To The Moon!

Follow the scientific method in an experiment to explore these questions:

Make some observations about the surface of the moon:

Then ask questions to guide your research:

How did ___________________?

Why are ___________________?

Then ask questions to guide your research:

How did the craters on the moon get there?

Why are some craters larger than others?

Write a hypothesis: a reasonable guess or prediction about how the craters got there – and why some are larger than others.

“IF / THEN” statements are a great way to build an hypothesis:

Then ask questions to guide your research:

How did the craters on the moon get there?

Why are some craters larger than others?

From questions to a hypothesis

Your questions were: How did the

craters on the moon get there?

Why are some craters larger than others?

Our Hypothesis is:IF objects strike the surface of the moon, THEN _____________________________.IF some of those objects are larger or denser than others, THEN _____________________________.

From questions to a hypothesis

Our Hypothesis is:

IF objects strike the surface of the moon, THEN the impact will leave a crater.

IF some of those objects are larger or denser than others, THEN they will leave a larger crater.

Conduct an experiment:

Materials: • Aluminum pan• Flour• Cocoa powder• Rocks• Pebbles• Dice• Beads

STEPS 1 - 2

1. Group member 1: Dump the flour into the pan. Spread it evenly across the surface

2. Group member 2: Sprinkle the cocoa powder across the top of the flour. This represents the moon’s surface.

Step 3

Step 3: Group member 3: Take a large rock, stand up, and hold it at the leel of your head. Drop the rock into the pan.

Group member 4: Take a pebble, stand up, and hold it at the level of your head. Drop the pebble into the pan.

Steps 4 - 5Step 4: Group member 1: Take a bead, stand up, and hold it at the level of your head. Drop the bead into the pan.

Step 5: Group member 2: Take a die, stand up, and hold it at the level of your head. Drop the die into the pan.

Step 6:

Group member 3: Carefully remove the large rock and describe what you see in the chart on the Write in the chart on the next page of your research packet.

Group member 4: Carefully remove the pebble and describe what you see in the chart on the next page of your research packet.

Group member 1: Carefully remove the bead and record what you see…

Group member 2: Carefully remove the die and record what you see…

Step 7: Clean up

• All group members should carefully return the materials to the back table. Please throw the pans of flour into the garbage.

Conclusions:

• Did your experiment show that your hypothesis was right?

•Was your hypothesis wrong?

• Do you have to make slight changes to your hypothesis?

Guiding Questions

1. What did you notice about the craters when the lighter objects were used? What did you notice about the craters when the heavier objects were used?

2. How are the craters in sand similar to the craters on the moon?

3. How did the craters on the moon really get there?

Questions to think about:1. Why do you think the craters on the moon

are always there? Why don’t they disappear?

2. Do you think the Earth’s surface has craters? Why or why not?

3. Do you think the gas planets can have craters on their surface? Why or why not?

(More) questions to think about:

4. Does the weight of an object that hits the surface of the moon make a difference in the crater that it makes? Explain.

5. Do you think the craters look different if you threw the objects rather than dropped them?

Messier and Messier AHow do you think these craters

were formed? Make a reasonable guess…