Unit 1

Pre-Apollo Activities
Distance to the Moon
Diameter of the Moon
Reaping Rocks

Before Apollo 11 astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr.
stepped on the Moon on July 20, 1969, people had studied the Moon by eye,
telescope, and images from spacecraft. The theme of Unit 1 is a basic introduction
to the Moon -- how it looks from Earth, how far away it is, and how big it is. The
activities allow students to make comparisons between the Moon and Earth as well
as to make predictions about the Moon rocks.

Encourage students to sketch and describe nightly observations of the Moon and
keep a written record of date and time. Nightly charting of the Moon helps students
recognize Moon phases as well as the bright and dark terrains.

Scale models and proportional relationships are featured in the first two activities.
The “Distance to the Moon” and “Diameter of the Moon” activities introduce
students to techniques of measuring distances in space indirectly.

This unit also includes an activity to collect and study rocks called “Reaping
Rocks.” This activity should follow a more comprehensive lesson on basic rock
and mineral identification. The activity also extends learning to the Moon and asks
students to predict how their rock collections will compare with lunar samples.

A Resource Section for Unit 1 is on Page 24.

Exploring the Moon -- A Teacher's Guide with Activities, NASA EG-1997-10-116-HQ 23

 Unit 1
Resource Section
This list presents possible independent and commercial sources of items to complement the activities in Unit
1. The sources are offered without recommendation or endorsement by NASA. Inquiries should be made
directly to the appropriate source to determine availability, cost, and ordering information before sending
money. Contact your NASA Educator Resource Center (see Page 146) for more lists of resources available
directly from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Maps Lunar Phase Calendars
The Earth's Moon by National Geographic Society. Celestial Products
Wall map showing nearside and farside. Also in- P.O. Box 801
cludes graphics with captions explaining eclipses, Middleburg, VA 22117
lunar phases, tides, and other phenomena. U.S. and 1-800-235-3783 or FAX 1-703-338-4042
Soviet landing/impact sites are shown. The reverse
side has an index of lunar named features and Earth Rock Sample Sets
selected photographs from the Apollo missions. Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Inc.
National Geographic Society P.O. Box 92912
Educational Services, Department 91 Rochester, NY 14692-9012
Washington, D.C. 20036 1-800-962-2660
1-800-368-2728 or FAX 1-301-921-1575
Slides
Giant Moon Map by Rand McNally. Wall map Glorious Eclipses slide set
showing the nearside. Contact Rand McNally di- Astronomical Society of the Pacific
rectly, or order it through: 390 Ashton Ave.
Astronomical Society of the Pacific San Francisco, CA 94112
390 Ashton Ave. 1-415-337-2624
San Francisco, CA 94112
1-415-337-2624 Other Teacher's Guides
Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Teacher's Guide
Maps of Earth, Moon, Mars, etc. with Activities, NASA EG-1997-08-104-HQ.
U.S. Geological Survey Map Sales M. Lindstrom et. al., 1997
Box 25286 Companion volume available from NASA Educator
Denver Federal Center Resource Centers or CORE (refer to Page 146 of
Denver, CO 80225 this book.)
303-236-7477
(Ask for Customer Service) Return to the Moon: Moon Activities Teacher's
Guide, 1990
Globes Challenger Center for Space Science Education
Edmund Scientific Co. 1101 King Street, Suite 190
101 E. Gloucester Pike Alexandria, VA 22314
Barrington, NJ 08007-1380 1-703-683-9740
1-609-573-6270 or FAX 1-609-573-6295

24 Exploring the Moon -- A Teacher's Guide with Activities, NASA EG-1997-10-116-HQ

 Teacher Page

Distance to the Moon

Purpose
To calculate the distance between scale models of
Earth and the Moon.

Background
As long as people have looked at the Moon, they have wondered how far away it is
from Earth. The average distance to the Moon is 382,500 km. The distance varies
because the Moon travels around Earth in an elliptical orbit. At perigee, the point at
which the Moon is closest to Earth, the distance is approximately 360,000 km. At
apogee, the point at which the Moon is farthest from Earth, the distance is approxi-
mately 405,000 km.

