The Moon's Orbit

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Space Exploration|Ages 7—9|ID: mt_15FduGRf5c

Know that the Moon orbits Earth approximately once a month, that it does not make its own light but reflects sunlight, and that its changing appearance (phases) is caused by how much of the sunlit side we can see from Earth

Mastery Evidence

State that the Moon orbits Earth roughly once every 28-30 days
Explain that the Moon reflects sunlight rather than producing its own light
Describe how Moon phases happen: we see different amounts of the lit-up side as the Moon orbits Earth

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] explain why the Moon seems to change shape — that it’s always round but we only see the part lit up by the Sun?”

Prerequisites2

Moon Phases
hardAges 5—7
Earth's Spin & Orbit
softAges 7—9

Show full prerequisite tree

Moon Phases hard
Must have observed Moon phases before learning the causal explanation (reflected sunlight)
- Sun, Moon & Stars hard
  Must know the Moon is a sky object before observing its phases
  - Why seasons change soft
    Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification
    - Naming the Planets soft
      Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary
    - Seasonal changes soft
      Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition
      - Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
Earth's Spin & Orbit soft
Understanding orbits helps contextualise the Moon's orbit around Earth
- Seasons & Weather Patterns soft
  Seasons concept benefits from knowing Earth orbits Sun
  - Seasonal changes soft
    Seasons/weather patterns parallels curriculum four seasons topic
    - Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
      Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
      - Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
  - Types of Weather soft
    Seasons benefit from weather vocabulary
- The Sun is a star hard
  Must know the Sun-centred system before understanding Earth's rotation and orbit within it
  - Sun, Moon & Stars hard
    Must know the Sun is a sky object before learning it is a star
    - Why seasons change soft
      Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification
      - Naming the Planets soft
        Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary
      - Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
  - Our Solar System hard
    Must know about the solar system before learning the Sun is at its centre
    - Sun, Moon & Stars hard
      Must know the Sun and stars before learning about planets and the solar system
      - Why seasons change soft
        Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification
        
        Naming the Planets soft
        Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary
        
        Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically

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