March 2016 – Ms Gourlay's Class
 

Month: March 2016

The phase of the moon is how much of the moon appears to us on Earth to be lit up by the sun. Half of the moon is always lit up by the sun, except during an eclipse, but we only see a portion that’s lit up. This is the phase of the moon. Around once per month, the moon orbits around the Earth. As the moon circles the Earth, we can only see a portion of the lit up side. When we can see 100% of the lit up side, this is a full moon. When we can’t see any of the lit up side, this is called a new moon. As the moon orbits or circles the Earth, the phases change.

[metaslider id=2587]

 

Division 10 demonstrated the phases of the moon using Oreo cookies.  We started with the new moon phase. This is where we can’t see any of the lit up side of the moon. The moon is between us and the sun. As the moon orbits the Earth we can see more and more of the lit up side until finally the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun and we get a full moon. As the moon continues to orbit the Earth we now see less and less of the lit up side.

 

reflect1Division 10 knows that the reason that we see the moon with a glow, is because the light of the sun is reflecting off of the moon.  We think of the moon as a mirror.  In the case of the moon, it’s really a bad mirror. Because the moon is made of such dark rock, it reflects only about 12% of the light that hits it. The amount of light that gets bounced back to earth also depends on the time and place of the orbit of the moon.  When the moon’s orbit puts it in direct forward facing to the earth, we get a larger amount of light bounced back. 

reflect3

reflect2

greeneggs

Division 10 loves this book.  We like the crazy rhymes.  We also like how Sam-I-am is so persistent. He never gives up, and in the end, the other man gives to Sam’s pestering.  He tries the green eggs and ham, and is surprised to find out that he really does like them.  We decided that the message of this book is to take risks  and try new things because you never know what will happen.  Here we are cooking and eating some green eggs. [metaslider id=2566]eggs8