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Astronomy Year / Week 03 / Tuesday
2/6
Week 03 · Predict the Full Moon

Tuesday

Read your moon log
// The Moon's monthly pattern
⏱ about 15 min

Tuesday: Read your moon log

Rocket lays the moon log on the table. "So many drawings!"

Raven points at two boxes. "What do you notice? Is the lit part bigger or smaller?"

Nova hovers over the page. "Hint: compare one night to the next."

Growing or shrinking?

Look at two nights in your log.

If the lit part got bigger, the Moon is waxing.

If the lit part got smaller, the Moon is waning.

Waxing means full moon is coming soon.

NightRocket's drawing
Night 1thin crescent
Night 3fatter crescent
Night 6half circle
READ ROCKET'S LOG
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Rocket's lit part keeps getting bigger. Is the Moon waxing or waning?
What phase is coming next for Rocket?
Log clueTrue or false?
A bigger lit part each night means waxing.?
A smaller lit part each night means waxing.?
A waning Moon is heading toward new moon.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEYour log tells you where the Moon is in its cycle.

Compare two boxes

  1. Pick two log boxes a few nights apart.
  2. Look at the lit part in each.
  3. Ask: did it get bigger or smaller?
  4. Write waxing or waning next to them.
LOG DETECTIVE
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Night 1 is a thin crescent. Night 3 is a fatter crescent. What changed?
Rocket's night 6 is a half circle. What phase is that?
A log goes full, then gibbous, then half. Waxing or waning?
Clouds hid the Moon on night 2. What should the box say?
ROCKET'S WAXING MOON
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1Night 1
2Night 3
3Night 6
Rocket's logTrue or false?
Rocket's Moon got bigger each time.?
Rocket's Moon is waning.?
A gibbous Moon may come after night 6.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEReading a log in order shows the pattern.
Try it
Open your own moon log.
Pick two boxes with drawings.
Decide: waxing or waning?
Copy two boxes from your moon log side by side. Label waxing or waning.

You read a log like a scientist! Tomorrow we count days to predict.

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