5 - Model Making 101

How can the use of a model help us to understand

and describe the patterns of lunar phases and solar

and lunar eclipses?

Evidence I: Going through a Phase Imagine the night sky. What’s the brightest thing you think of?

STARS?

VENUS?

The moon cannot generate (make) light. So why is it that we can see it?

Imagine being in pitch-black room. You shine a flashlight on the book

you are reading and the pages light up. The book does not make its own light, but because light is shining on

it, you can see the words on the page. Let’s use this situation to

explain why we can see the moon.

THE MOON!

Evidence I: Going through a Phase

Evidence I: Going through a Phase

We can see the moon because ________ is shining on it. The light from the _______ is being ________________ off of it.

You already know that the moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.

It takes the moon 27.3 days to make a complete ________________ around our home planet.

During this time, the moon travels about 240,000 miles!

Evidence I: Going through a Phase It might be helpful to know the meaning of a few terms before we go any further. They come

up often during the video, and during conversations about lunar phases.

WANING

WAXING

GIBBOUS

means to grow smaller in size.

Ms. Aube’s students’ enthusiasm for extra homework was rapidly waning.

means to grow larger in size.

The idea of adding one month to summer vacation was waxing in popularity.

means bulging, or smaller than a full circle yet larger than a semi-circle.

Quasimodo has a gibbous back.

waning crescent waxing crescent

Evidence I: Going through a Phase

During the video, try to

pay close attention for

information about THE

REASON THAT

THERE IS NOT AN

ECLIPSE EVERY

MONTH. This is a very

important concept and

one that is not totally

obvious. You will be

asked to illustrate this

idea in your journal, so

make sure you are

looking carefully at

Bill’s model!

Evidence I: Going through a Phase

Use your Moon

Phases paper model

to include all phases

of the moon shown

here. We will begin

with the dark, New

moon. Where should

that one be drawn in?

Remember that from

where we are on

Earth, we cannot see

the reflected light of

the sun.

Evidence II: Solar and Lunar eclipses

How can we remember which eclipse is which?

And what is really happening to darken the objects?

Evidence II: Solar and Lunar Eclipses During a lunar eclipse, the Earth’s path of orbit prevents

sunlight from hitting the moon. This makes the moon look

dark or even coppery in color. Full lunar eclipses can ONLY

happen during what phase of the moon?

A full lunar eclipse can only

occur during a ________

moon. This is because this is

the only time during the month

that the Sun, Earth, and moon

are lined up in straight line (in

that order).

During a lunar eclipse, we

cannot see the ________.

Evidence II: Solar and Lunar Eclipses

During a solar eclipse, the Moon’s path of orbit prevents

sunlight from hitting the earth. This makes the sun look dark

or blocked out. Full solar eclipses can ONLY happen during

what phase of the moon?

A full solar eclipse can only occur

during a ________ moon. This is

because this is the only time during

the month that the Sun, Moon, and

Earth are lined up in straight line (in

that order).

During a solar eclipse, we cannot

see the ________.

Evidence II: Solar and Lunar eclipses

Which model shows a

lunar eclipse and

which shows a solar

eclipse? How can you

tell?

Draw a picture that models a

lunar eclipse and a solar

eclipse at the same time.

Your model must include two

moons. Your illustration must

be bigger than a hamburger

bun but smaller than a piece

of bread.

Evidence III: Model Making

What are some of the models that we have used

so far in this lesson? What about during the last

few lessons?

⭐Lunar Phases

⭐Lunar Eclipses

⭐Solar Eclipses

Evidence III: Model Making You will be spending the next few days making a 3D model WITH moving parts of one of the following phenomena:

Why is it important for these models

to have moving parts?

Hint: What are the objects involved

in these phenomena. Do they

move? If these objects didn’t move,

would we see phases and eclipses

in real life?

Preparing for the Model:

Your model should help people understand WITHOUT

making them have to do a lot of reading. Consider which

phenomena you feel that YOU understand the best. This

will probably be the one that is easiest to make a model of.

Concept that I will model: _________________________

Now draw a rough draft of what your model will look like…

Then add labels for all objects that are in your model.

Now, make a bullet point list of materials you need to bring:

(At least 6 supplies. List EVERYTHING you will need,

including scissors, glue, etc.)

• list 6+ supplies

• -

• - etc…

I will provide you with tape, construction paper, scissors,

markers, colored pencils and limited amounts of glue.

Everything else must be acquired on your own. Put a star

next to objects in your list that you need to bring yourself.

Once you have your materials list completed, make another

drawing of the model you will be making. This time, you

should have a better idea of what it will look like since you

thought about the materials. Label this new drawing with

the materials that make up the model.