Students learn why the Moon appears to change shape: half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun, and the phase we see depends on where the Moon is in its orbit around Earth. They put the eight phases in order, use the 29.5-day lunar cycle to predict future phases, explain why we always see the same side of the Moon and correct a common misconception about Earth's shadow.
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Curriculum: Australian Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.
Completed: Phases of the Moon Explained
Year 7 students (typically ages 12–13) working on the solar system & space. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.
Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.
About 35 minutes for 14 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.
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Try Gravity and Orbits in the Solar System.
Success TutoringWorksheetsYear 7 · Science · The Solar System & SpaceName
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Half the Moon is always lit — the phase is how much of that half we can see.
Read the passage, then answer the questions.
The Moon does not make its own light. We see it because it reflects sunlight. The Sun always lights up half of the Moon — the half facing the Sun.
As the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of that sunlit half. These changing shapes are called the phases of the Moon. One complete cycle of phases, the lunar cycle, takes about 29.5 days.
When the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, its lit side faces away from us and we see a new moon (almost nothing). When Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, we see the whole lit side: a full moon.
Waxing means the lit part we can see is growing; waning means it is shrinking. A crescent is less than half lit, a quarter looks exactly half lit, and a gibbous moon is more than half lit but not full.
Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.
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Worksheet · Year 5 · The Solar System & Space · Level 2 · Standard
Worksheet · Year 5 · The Solar System & Space · Level 2 · Standard
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