Here is my inquiry based lesson on the moon:
Materials:
Pictures of the Moon
Playdough or clay
Plastic craters, rocks, and other small objects
Flashlights
Introduction:
Show pictures of the Moon.
Ask, “What do you see on the Moon?” and “What do you think the Moon is made of?”
“What does the surface of the Moon look like?”
Development:
Share a short video or story about astronauts on the Moon.
Discuss the features they observed, like craters and rocks.
Exploration:
Provide playdough or clay and plastic craters/rocks.
Let students create their own Moon surface models.
Use flashlights to simulate sunlight and create shadows, showing how craters and rocks cast shadows.
Explanation:
Gather students and have them share their models.
Discuss how the shadows helped them see the craters and rocks more clearly.
Explain how scientists study the Moon’s surface using similar techniques.
Introduce a simple experiment: Drop small objects into a tray of flour to create craters.
Observe the shapes and sizes of craters formed.
Evaluation :
Ask students to draw their Moon models and label the features.
Have a brief sharing session where students explain their drawings and what they learned.
Conclusion:
Reinforce the key points: the Moon has craters and rocks, and scientists use light and shadow to study its surface. Encourage curiosity and further questions about space.