Phases of the Moon
Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
the Moon's shape is not drawn. On an evening hike, Esme sees the Moon rising in the east just as the Sun sets in the west. Which phase must it be, and why?
- New moon, on the Sun's side of Earth
- First quarter, a quarter of the way around
- Full moon, opposite the Sun
- Any phase, since the Moon rises when night begins
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 daytime glare, since the real Moon rises after dark
- A third quarter Moon, which rises around noon
- A full moon, which rises around noon
- A first quarter Moon, which rises around noon
At 8 a.m. on the walk to school, Kira sees a Moon in the southwest with its left half lit. Which explanation fits?
- A night Moon that is running late to set
- A third quarter Moon, which sets around noon
- A new moon, which sets around noon
- A first quarter Moon, which sets around noon
A first quarter Moon hangs over Milo's weekly soccer practice. Which phase will light up practice one week later?
- Full moon
- First quarter again
- New moon
- Waxing gibbous
Pia's friend says a first quarter Moon looks half lit because Earth's shadow covers the other half. Which response is best?
- Agree: the Moon dims half of its own glow in this phase
- Disagree: a quarter moon should show a quarter of its face lit
- 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
Ren reads a class blog post saying a full moon happens when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun. Which response is best?
- Agree: the Moon is between Earth and the Sun at full moon
- Disagree: Earth's shadow on the Moon is what makes it full
- Agree: the Moon glows brightest when it is closest to the Sun
- Disagree: at full moon, Earth is between the Sun and the Moon
“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?
- Agree: the lit half faces the Sun, which is beyond the Moon
- Disagree: the side facing away from Earth stays dark
- Disagree: the Moon has no sunlit side, since it lights itself
- Disagree: a new moon is hidden inside Earth's shadow
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.
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 Y, raised just above the head's shadow
- At Y, low enough to sit in the head's shadow
- At W, between the head and the lamp
- At X, beside the head at a right angle
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.
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
- The whole face lit, since the lamp shines on the ball
- A thin sliver lit, since a quarter moon is a quarter lit
- No lit part, since the head's shadow covers the ball
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.
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 lit half of the ball faces the lamp, not the viewer
- The side of the ball away from the viewer gets no light
- The head's shadow falls on the ball