Distance from Earth to the Moon for a given date can be obtained by asking a local
planetarium staff. Students interested in astronomy may enjoy looking at The
Astronomical Almanac printed yearly by the U.S. Government printing office.
When the Apollo 11 crew landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969, they were
393,309 km away from home.

In this activity students will use simple sports balls as scale models of Earth and the
Moon. Given the astronomical distance between Earth and the Moon, students will
determine the scale of the model system and the distance that must separate the two
models.

The “Moon ABCs Fact Sheet” lists the Earth's diameter as 12,756 km and the Moon's
diameter as 3,476 km. Therefore, the Moon's diameter is 27.25% of Earth's diameter.
An official basketball has a diameter of 24 cm. This can serve as a model for Earth. A
tennis ball has a diameter of 6.9 cm which is close to 27.25% of the basketball. (The
tennis ball is actually 28.8% the size of the basketball.) These values are very close to
the size relationship between Earth and the Moon. The tennis ball, therefore, can be
used as a model of the Moon.

The scale of the model system is determined by setting the diameter of the basketball
equal to the diameter of Earth. This is written as a simple relationship shown below:

24 cm = 12,756 km

Expressed more simply, 1 cm in the model system equals 531.5 km in space:

1 cm = 531.5 km

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 Teacher Page

Distance to the Moon

Using this scale, the basketball-tennis ball separation in centimeters (x) is derived:

x = 382,500 km = 719.7 cm
531.5 km

The value x may be rounded to 720 cm and converted to meters so that the students
need to place the basketball and tennis ball 7.2 m apart.

Preparation
Review and prepare materials listed on the student sheet.
If it is not possible to obtain an official-size basketball and tennis ball, then you can use
other spherical objects or circles drawn on paper. Clay balls may be used as models.
For example, for two clay balls, 10 cm diameter and 2.7 cm diameter, the scale is
1 cm = 1,275.6 km. At this scale, students need to separate the clay balls by 3 m.

In Class
Divide the students into cooperative groups. Students must keep track of units of
measure.

Wrap Up
Did the students have an accurate idea of the size relationship between Earth and the
Moon before doing this activity?

Did the effect of separating the scale models help them visualize the distance to the
Moon?

Extensions
1. How long did it take Apollo astronauts to travel to the Moon?

2. Have students measure the circumferences of various spheres so that each group uses
a different pair of models.

3. Instead of using the average distance to the Moon, use the distance from
July 20, 1969, to recall the Apollo 11 landing or use the distance for today.

26 Exploring the Moon -- A Teacher's Guide with Activities, NASA EG-1997-10-116-HQ

 Distance to the Moon
Purpose
To calculate the distance between scale models of
Earth and the Moon.

Key Word Procedure

scale 1. If Earth were the size of an official basketball, then
the Moon would be the size of: another basket-
Materials ball? soccer ball? baseball? tennis ball? golf
ball? marble?
“Moon ABCs Fact Sheet”
sports balls
calculator
2. The diameter of Earth in kilometers is:
meter tape
3. The diameter of the Moon in kilometers is:

4. What percentage of Earth's diameter is the Moon's

diameter?

5. Use the list below to change or confirm your

answer to Question 1.

diameter in cm
official basketball 24
size 5 soccer ball 22
official baseball 7.3
tennis ball 6.9
golf ball 4.3
marble 0.6

If Earth is a basketball, then the Moon is a:

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 Distance to the Moon
6. Use an official basketball as a model of Earth. Use a second
ball, the one you determined from Question 5, as a model of the
Moon.

7. Determine the scale of your model system by setting the

diameter of the basketball equal to the diameter of Earth.

cm = km therefore,

1 cm = km

8. If the distance to the Moon from Earth is 382,500 km, then how
far apart must you separate the two scale models to accurately
depict the Earth/Moon system?

Using the scale value in the box from Step 7, the model separa-
tion in centimeters (x) is derived:

x = actual distance to the Moon in kilometers

scale value in kilometers

x =

x = centimeters

The two scale models must be separated by meters.

9. Set up your scale model of the Earth/Moon system. Does it fit

in your classroom?

