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Moon Phase Oreo Lab

The document describes an activity where students use Oreo cookies to model the phases of the moon. Students will be given 4 Oreo cookies to separate and scrape the frosting off to represent the illuminated portion of the moon. They will arrange the cookies in order to demonstrate the 8 phases of the moon's cycle and will draw and label the phases on a diagram. This allows students to see how the moon appears to change shape from Earth over the course of a lunar month through the relative positions of the Earth, moon and sun.

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Luke Pitcock
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390 views4 pages

Moon Phase Oreo Lab

The document describes an activity where students use Oreo cookies to model the phases of the moon. Students will be given 4 Oreo cookies to separate and scrape the frosting off to represent the illuminated portion of the moon. They will arrange the cookies in order to demonstrate the 8 phases of the moon's cycle and will draw and label the phases on a diagram. This allows students to see how the moon appears to change shape from Earth over the course of a lunar month through the relative positions of the Earth, moon and sun.

Uploaded by

Luke Pitcock
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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OREO PHASES

Today, we are going to use tremendous amounts of restraint and use some Oreo cookies to model the
phases of the moon. Yes, you can eat them, but only AFTER you have had your teacher check them out
and make sure everything is correct!

PROCEDURE:
1. Each pair of students will receive only 4 Oreo cookies. 2 per student and ONLY 2 per student!
2. Separate your cookies carefully.
3. You will use the scraping tool to scrape the frosting for each of the moon phases. (Think: How
will you represent a new moon? A full moon?)
4. The frosting will represent the lit-up portion of the moon that we see from earth.
5. Place the cookies in order on DIAGRAM 1 on the back of this sheet.
6. Confirm with the teacher that your diagram is correct, then eat the cookies only after you have
drawn the shapes onto your paper for DIAGRAM 2 on the answer sheet.
DIAGRAM 1: The moon in orbit as viewed from Earth.
1.
2.

8.
3.

7.
6.
4
5.
Name: ________________________________________ Period: _____ Date: ___________

OREO PHASES

1. Locate Diagram 2 ("The Moon as viewed from Earth") below. Looking at your Oreos BEFORE you eat
them, Use a pencil to fill in the circles at all the lunar phases, so it shows how the Moon appears when
viewed from the perspective of a person on Earth.

Underneath the circles, write the name of the phase of the Moon in each position.

2. How many days will pass before phase 1 will be repeated? 28 days

3. What is the term used to describe the Moon as the lit portion increases? Waxing

4. What is the term used to describe the Moon as the lit portion decreases? Waning

5. At Position 2, which side of the Moon is lit… the left or the right? Right

6. At Position 3, the Moon has now completed what percent of its orbit around the Earth? 25%

7. In an actual lunar month, approximately how long does it take for the Moon to travel from position 1
to position 3? (HINT: How many days (round it) make up 25 percent of the lunar cycle?) 7 days

8. At position 5, the Moon has now completed what percent of its orbit around the Earth? 50%

9. In an actual lunar month, approximately how long does it take for the Moon to travel from position 1
to position 5? 14 days

10. As the Moon moves from Position 5 to Position 6, does the lit portion as seen from Earth appear to
increase or decrease? Decrease
11. What is the term used to describe your answer to question 10? Waning

12. At position 7, the Moon has now completed what percent of its orbit around the Earth? 75%

13. In an actual lunar month, approximately how long does it take for the Moon to travel from position 1
to position 7? 21
15. What is the name of the phase of the Moon when it has returned to Position 1? New Moon

16. Divide 28 days (the length of the lunar cycle) by 8 (the number of phases of the moon). This is
the amount of time it takes to progress from one phase to the next. How long is this? 3.5 days

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS . Answer the following in complete sentences.


17. Describe the process that causes the moon to appear in these different phases. Include the words
rotate(ion), reflect(ion), orbit, moon , Earth.

The moon appears differently on different days because the earth and moon both rotate and orbit the
sun and the earth. The Moon has light because of where the Earth, Moon, and Sun are positioned. This
changes the reflection of the light we see.

18. How long is one cycle of phases (one revolution around the Earth)?
One revolution around the Earth is 29.5 days

19. How can you tell by looking at the moon whether it is in a waxing gibbous or a waning gibbous phase?
Based off of which side of the moon doesn’t have any light.

Look at the scenarios below. In the blank circle, draw the moon phase we would see if we were on Earth
(using Diagram 1 of this assignment to help you) then write the name of that moon phase on the blank
line. If it helps, turn the paper so the sun is on the left-hand side.
Waxing
Full moon crescent

New moon Waxing


gibbous

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