viewer gets no light
    • The lit half of the ball faces the lamp, not the viewer
    • The head's shadow falls on the ball