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Thu 5 Apr, 2007 11:00 pm
For my Master's in Elementary Education, science curriculum course, we need to do a moon study. We are to observe the moon every day for one full cycle. I did this in elementary school. I am getting very little from it this time around. It rained for 4 days straight, during those 4 days the moon became full and moved on. I missed the full moon!
Right now it is nearly 1 am and the moon hasn't risen high enough for me to see it over the tops of the buildings (I live in a city). I'm in my PJs, it's 20-something degrees outside and I want to go to bed!
So, what am I supposed to be learning?
In the activity Observing the Moon, students are encouraged to keep a Moon Journal with their families and record observations of the Moon on a daily basis. They ask the question, "What information can we learn from observing the Moon?" and realize that by simply turning their eyes skyward they can learn almost as much as by looking in a book. Show students the pictures of Phobos taken by the Mars Express spacecraft. Have them use the information they learned from Observing the Moon and transfer their knowledge to a new situation. Challenge students to find out what they can learn about Phobos by simply observing it.
http://www.challenger.org/teachers/tmitn/tmitn.cfm?tmitn_id=5
Jane, Satt, thanks. I'm sorry, just had to kvetch. I do understand why it's important for kids to do this sort of study. But, as a life-long moon-gazer, I feel as if I am wasting my time. Maybe I'll catch it during daylight hours. If I have to start waking up early to find the moon, I'm going to be teed.
I'll check rise and set times tomorrow. Thanks for the links.
oooooh, that is beeeeeeeautiful!
While that is kind of neat...I'm not sure what the point is of updating the image, considering that the moon has a synchronous rotation with the Earth...meaning that you always see the exact same view
Littlek--
Welcome to the rigors of scientific observation.
Be thankful you're not a Bronze Age astronomer.
Thanks to your personal suffering you understand why astrology is a notion developed in the Middle East--as opposed to the Barbarian North.
stuh505 wrote:While that is kind of neat...I'm not sure what the point is of updating the image, considering that the moon has a synchronous rotation with the Earth...meaning that you always see the exact same view
It's not from earth...it's from a satellite orbiting the moon.
You can still ask what's the point, I suppose...but not for the same reason.
:wink:
I think it's updated so that we can catch a glimpse of traffic in front - Martians, Santa Claus, angels, that sort of a thing.
Quote:So, what am I supposed to be learning?
That its a pretty boring thing to ask a class of elementary kids to do and you will need to motivate them by asking for answers to pertinent questions.
Re: Moon Study
littlek wrote:For my Master's in Elementary Education, science curriculum course, we need to do a moon study. We are to observe the moon every day for one full cycle. I did this in elementary school. I am getting very little from it this time around. It rained for 4 days straight, during those 4 days the moon became full and moved on. I missed the full moon!
Right now it is nearly 1 am and the moon hasn't risen high enough for me to see it over the tops of the buildings (I live in a city). I'm in my PJs, it's 20-something degrees outside and I want to go to bed!
So, what am I supposed to be learning?
Science requires patience and sacrifice?
Noddy24 wrote:Littlek--
Thanks to your personal suffering you understand why astrology is a notion developed in the Middle East--as opposed to the Barbarian North.
Great point! Make that the urban, barbarian (!) North.
dadpad wrote:Quote:So, what am I supposed to be learning?
That its a pretty boring thing to ask a class of elementary kids to do and you will need to motivate them by asking for answers to pertinent questions.
When I did it as an elementary student, we were to measure the angle with a protractor. That made more sense. But, I didn't really get how to do it. I also think that it's something your parents are supposed to go out and do with you, which mine never did (I think).
waiting.........waiting......where's the moon?
So, I peeked. The moon rises at 12:43 am and sets at 9:04 am. The exact hours which I tend to be abed on most nights. What to do? I certainly am not going to get up in the middle of the night to record the moon..... am I?
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