Moon Phase Cookies - Astrolonomy

Here is a TASTY way to learn how the moon seems to change shape EVERY night. There are 8 commonly recognized phases (shapes) of the moon:

“The phases happen because the moon is constantly moving around the earth. This means the amount of its face that’s lit up by sunlight changes night after night.” —The Mysteries of the Universew, 2020, DK Publishing.

Here are several link options for the activity:

Lesson Plan Style: https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/moon-phases-with-cookies.htm

Good instructions and pictures including a free worksheet to download as well: https://www.mombrite.com/oreo-cookie-moon-phases/

Mombrite: Additional information on www.mombrite.com

Different Phases of the Moon

“Here are the different moon phases for you to go over with your kid:

NEW MOON: When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, the moon blocks the light from the Sun. Therefore, no part of the moon is visible from Earth.

WAXING CRESCENT: As the Moon continues to orbit Earth, it becomes visible again. This is called the waxing moon (waxing means that it’s getting bigger), and the initial phase is called the Waxing Crescent. The waxing moon gets bigger every night until it reaches the First Quarter when we can see half of the Moon.

FIRST QUARTER: Half of the lit portion of the Moon is lit by the sun.

WAXING GIBBOUS: “Gibbous” means that more than half of the Moon is visible but not the entire circle.

FULL MOON: When the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, half of the Moon is lit. From Earth, we can see the full circle

WANING GIBBOUS: More than half of the Moon is visible and the lit portion gets smaller every day.

THIRD QUARTER: The opposite half of the Moon is lit compared to the First Quarter Moon.

WANING CRESCENT: Less than half of the Moon is visible and slowly decreases to the New Moon.”