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Astronomy 2009-2010
Ocee Science Zone Grade 4
The purpose of this lab is to investigate the phases of the moon (“lunar phases”), the relative
sizes and distances of planets, and the most well-known constellations visible in the Northern
Hemisphere night sky. After this lab, students will be able to demonstrate and apply these
concepts:
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Why we see moon phases.
How the planets compare to each other in size and distance from the sun.
How to identify constellations.
Setup: Arrange 3 tables in the back of the room, each with a set of materials for the
constellations segment (see Segment 3). Set up the moon phases materials in the front of the
room (see Segment 1) and the solar system activity stretching across the room (see Segment
2). Cover all windows with black poster board and close all blinds. Set up computer and
projector. Place rows of chairs in the middle of the classroom if there is enough room. If not,
students can sit on the floor.
Teachers: No groups/pairs are required. Identify students who may not be photographed.
Students do not need to bring anything with them and they will each return to the classroom
with a black stargazer constellation disc. Please be prepared to assist in the lab as needed.
The lesson plan: The lab leader begins with a brief introduction. All students go through
each segment of the lab at the same time. The lab leader gives directions and demonstrates
procedures as needed at the beginning of each segment. Parent volunteers and the
classroom teacher help students follow instructions. During the last few minutes of the lab,
the leader briefly reviews conclusions.
Introduction by the Lab Leader: Welcome to Science Zone. (Introduce yourself and the
parent volunteers). Our lab today consists of three parts: 1) understanding why we see
phases of the moon, 2) seeing how the earth relates to the sun and other planets in our solar
system, and 3) learning how to identify constellations. Remember the basic lab rule: Don’t
touch any lab equipment until instructed.
Let’s briefly run through a few important concepts (hold globe to demonstrate):
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The earth moves in two ways: it rotates on its axis and it revolves around the sun.
When you look down on earth from above the North Pole, the earth rotates
counterclockwise.
The earth rotates on its axis one complete time every 24 hours, creating day and night.
The earth revolves counterclockwise around the sun one complete time every 365 ¼
days.
The earth’s axis is tilted at 23.5 degrees.
Because of the tilt, we have seasons.
The northern and southern hemispheres have opposite seasons.
Exactly between summer and winter, you have autumn and spring.
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Astronomy 2009-2010
Ocee Science Zone Grade 4
(Review the following if time permits.)
 What is in the middle of our solar system? (the sun)
 How many planets orbit the sun? (eight)
 Name the planets in order (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune)
 Which planet is the largest? (Jupiter)
 Which planet is the smallest? (Mercury)
 The big planets, like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, are made of mostly what?
(gas; we call these Jovian or gas giants).
 The smaller planets are made of mostly what? (rock; we call these terrestrial or rock
planets).
 What is Pluto now classified as? (a dwarf planet)
 Which planets have rings of rocks and gas that circle them? (all gas giants)
Segment 1: Phases of the Moon
Setup: Put up moon phases laminated sheets on the board. Hang or place the remotecontrolled moon model in a visible place. Remove the shade of the desk lamp and clip the
lamp onto the ledge of the whiteboard at the front of the room (or clip to a desk in an open
area of the room). Using 8 paper plates, mark each with 4 short lines, at the 12, 3, 6 and 9
o’clock locations. Label them: “New” at 12 o’clock, “3rd Q” at 3 o’clock, “Full” at 6 o’clock and
“1st Q” at 9 o’clock, where New=new moon, 1st Q=first quarter of the moon, Full=full moon
and 3rd Q=third quarter of the moon. Place the paper plates several feet away from the light in
a semi-circle around the light so that “New” points toward the lamp, far enough away so that
students have room to stand and turn on the plates while holding a ball in front of them.
Firmly affix the plates to the floor with masking tape. Place a tennis ball on each plate.
Instruction: Turn off lights. Demonstrate moon phases using the remote-controlled moon.
Turn on lamp clipped to the whiteboard. You can see these moon phases for yourself. The
light represents the sun. Each of you will stand on a paper plate. The tennis ball is the moon.
You are on earth looking at the moon. As the earth rotates, so do you on your spot on earth,
and you see different phases of the moon based on the light that hits the ball. Since the moon
rotates once in the same time it takes to revolve around the earth, the same side of the moon
will always be facing you. Let’s use the side of the ball with the writing on it to represent the
side of the moon that always faces earth, so that side should always face you. Eight students
at a time can do this activity.
Procedure:
 Have students stand on the plate holding the ball directly in front of them at
approximately their forehead height and holding it from below so their hand doesn’t
block the ball. They should stand on the “New” mark, facing the sun, with the writing
on the ball facing them (representing the side of the moon that we always see). Have
them note that the light (sun) is shining on the moon, but it is shining on the side that is
not facing them. So, they see no light on the moon and the moon is “dark” – this is the
new moon.
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Astronomy 2009-2010
Ocee Science Zone Grade 4
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Holding the ball at the same place, still directly in front of them, have them turn their
body slowly towards the “1st Q” on the plate (turn counter-clockwise). At this point, they
are looking at the 1st quarter moon and will see that the right side of their moon is lit.
