Phases of the Moon

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Ari sketches the Moon from the backyard after school. The right half is lit and the left half is dark. Which phase is it?

   • Third quarter
   • First quarter
   • Waxing gibbous
   • Full moon
2. 2.

   “as seen from the Northern Hemisphere” Before breakfast, Bo spots the Moon in the morning sky with its left half lit. Left side lit means waning. Which waning phase is it?

   • New moon
   • Third quarter
   • Waning gibbous
   • First quarter
3. 3.

   At a backyard star party, the Moon is so bright the stars look shy. Kira sees its whole round face lit. Which phase is it?

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

   Luz looks at a first quarter Moon. How much of the whole Moon is lit by the Sun right now?

   • No sunlight, since the Moon glows by itself
   • The half facing Earth, since the far side stays dark
   • A quarter of it, since Earth's shadow covers the rest
   • Half of it, the half facing the Sun
5. 5.

   “Orbit diagram, top view, not to scale” Tonight is a new moon, and Milo can't find the Moon anywhere. What is happening on the Moon's far side, the side facing away from Earth?

   • It is glowing by itself
   • It is hidden in Earth's shadow
   • It is fully lit by the Sun
   • It is dark, because sunlight cannot get there

6. Read this first

   Use this

   Orbit diagram, top view from above the North Pole, not to scale.

7. 6.

   Noah studies an orbit diagram for a science quiz. Which phase does someone on Earth see when the Moon is at position E?

   • Third quarter: left half lit
   • First quarter: right half lit
   • New moon: no lit face showing
   • Full moon: whole face lit
8. 7.

   Pia points to position G on the orbit diagram. Which phase does someone on Earth see when the Moon is there?

   • First quarter: right half lit
   • New moon: no lit face showing
   • Full moon: whole face lit
   • Third quarter: left half lit
9. 8.

   Ren wants to mark the new moon on the orbit diagram. At which position is the Moon at new moon?

   • Position A, between Earth and the Sun
   • Position C, a quarter of the way around
   • Position G, three-quarters of the way around
   • Position E, on the far side of Earth
10. 9.

    Tala marks a new moon on the class calendar. Which main phase comes next, about a week later?

    • Full moon
    • First quarter
    • New moon again
    • Third quarter

11. Phase strip of the four main phases in order

    New moon, first quarter, full moon, third quarter, then new moon again, about 7 days apart. The full moon is circled.

12. 10.

    On a camping trip, the full moon is bright enough to read a comic by. Which main phase will Zee see about a week later?

    • Waning gibbous
    • Third quarter
    • Full moon again
    • First quarter