Page 143 - Innovator's Science-8

see from Earth slowly changes from day to day. These changes are known as
the phases of the Moon. The Moon will appear bright and easy to find in the

early morning sky. Observe it at the same time every day and note its
position and shape.
At first, the round full Moon appears large and bright. Gradually, it begins to

shrink, becoming a half-Moon, then a narrow crescent, and finally
disappearing completely for a short while during the new Moon. After that,
the bright portion starts to grow again-first as a thin crescent, then as a half-

Moon, and once again as a full bright circle. This changing shape of the
Moon repeats in a continuous cycle of about one month, helping us
understand that the Moon's appearance changes due to its motion around
the Earth and the varving sunlight that falls upon it.

Activity-1 Aim: To observe the changing appearance and posi on of the Moon over several
days and understand that these changes are caused by the Moon's movement
Experiential Learning
around the Earth and the way sunlight falls on it.
To understand how the Moon changes, you can start by spo ng it on the first day
a er a full Moon. Look for it at sunrise in the western sky. Each day, record the date
and the me you saw it (sunrise or sunset). Draw a simple circle and shade the part
that looks bright to show the
Moon's shape. From the second day on, also note if the bright part is
ge ng bigger or smaller compared to before, and whether the
Moon seems closer to or farther from the Sun in the sky. A er about
two weeks, you might not see the Moon at sunrise or sunset
anymore, so switch to observing it at sunset for the next 15 days. Shading the
This simple table will help you track the Moon's phases and posi on dark portion
over a month, showing its changing appearance and movement. of the Moon

Documen ng changes in the Moon's appearance

Bright por on
Time of Visible shape Distance from the
S.No. Date compared to
Observa on of the Moon Sun (closer/farther)
previous day

1.

2.

3.

Was the Moon visible everyday? Did its position change in the sky? Did the
bright portion increase or decrease regularly? These patterns will help you
understand the lunar phases better.

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