University of Houston

Science for ELLs

Basic Lesson Components

Grade Level: 2nd Grade

Time Estimate: 45 minutes

Science Content: Lunar Cycle

TEKS: 2.8C Observe, describe, and record patterns of objects in the sky, including the
appearance of the Moon

ELPS: N/A

Vocabulary: Definition: Cognate (T or F):

● Full moon ● Full moon: the time when the full moon ● N/A
● Lunar eclipse is illuminated ● Eclipse Lunar
● Waxing ● Lunar eclipse: when the earth interrupts (False)
● Waning light shining on the moon ● N/A
● Crescent ● Waxing: a gradual increase in magnitude ● N/A
● Gibbous or extent ● N/A
● Half moon ● Waning: a gradual decrease in magnitude ● N/A
● New moon or extent ● N/A
● Illuminate ● Crescent: resembling the moon in shape ● N/A
● First quarter ● Gibbous: (used of the moon) more than ● N/A
● Last quarter half full ● N/A
● Half moon: half of the moon is ● N/A
illuminated
● New moon: the time at which the moon
appears as a narrow waxing extend
● Illuminate: make lighter or brighter
● First quarter: the first fourth of the
Moon’s period of revolution around the
earth
● Last quarter: the last fourth of the
Moon’s period of revolution around the
earth
Misconceptions:

● The moon has its own light.

● The moon casts a shadow on the Earth.
● The moon’s phases are caused by Earth’s rotation on its axis

Domjan & Wong (2018)

 ● The moon takes one day to orbit the Earth

Materials/Resources/Technology Needs:
Materials:
● Oreo cookies
● Plastic plates
● Plastic knives
● Handouts
● Scissors
● Glue
Book:
“Faces of the Moon” by Bob Crelin
Technology:
● Computer
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz01pTvuMa0

Safety:
Ensure that students do not have allergies to Oreo cookies.

5E Instructional Procedures
What Teacher Does What Students Do

Engage ● The teacher will begin the ● The students will share with the
lesson by asking them “Did teacher what they observed the day
anyone do something outdoors before when they were outside.
last night?” If nobody answers, ● The students will discuss what they
the teacher will follow up with know about the moon and what it
“What do you see outdoors at looks like.
night?” The teacher will probe ● The student will go up to the board
the students to mention and demonstrate what their idea of
something about the moon. the moon is.
● The teacher will then follow up ● Then the students will watch a video
with questions about the about the evolution of the moon.
students’ observations. “What
did it (the moon) look like? Can
someone describe it to me?”
“Anything special about it?”
● The teacher will ask students to
come up to the board and draw
their idea of what the moon
looked like yesterday, or any
other day.
● The teacher will finally ask
them to write down in their
Interactive Science Notebooks
any patterns or other
observations that they might

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 have noticed.
● After they have written down
their observations the teacher
will pull up the video that is
called :Evolution of the Moon”
using the following link
https://www.space.com/39517-
super-blue-blood-moon-2018-
phases-explained.html?
jwsource=cl
Resource:
● https://curriculum.newvisions.or
g/science/resources/resource/e
arth-science-unit-6-5e-
instructional-model-plan-phases-
of-the-moon-5e-instructional-
model-plan/

Explore ● The teacher will pass out Oreos
cookies, a plate, plastic knife
and a template to each table.
● The teacher will tell students to
demonstrate the lunar cycle
with Oreos.
● The teacher will tell students to
record their answers on the
template.
● The teacher will walk around as
students work together and ask
probing questions like, “What
do you think the start looks
like?”
Template retrieved from:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
Product/Moon-Phases-Foldable-
3029145
Explain ● The teacher will ask the
students: “Can someone tell me
why your group put the moon
phases in the order you did?
How do you know that this is
the correct order of the moon
phases? Why do you think these
phases happen? What makes
these moon phases happen?
Does it make its own light?
● The students will carve the frosting
on one side of Oreos to demonstrate
each phase of the moon.
● The students will then work together
to arrange the carved Oreos in order
on a paper plate labeling the names of
phases.
● After they arrange the Oreos in order,
the students will each record on their
own template the phases of the
cookies.
● The students will demonstrate
teamwork and share their ideas with
other classmates as they walk around
and do a gallery walk.
● The student answers the questions
asked by the teacher explaining in
their own words what they did.
● The student will create a diagram
model in their Interactive Science
Notebook of the Earth-Moon-Sun
system and will include the moon
phases in order demonstrating their
knowledge of how the system relates
and therefore creates the lunar

Domjan & Wong (2018)

 What gives the moon the phases.
light?” ● The student will watch the video
● The teacher will ask the shown by the teacher.
students to create a diagram ● The student will write down in their
model in their Interactive Interactive Science Notebooks
Science Notebook of the Earth- anything else they have learned from
Moon-Sun system including the the video and share out.
phases of the moon that they
have observed.
● The following is the correct
order of the moon phases: New
Moon, Waxing Crescent, First
Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full
Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last
Quarter, and Waning Crescent.
● The teacher will show the video
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=fFMtm2TakRQ to the
students.
● The teacher will ask students
what they have learned from the
video.

Resource:
https://curriculum.newvisions.org/scien
ce/resources/resource/earth-science-
unit-6-5e-instructional-model-plan-
phases-of-the-moon-5e-instructional-
model-plan/
Elaborate The teacher will ask students to help The student will help the teacher read, “Let’s
read out loud, “Let’s go to the Moon: go to the Moon: Moon Phase Story.”
Moon Phase Story.” ● After listening to the story, the
students will work in their groups for
● The teacher will ask the 15 minutes. They will create their
students to work in their groups own stories in their journals, applying
and come up with a story in the formal moon phase terms .
their journals applying formal ● After 15 minutes, the students will
moon phase terms. share out loud their stories.
● The teacher will then give ● The students will hold a discussion
students 15 minutes to create about the activity and demonstrate
their stories. their understanding.
● After the 15 minutes conclude,
the teacher will ask groups to
share their story out loud.
● The teacher will refer students
to existing knowledge and ask,

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 “What do you already know,
why do you think?” The teacher
will probe for student
understanding.
Retrieved from
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bl
og-posts/angela-bunyi/ready-to-edit-
teaching-the-moon-phases-seems-to-
be-one-of-those-skills-that-is-taught-
across-the-grade-leve/
Evaluate ● The teacher will pass out a ● The students will construct a foldable
handout to each student with individually matching the number of
pictures of each moon phase moon phases we discussed.
and a piece of paper. ● They will then cut out the moon
● The teacher will direct students phases provided on the handout,
to start with the New Moon beginning with New Moon. Then
phase and begin cutting the they will paste them on the outside of
foldable. the foldable.
● The teacher will give directions ● Inside the foldable they will name the
on where to place the cut-outs phase and give a short description.
and what to write on the inside ● The student will tape this foldable in
(name and short description) their Interactive Science Notebook.
● The teacher will answer any
other questions regarding the
lunar phases.

Retrieved from:
https://www.teachjunkie.com/sciences/
21-super-activities-teaching-moon-
phases/

Domjan & Wong (2018)