As they turn towards the “Full” on the plate, they may need to raise the ball slightly
above their head so the light shining on the ball is not blocked. They should see the
entire face of the moon lit up; this is the full moon.
[If anyone should ask, a lunar eclipse happens when the moon is blocked by the earth
from getting light from the sun, as it is when facing the F mark on the plate but holding
the ball at eye level so your head blocks it.]
Continue turning slowly towards the “3rd Q” marking on the plate, and they will now see
the left side of their moon lit up, showing them the 3rd quarter moon.
Make sure the students pay attention to the waxing (right side getting more and more
lit from “New” to “Full”) and the waning (the lit area becoming smaller and smaller from
“Full” to “New”). Also mention the crescent and gibbous phases that they will see while
turning from “New” to “Full” and from “Full” to “New.” Have them refer to the posters on
the board if needed.
Let them repeat the procedure on their own.
Segment 2: Solar System
Setup: Set up the items on a table in size order, smallest to largest (red-green artificial berry,
brown garbanzo bean, marble, acorn, walnut, golf ball, purple glitter ball, blue transparent
ball, size 3 soccer ball, basketball). Place each object on the corresponding post-it (marked
with the name of each object, what it represents, and its distance from the sun) according to
the chart below. Place the red belt tape from one end of the room across the length of the
room to the other end. Secure with masking tape. The starting point represents the position of
the sun. [If you need to redo the belt tape: Starting from 0, mark distances of planets with
masking tape using the table below. Using the scale of 1 foot = 1 AU (astronomical unit),
mark all AUs until you reach 30. (If you do not have enough space, halve the distance so 6” =
1 AU.)]
Instruction: Show solar system animation at:
http://janus.astro.umd.edu/javadir/orbits/ssv.html.
This segment of the lab is a model of the size of the planets compared to each other and their
distance from the sun. The model is proportionately shrunk down in size and distance.
The unit of measure most commonly used to talk about distances of planets is the
astronomical unit, or AU. One AU is the distance from the earth to the sun (93 million miles).
[If it comes up, one light year is approximately 63,241 AUs and one parsec (more commonly
used by astronomers than light years) is 3.26 light years. These are used when discussing
longer distances.]
Procedure: In order of position from the sun, have students take turns placing the items at
the correct location next to the belt tape. This will allow them to visualize the relative sizes of
planets and the distances between them.
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Astronomy 2009-2010
Ocee Science Zone Grade 4
Name
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Moon
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
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Object
marble
walnut
golf ball
brown bean
acorn
basketball
soccer ball
blue ball
glitter ball
AUs
0.4 AU
0.7 AU
1.0 AU
1.5 AU
5.2 AU
9.5 AU
19.2 AU
30.1 AU
Distance to sun in miles
36 x106
67 x106
93 x106
142 x106
484 x106
888 x106
1784 x106
2974 x106
Diameter in miles
3,032
7,521
7,926
2,160
4,222
88,846
74,898
31,763
30,778
How big should the sun be on this scale? (It should be more than 9’ around – this is
higher than the average classroom ceiling!)
After Neptune show the artificial berry, representing Pluto. How far past Neptune
would Pluto go? (9’ past Neptune using the scale of 1 foot = 1 AU.) There probably
won’t be room to place Pluto in the room, so mention that it would go 9’ past Neptune
on this scale. Pluto is in the Kuiper belt of comet-like icy objects and is 1,413 miles in
diameter.
Where is the asteroid belt? (Between Mars and Jupiter).
Where are comets? (In the sphere shaped Oort Cloud, which surrounds all the rest we
studied above).
Segment 3: Constellations
Adapted from: http://www2.semo.edu/mast/mlc/stargazer.pdf
Setup: Arrange the 4-piece Constellations of the Northern Hemisphere on the board in front
so that poster #1 is at the top left, #2 is top right, #3 is bottom right and #4 is bottom left.
Together they form one large rectangular poster. The most common constellations viewed in
this area have been created using glow-in-the-dark stick on stars. Clip a desk lamp to a desk
or back of a chair so the light can shine on the poster and “charge” the glow-in-the-dark stars.
On each of the 3 tables in the back of the room, place cans, black circles, white templates,
and several pieces of cork board with push pins.
Instruction: The night sky has changed very little throughout human history. Although both
earth and the stars are in motion, the stars appear fixed to us because they are so far away
from the earth. Ancient astronomers looked at stars and grouped them into patterns called
constellations. The names of constellations were based on familiar animals, objects and
mythical figures. Even though there are many stars in the sky, only some stars are included
in the 88 major constellations.
Stargazing is a very enjoyable and popular hobby. To make the most of it, you have to have a
basic idea of what you are looking for - to be able to identify constellations. (Turn off the room
lights and the light shining on the poster so students can see the stars without the
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Astronomy 2009-2010
Ocee Science Zone Grade 4
constellations drawn in, and explain that if you don’t know constellations, the sky just looks
like a jumble of stars.) Today’s activity is to learn some of the most common constellations by
using something called a stargazer telescope.
