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.