ORBIT BAY
Where is the Moon?
Sunlight travels left to right. The Moon advances counterclockwise in this north-up teaching view; its Sun-facing half stays on the left.
GRADE 6 · EARTH–MOON–SUN
Moon Mission Observatory
Choose an orbit position, make a prediction, then reveal a paired Earth view and light model.
MODEL NOTERelative phase frame. Positions, sizes, and spacing are simplified and not to scale.
Teacher consoleWhole-class controls
Position 1 · Day 0.0 / 29.5
EARTH VIEWPORT
What would an observer see?
Make a prediction, then reveal.Northern Hemisphere display
A simulated Earth view of the lit part of the near side, not a photograph.
01 · PREDICT
Before you reveal
At this position, which side of the Moon do you predict will look bright from Manitoba?
Choose a prediction. It stays on this screen only.
02 · OBSERVE
Name the evidence
The Earth view is sealed. Make a prediction, then select Reveal observation.
Finish: “I predict the bright part will be ______.”
03 · EXPLAIN
Connect position to view
The Sun lights half of the Moon at every position. Reveal the observation, then use the paired model to explain what changed in the Earth view.
MISSION CHECK
Do ordinary phases happen because of Earth’s shadow?
Choose an answer, then compare it with the model.
A lunar eclipse is different: it needs a special Sun–Earth–Moon lineup and the Moon to pass through Earth’s shadow.
TEXT EQUIVALENT
How the model is arranged
SUN →→→ sunlight →→→ [Earth] New Moon: the Moon is on the Sun-facing side of Earth. Its sunlit half points away from Earth. Full Moon: the Moon is on the opposite side of Earth. Its sunlit half faces Earth. First and third quarter: half of the near side appears lit. The Moon advances counterclockwise in this north-up, top-down phase frame. The Sun lights half of the Moon at every position. The model is not to scale. The Moon's tilted orbit is omitted, so this diagram does not show why eclipses are uncommon.
TEACHER RUN OF SHOW
A focused 8–12 minute model talk
- Predict: turn labels off, choose a position, and ask students to sketch the Earth view.
- Observe: select Reveal observation and compare the Earth view with the half facing the fixed Sun in Orbit Bay.
- Explain: use one scaffold, core, or extension prompt aloud.
- Check: contrast ordinary viewing geometry with the special alignment needed for an eclipse.
Teacher fact: One orbit around Earth takes about 27.3 days. New Moon to new Moon takes about 29.5 days because Earth also moves around the Sun. This fixed-Sun phase frame represents the repeating view cycle, not a literal single 29.5-day orbit.