| 1. Print this activity.
Print this page, the Lunar Calendar, and your Moon Journal. Put the printouts in a folder.
2. Start Moon watching.
To get the best view of the Moon, go outside. Bring your folder, drawing materials, flashlight, and binoculars if you have them. You should also bring an adult for safety.
3. Observe at the same time each night.
A real scientist will do an experiment in a controlled way—at the same time, in the same place, with the same tools, etc. As a scientist-in-training, you should make sure you observe the Moon at the same time and from the same spot each night. Try to observe the Moon every night or every few nights. Try not to go longer than three days without Moon watching, but do the best you can.
4. Sketch the Moon.
Make a sketch of the Moon in the Lunar Calendar to record what you see.
5. Analyze your data.
During the month, write your observations in your Moon Journal. Look for patterns, like when the Moon gets bigger or smaller, and try to make predictions about the length of each Moon phase.
6. Finish your Lunar Calendar.
If you can't collect data for a full month, try doing it for just two weeks. You'll still be able to see some changes and then you can try again next month. |
