Moon Observation Assignment. You will begin your moon journal on Tuesday, February 8, 2005.

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1 ITEP E ED 480 It is indispensable to have a habit of observation and reflection Abraham Lincoln Moon Observation Assignment You will begin your moon journal on Tuesday, February 8, Introduction This assignment is designed to encourage a level of long-term observation that leads to questions, new understandings, and still further questions based on these new understandings. Through the process of observing and reflecting on the moon, you will gain valuable insights into the behavior of the moon. I have at least five goals for you as you engage in this experience: 1. To construct an accurate understanding of the causes of the phases of the moon and other lunar phenomena 2. To come to know in the sciences as the natural philosophers did 3. To examine your own learning processes within a context of a study of the moon 4. To explore the different elements of pedagogical content knowledge associated with a study of the moon 5. To design a framework for an interdisciplinary study of the moon This assignment consists of several parts. Please read through the following description of each part of the assignment so that you are very clear on requirements. Part I Moon Observation Log Keep a daily log of your observations of the moon over a period of 4 weeks (roughly February 8 through March 8). Your log or record of your observations must include: the date and time of each observation the position of the moon relative to the earth s horizon (height) the position of the moon relative to geographic direction (north, south, east, west and points in between) a sketch of the size and shape of the moon as well as any notes you make about the appearance of the moon a concise physical description of the moon as it appears to you in the sky. SUGGESTION: You need make only one formal entry for any 24 hour period. However, it is a good idea to make at least an informal note of the moon whenever you see it during a given 24-hour period. DK: Moon Journal 1 2/2/2005

2 NOTE: As you organize your Moon Observation Log, please label each week with a divider or tab which includes the number of the week and the dates of the week (e.g., WEEK 1, 2/8/2005, WEEK 2, 2/15/2005, etc.) Why why why! Ask it of everything your mind touches, and let your mind touch everything -- Ann Fairbairn A sense of curiosity is nature s original school of education. --Smiley Blanton Part II Weekly Reflections At the end of each week of viewing, record your reflections about the moon and the process of learning about the moon. Following are some questions you might consider as you think back upon your experience: What were my pre-existing ideas about the causes of the phases of the moon? Has the experience of observing the moon challenged these ideas? In what ways? What has been the level of my emotional response to this experience (challenges to my existing thinking and struggling to understand)? What observations of the moon I have made during the period of viewing? Has the moon seemed to change in shape? Why does the moon change shape from night to night? What are the causes of this change in the moon s appearance? Has the moon changed its position since the last viewing? How so? How can I explain these observations? In what geographic direction does the moon rise? Set? What is the path of the moon across the daytime/nighttime sky? Does the moon appear in the same location (both in terms of height and geographic direction) in the sky every time I see it? How is it that I can even see the moon at night? During the day? Why can t I see it on certain nights? What are the changes that the moon undergoes in appearance during the whole of the lunar month? How long is a lunar cycle? Is there a pattern in the changes the moon undergoes from day to day? From month to month? DK: Moon Journal 2 2/2/2005

3 What observable features are there in the moon s surface? Can I always see these same features? If so, why? If not, why not? Do I notice any unusual phenomena in my observations of the moon? What is the cause of these phenomena? How is it that the moon even exists? What is the origin of the moon? What is the scientific explanation for the formation of the moon? What are other beliefs about the origin of the moon? How is it that the moon remains seemingly suspended in space? Do I/Will I ever see the whole of the moon s surface? Does the moon move in the sky? From hour to hour? From month to month? What are some things about the moon that I notice now that I didn t notice as I began this study of the moon? Did I begin this study of the moon with particular purposes/goals in mind? Have these goals changed? If I didn t begin with specific goals, do I now have specific goals in mind as I go about this study? What have I learned about myself as an observer of the moon? What have I learned about the process of observing as I have undertaken this study? No single set of questions can possibly reflect the range of thoughts generated by a group of people of varied backgrounds. Still, I offer these questions as a means to stimulate your thinking. Please be sure to address YOUR thoughts generated during your observational study of the moon. IMPORTANT NOTE!!! You will be very tempted to use the Internet, books, encyclopedias, textbooks, astronomers, former or present astronauts to supplement your study of the moon. However, this project is not about doing that kind of research. One of the requirements of this assignment is that you NOT consult outside resources. Please conduct your research on the moon only through your observations. The virtues involved in not knowing are what really count in the long run. What you do about what you don t know is, in the final analysis, what determines what you ultimately know. -- Eleanor Duckworth DK: Moon Journal 3 2/2/2005

4 Part III Moon Graph Construct a graph of the daily rising and setting of the moon. Use these data and the graph to help you make sense of the moon s behavior during the lunar cycle. I understand There will be times during your period of viewing when you are not able to see the moon due to weather conditions. On these days when an observation is not possible, please take a few moments to imagine how the moon would appear to you if you could see it. Clouds now and then Giving men relief From moon viewing Matsuo Basho, Japan Why can t I see the moon tonight? If I could see the moon, what would be its shape? Where might it be in the sky at this particular moment in time? As Earth s nearest neighbor continues its perpetual cycle, it provides the clearest, most obvious, and most continuous educational object in the sky. DK: Moon Journal 4 2/2/2005

5 Part IV Step Book Following our in class activity in which we model the phases of the moon, construct a simple Step Book that includes the following: 1. A sketch depicting the moon during each of the phases of the lunar cycle as viewed from earth. 2. A diagram depicting the position of the earth, sun, and moon during each phase of the lunar cycle. 3. A brief written description of each of the phases of the moon written in your own words Part VI Summary Statement of Conceptions of the Phases of the Moon, Learning About the Moon, and Teaching About the Moon Write a summary statement of your conceptions related to the causes of the phases of the moon, your experiences observing and coming to know about the moon, and the implications of such a study to teaching science at the elementary level. A. Conceptions about the moon: 1. Describe the reasons/causes of the phases of the moon using scientific vocabulary introduced in our study of the moon. Be thorough, descriptive, yet concise in your discussion. Feel free to use sketches, diagrams, models, etc., to help explain your ideas. B. Reflections on Coming to Know 1. Was learning about the moon through this mode a difficult challenge for me? 2. Did I enjoy learning about the moon only through the observational and reflective process? 3. Do I believe I have a better understanding of the phases of the moon and other lunar phenomena than I might have gained merely through reading (or being told) about the moon? 4. Did this experience challenge any pre-conceived notions (misconceptions) I held about the moon at the beginning of the study? 5. Have my ideas about lunar phenomena changed as a result of this study? If so, in what ways? 6. Did a PCK framework contribute to my generating an understanding of the moon? If so, in what ways? 7. The most powerful learning experience for me was. DK: Moon Journal 5 2/2/2005

6 C. Implications of this experience to teaching science at the elementary level: 1. Do I have a sufficiently strong understanding of the phases of the moon and other lunar phenomena to be able to teach this topic effectively at the elementary level? 2. What is the value of an observational study of natural phenomena to learning science at the elementary level? 3. In what ways might this experience contribute to my future students understanding of the moon? 4. What are the critical elements of this experience that, when applied at the elementary level, might promote my students deep understanding of natural phenomena? 5. Would I use such an activity in teaching science in the future? Why or why not? 6. Did PCK as a framework for the design of the moon curriculum contribute to my understanding of the phases of the moon and other lunar phenomena? I do not intend these lists of questions and statements to be exhaustive. They are merely provided to stimulate your thinking and to get your reflective momentum going! Your own thoughts are what really count! DK: Moon Journal 6 2/2/2005