(Turn on lights) On the board you will see some of the most well-known constellations
visible in the Northern Hemisphere. If you go outdoors on a dark, cloudless night, you will see
some of these constellations. The farther away you get from a city, the more stars you should
be able to see. The orientation of these constellations changes throughout the year, and you
will see some of them and not others at certain times of the year.
The constellations are:
 Aquila - the eagle, with its bright star Altair
 Lyra - the lyre, with its bright star Vega
 Cygnus - the swan, with its bright star Deneb (a blue super giant)
 The 3 stars above form the “summer triangle”
 Pegasus - the winged horse
 Pisces - the two fish bound together with a string
 Hercules - the strong man of Greek and Roman Mythology
 Draco - the dragon, a very large constellation
 Cepheus - a king of Phoenicia
 Cassiopeia - the seated queen, wife of Cepheus
 Bootes - the bear watcher, with Arcturus, the 4th brightest star in the night sky
 Ursa Minor - the little bear, which contains the Little Dipper and the North Star, Polaris
 Perseus - the hero holding the head of Medusa (the snake-haired demon)
 Ursa Major - the big bear, which includes the Big Dipper, whose two stars point to
Polaris
 Auriga - the charioteer, with Capella, the 6th brightest star in the night sky
 Virgo - the only female in the Zodiac
 Leo - the lion
 Gemini - the celestial twins Castor and Pollux
 Orion - the hunter, with its 3 bright belt stars (Rigel, 7th brightest)
FYI: The 3 brightest stars are Sirius (in Canis Major, or big dog), Canopus (in Carina) and
the closest star to our sun, Alpha Centauri (in Centaurus).
Procedure (all students will do this at the same time, working at 3 tables).
 Each student takes one xeroxed copy of one of the constellation circles
 Each student takes one blank black cut-out circle
 Each student takes one push pin
 Place the black circle on the cork board and hold the white constellation template
directly on top of it.
 Poke the push pin through the stars (circles) on the template onto the black circle.
 Write your constellation name and your name on the black circle using a pencil.
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Astronomy 2009-2010
Ocee Science Zone Grade 4
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Remove the template and hold up the black circle to make sure the holes are poked all
the way through the paper so light comes through the holes.
Place the black circle under the lid and place the lid on the can.
Close one eye and look through the hole at the base of the can with the other eye.
Point the lid side of the can towards a bright light (ceiling lights, etc).
If you wear glasses, remove them or choose a can with a large eye hole.
You should see your constellation appear in your stargazer.
Identify the constellation on the poster on the board.
Exchange black discs with other students until you have seen all 8 constellations.
You can take your black constellation disc home.
Conclusion
During the last five minutes of the lab, gather the class together to review what they have
learned:
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What causes the moon’s phases and what the various phases are.
How the planets compare to each other in size if they were shrunk to the size of the
items you see here.
How far the planets are from each other and the sun if the entire solar system could fit
into this room.
What some of the most well-known constellations visible in the Northern Hemisphere
are and how you can make a stargazer.
Thank the class for coming to Science Zone and thank the parents and teacher for helping.
© 2009, Anupa Doraiswami and Tamra Brown. All rights reserved. For questions, email [email protected].
Duplication of this material and transmission by electronic means is permitted solely for single use implementation in a public school
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Astronomy 2009-2010
Ocee Science Zone Grade 4
Lab Supplies and Setup:
Phases of the Moon:
 Moon phases posters on the board in order (Waxing Crescent on L to New Moon on R)
 Moon phases remote controlled model
 8 paper plates, taped to the floor as noted above
 8 tennis balls
 Clip-on desk lamp with shade removed
Solar System:
 Red belt tape marked with planet distances
 Items to represent planets and moon, arranged on a table and marked with the
corresponding post-it:
o Small artificial berry (Pluto)
o Brown garbanzo bean (Moon)
o Marble (Mercury)
o Acorn (Mars)
o Walnut (Venus)
o Golf ball (Earth)
o Purple glitter ball (Neptune)
o Blue transparent ball (Uranus)
o Size 3 soccer ball (Saturn)
o Basketball (Jupiter)
Constellations: (3 tables in back of room)
 Empty potato chip cardboard can with a transparent lid and a hole punched out at the
bottom (one per student)
 Black poster board circle pre-cut to fit inside the lid of the can (one per student)
 Circular white xeroxed pre-cut templates of 6-8 of the most common constellations
(one set per table – students choose which one they want to use)
 Cork board about 12” x 12” (2 pieces per table)
 Push pins (8-10 per table)
 White crayons (several per table)
Other supplies:
 Science Zone banner
 Solar System and Scientific Method posters
 Constellations of the Northern Hemisphere poster (in 4 pieces; orient correctly and put
up on board). Can use magnets from general supplies to put up if needed.
 Clip-on desk lamp, clipped onto the back of a chair, pointed toward Constellations
poster to “charge” glow-in-the-dark stars
 Black poster board to cover windows
 Computer with internet connection and projector (get from school’s tech specialist)
 Inflatable globe
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