28 Exploring the Moon -- A Teacher's Guide with Activities, NASA EG-1997-10-116-HQ

 Teacher Page

Diameter of the Moon

Purpose
To calculate the diameter of the Moon using
proportions.

Background
The diameter of the Moon is proportional to the diameter of a cardboard disk, given that
you know the distance to the Moon and the distance to the cardboard disk.
The relationship is:

d D
l L
so that:

D = L(d/l)

where D = diameter of Moon

d = diameter of cardboard disk
L = distance to Moon
l = distance to cardboard disk

In this activity, students will measure d and l. They will be given L.

They will calculate D.

The diameter of the Moon (D) is 3,476 km.

Preparation
Review and prepare materials listed on the student sheet.
Choose a day and location for this activity which is best for viewing a full Moon.

A cardboard disk of 2 cm diameter works well. Better accuracy may be achieved by

using a larger disk, thus a greater distance l. However, if obtaining or cutting cardboard
is difficult, then this activity can also be done with dimes. A dime held out at arm's
length will cover the Moon.

The distance from Earth to the Moon for a given date can be obtained by asking a local
planetarium staff, Or for this activity, students may use an average value of
382,500 km.
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 Teacher Page

Diameter of the Moon

In Class
If students work in pairs, then one student can use the string to measure distance from
their partner's eye to the disk.

The same units do not have to be used on both sides of the equation, but d and l have to
be the same units. The D will be the same unit as L.

Wrap-Up
To compute the density of the Moon use the diameter to compute volume and use the
mass value of 7.35 x 1022 kg.

Density of the Moon is 3.34 grams/cubic cm.

30 Exploring the Moon -- A Teacher's Guide with Activities, NASA EG-1997-10-116-HQ

 Diameter of the Moon
Purpose
To calculate the diameter of the Moon using
proportions.

Key Words Procedure

proportional 1. On a day when you can see the Moon: place a
cardboard disk on top of a stake or on a
Materials window sill so that it exactly covers the Moon
from your point of view behind the cardboard
2-cm wide cardboard disk disk.
wooden stake (optional)
2. Have a friend measure the distance from
meter stick your eye to the cardboard disk.
calculator Call this distance l and write the value here:
string l=

3. The distance from Earth to the Moon varies

between 360,000 km and 405,000 km. Find the
distance for today’s date or use an average value
for your calculations of 382,500 km.
Write the value that you are going to use here:
L=

4. What is the diameter of the cardboard disk?

d=

5. The diameter of the Moon is proportional to the

diameter of your cardboard disk by this equation:

d D
l L so that, D = L(d/l)

where: D = diameter of Moon

d = diameter of cardboard disk
L = distance to Moon
l = distance to cardboard disk
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 Diameter of the Moon
Results
1. By your calculations, the diameter of the Moon is:
D=

2. Compare your result with the accepted diameter of the Moon.

How close did you get?

3. How many times smaller is the diameter of the Moon than the
diameter of Earth?

4. When you calculated the diameter of the Moon, did you have to
use the same units on both sides of the equation?

5. How and where could you find the value for the distance to the
Moon for today's date?

6. What else would you need to know to compute the density of the
Moon? Try it.

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 Teacher Page

Reaping Rocks
Purpose
To make predictions about the origin of lunar rocks by
first collecting, describing, and classifying neighbor-
hood rocks.
Background [also see “Teacher's Guide” Pages 6, 7, photo on15,16]
Geologists are scientists who study the formation, structure, history, and processes
(internal and on the surface) that change Earth and other planetary bodies.

Rocks and the minerals in them give geologists key information about the events in a
planet’s history. By collecting, describing and classifying rocks, we can learn how the
rocks were formed and what processes have changed them.

Geologists classify rocks into three types:

Igneous - rock formed when magma cools and hardens either below the surface (for
example, granite) or on the surface during volcanic events (for example, basalt).

Sedimentary - rock formed by the collection, compaction, and cementation of mineral

grains, rock fragments, and sand that are moved by wind, water, or ice to the site of depo-
sition.

Metamorphic - rock formed when heat and/or pressure deep within the planet changes
the mineral composition and grain size of existing rocks. For example, metamorphism
changes limestone into marble.

