I have chosen the activity set of ‘The Moon’ and would design these lessons for 2nd class students.
First, we would discuss the moon. I would elicit from the students what they already know about the moon. Over the next number of days/weeks (starting when the moon is in its third-quarter phase) we would try to observe the moon in the mornings and document out findings.
From this activity, I would hope the children would notice that the shape of the moon appears to change over time. This would lead to a discussion about the phases of the moon. I would show the students the wonderful video ‘Paxi and our Moon: Phases and Eclipses’ and we would discuss it afterwards. We would then use the knowledge we have learned to identify what phase the moon that we have viewed that morning is currently in. We could check if we are correct using an online moon phase resource.
Following on from this activity, I would darken the room and divide the class into four groups, giving each group a lamp (representing the sun) and a hollow white foam ball (representing the moon). The students can stick a pencil into the bottom of the white foam ball to allow them to hold it like a lollipop. The student holding the ‘moon’ acts as the Earth, slowly rotating around on its axis. By completing this, the students will clearly be able to see the phases of the moon displayed on the foam ball as they rotate around. The students could take turns doing this so they could all see it in action. It would be important when completing this activity to remind the students that the Earth rotates on its own axis in 24 hours, but it takes the moon approx. 27 days to orbit the Earth.