Phases of the Moon Worksheet & Science Lesson for Kids

If your children are budding astronomers, they will love to learn about the moon with our phases of the moon worksheet notebook pack all about the moon. This post will also guide you through the different phases of the moon, what eclipses are, plus a fun, hands-on activity to keep your kids engaged.

Phases of the Moon Worksheet & Science Lesson for Kids

This year has been such a wonderful year to star gaze at God’s creation. There have been some really amazing moon changes, eclipses, solar storms and planets to see. My kids have always loved looking at the moon since they were little toddlers, wanting to see it peek out of the clouds, and light up the sky.

We love doing unit studies in our homeschool. The best part is that you can pair this lesson this with a family night of stargazing on a brightly lit full moon night!

Learning About the Phases of the Moon

As students gaze at the moon every night, they will see how it doesn’t quite look the same each time. The different phases of the moon are the ways the moon looks from the Earth throughout the month.

The Moon Never Actually Changes Shapes

Although students may be intrigued about the different shapes the moon has, they will be even more shocked to know that the moon doesn’t change shapes at all.

The Moon Doesn’t Shine Light

Another interesting fact about the moon is that it doesn’t shine light the way the sun shines light. Sunlight is the only source of light in our solar system. The “moonlight” that we see is, in fact, the sun’s light reflecting off the moon’s surface. The moon doesn’t have its own light, even though it looks like it does.

When the moon orbits around the Earth, the side of the moon facing the sun is lit. The phases of the moon are the different shapes we see as the moon-lit portion from Earth.

Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere

Half of the moon is always lit by the sun. That is hard to comprehend for many. People in the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere see the lunar phases differently from one another, from different angles.

It depends on where you are in the world. Basically, the moon phases are controlled by the positions of the moon itself, earth, and sun.

Lunar Calendar

Each of the eight phases of the moon completes its lunar cycle every 29.53 days, so each moon cycle repeats once every 29.53 days. This time period is known as a lunar month.

Since a lunar month is shorter than the standard calendar month, modern societies no longer use it. However, many ancient societies measured their time in lunar months or “moons” including Chinese, Babylonians, Greeks, and Jews civilizations.

8 Primary Phases of the Moon:

The four major phases of the moon are: the new moon, the first quarter, the full moon and the last quarter. The four minor moon phases are: waxing, cresecent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous, and waning crescent. 

NOTE: When the moon looks to be growing or getting larger it is called “waxing.” When it gets smaller it’s called “waning.” The first phases of the moon are known to be waxing and the last phases are considered to be waning.

New Moon Phase

This new moon is the first lunar phase and is when the moon seems to completely disappear. It is completely facing the moon and is not illuminated. The new moon rises as the sun rises.

Waxing Crescent Moon Phase

This moon phase is in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s when the moon starts to show some as it starts its orbit. While in the sky, the moon looks like tiny silver light. This type of phase can be seen every evening for a few minutes after the sun sets.

First Quarter Moon (Half Moon) Phase

In this phase, half of the moon is visible for the first half of the evening and comes a week after the new moon. In the first quarter, the moon is illuminated halfway, and which half depends on where you are in the Earth.

Waxing Gibbous Moon Phase

Starting right after the First Quarter, the illumination is about 50%. The gibbous phase is named after the moon’s shapes it is less than the full moon but bigger than the Third Quarter.

Full Moon Phase

The Full Moon is when the Moon and Sun are aligned on the exact opposite side of the Earth. 100% of the Moon’s face is lit up by the Sun. Since the moon is in constant motion around the Earth, it never really stays a full moon for long.

Waning Gibbous Moon Phase

Following the Full Moon, the moon starts waning or decreasing to the Waning Gibbous Phase. The illumination of sunlight from this phase is anywhere from 99.9% to 50.1%; and this happens from one day to the next.

Third Quarter Moon Phase

This phase is also called the Last Quarter Moon Phase and is a half moon. The last quarter phase is in the waning period of the moon phases.

Waning Crescent Phase

The waning crescent moon looks like a thin light on the left in the Northern Hemisphere. The lunar disk isn’t visible to the unaided eye but can be seen because of the stars behind it.

Some sources sat there is another phase of the moon called the Dark Moon. Yet, the New Moon and Dark Moon are virtually identical and happen simultaneously.

​Hands-on Activity for Learning About The Phases of the Moon

A great activity to learn about the phases of the moon is by making your very own phases of the moon diagram our of oreo cookies! It is very simple, tasty and fun!

What you will need:

• 8 Double Stuf Oreo Cookies (the extra cream makes it easier to create the shape of the moon that you need to represent)
• ​A paper plate
• A plastic knife or plastic spoon
• Small pieces of paper and a pen for labeling

Directions:

• Take 8 Oreo cookies and twist them open, keeping the cream side intact.
• Use a plastic knife or spoon to shape the cream into different moon phases: full moon, new moon (plain cookie), half moon, crescent, etc.
• Arrange the cookies in order on the paper plate to represent the moon’s phases.
• Label each of the 8 phases with a small piece of paper.

This is a great way for your children to learn about each particular phase of the moon, and have a fun snack at the same time!

What is a solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse is when, at just the right moment, the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. The moon casts a shadow on Earth that either fully or partially blocks the Sun’s light in some areas.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse happens at the full moon phase when the Earth is directly between the Moon and the Sun. The Earth’s shadow falls on the surface of the Moon which makes it very dim and can turn a red color over a period of a few hours. 

More Fun Facts on Moon Phases

There is so much more to learn about moon phases. For instance, once every 3 years, there is a second full moon in one calendar month called a Blue Moon.

There is a time when the moon moves exceptionally close to Earth and looks about 7% to 15% larger, this is called a Super Pink Moon. Then there is a Sturgeon Moon, Worm Moon, or Hunter’s Moon. You kids will find them fun to learn about.

A moon phase is an angle of the moon to the Earth that appears different to us every day. Now, when our family gazes at the night sky everyday, a little bit in the course of the month, there is so much for your family to think about.

Once children learn about moon phases, they can think about what part of the moon they are looking at. It may be the back end of the moon or the front. Your young astronomers can understand how the moon has no light, yet the sun’s reflection on the moon lights up the sky even in the darkest of nights.

Use these resource below to help teach your students about the moon phases at home.

Free Facts About Earth’s Moon

Free Facts About Earth’s Moon Research Journal – Exciting worksheets for kids about the moon with illustration, questions, and answering key.