We find all three rock types on Earth’s surface and the rocks are constantly changing
(recycling), very slowly because of heat, pressure, and exposure to weather and erosion.

The Moon's surface is dominated by igneous rocks. The lunar highlands are formed of
anorthosite, an igneous rock predominantly of calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar.
The lunar maria are made of layers of basaltic lava, not unlike the basaltic flows of the
Columbia River Plateau or of Iceland. The orange glass found on the Moon’s surface is
another product of volcanic activity. Moon rocks are not exposed to weather nor are they
eroded by wind, water, or ice. The Apollo astronaut’s footprints are as fresh as the day
they were made.

Preparation
Review and prepare materials listed on the student sheet. Spend time familiarizing the
students with rock and mineral identification.
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 Teacher Page

Reaping Rocks
Students may need more than one copy of “My Own Rock Chart” because it has spaces
for only three samples. You may want to collect empty egg cartons, small boxes, or
trays that the students could decorate themselves to display their rocks. Use of magnify-
ing lenses or a stereo microscope would greatly enhance observations.

“Moon ABCs Fact Sheet” may come in handy during the wrap-up when students try to
make predictions about the Moon rocks.

In Class
Talk about the qualities of rocks that we can describe: shape, size, color, texture, and the place
where it was found. Then discuss the three rock classifications emphasizing that geologists
classify rocks and interpret the origins of rocks based on their observations.

Encourage students to collect a variety of rocks with different colors and textures from
your own locality, if possible. Remind them to choose naturally occurring materials
not cement or brick fragments! If it is not possible to collect rocks from the neighbor-
hood, then try to obtain a commerically available set of common rocks. More than one
student may choose the same rock. Students could also cut out pictures of rocks from
magazines or study pictures of rocks in text books.

After each rock has been labeled with owner’s name and location where it was found,
have the students look carefully at the rock. To help them train their eyes, ask questions
like: What colors do you see? Do you see grains? Are the grains large or small? Does
the rock look glassy? Or does the rock show a banding pattern? Does the rock look
frothy with a lot of holes? Do you see pebbles cemented together? Does the rock con-
tain fossils?

Ask students to describe their rocks with as many adjectives or descriptive phrases as
possible. Have the students classify the rocks as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic,
and then try to interpret the rock origins. “My Own Rock Chart” is designed to help
organize their observations and interpretations.

Wrap-up
Conclude the activity by challenging the students to predict what the lunar rocks look
like and the possible origins based on what they have just learned about Earth rocks and
based on the material in the “Moon ABCs Fact Sheet.”

Display these rock collections and keep them until the students have a chance to com-
pare with the lunar samples in “The Lunar Disk” activity on Page 39.

34 Exploring the Moon -- A Teacher's Guide with Activities, NASA EG-1997-10-116-HQ

 Reaping Rocks
Purpose
To make predictions about the origin of lunar rocks
by first collecting, describing, and classifying neigh-
borhood rocks.

Key Words Procedure

geologist 1. Display your rocks on a tray or egg carton,
and label each one with the location of where
mineral
you found it.
rock
igneous 2. Look carefully at each rock with and without a
magnifying lens or stereo microscope.
sedimentary What details can you see under magnification?
metamorphic
3. Describe what you see by filling out “My Own
Rock Chart.” Use as many adjectives or
Materials descriptive phrases as you can.
rocks
4. Classify your rocks as igneous, sedimentary or
empty egg carton, box, or
metamorphic. Try to interpret how your rocks
other collection tray
were formed; that is, the origins. Add this
labels information to your chart.
magnifying lens or stereo
microscope 5. Now, based on your chart and the “Moon
ABCs Fact Sheet,” predict what the Moon
“My Own Rock Chart” rocks will look like.
“Moon ABCs Fact Sheet”

6. How do you think the different Moon rocks might

have formed?

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Interpretations Observations

Collection Site

Rock Sketch
Classification

Texture
Origin

Shape
Colors

Size

My Own Rock Chart

36 Exploring the Moon -- A Teacher's Guide with Activities, NASA EG-1997-10-116-HQ