Synergy: Moon Phases

The Moon’s cycle is divided into four phases: new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. The four minor phases are waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous, and waning crescent. The lunar cycle changes gradually over approximately 29.53 days as the Moon’s position around Earth and Earth around the Sun shift.

Read the recently published children’s nonfiction picture book, then learn more at the websites:

THE MOON TONIGHT: OUR MOON’S JOURNEY AROUND EARTH written by Jung Chang-hoon and illustrated by Jang Ho tracks the moon in the night sky through its four phases: crescent, quarter, full, and new. This beautifully illustrated picture book combines space science with the experiences of a child enjoying the night sky and outdoor activities. The book concludes with additional facts. ARC courtesy of Blue Dot Kids Press, an imprint of Ingram Publisher Services.

MOON PHASES from TimeAndDate provides local information about moon phases.

To visit the website, go to https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/.

MOON IN MOTION from NASA explains the positions of the Moon and the Sun. The project includes both still images and an interactive to demonstrate the moon phases.

To visit the web page, go to https://moon.nasa.gov/moon-in-motion/moon-phases/.

MOON PHASES from Crash Course is a short video discussing the names and causes of the Moon’s phases.

To watch the video, go to https://youtu.be/AQ5vty8f9Xc.

Book Review: Catstronauts Series

CATSTRONAUTS by Drew Brockington is an adorable science fiction, graphic novel series for children.

The series kicks off with Mission Moon. In a world populated by cats, catStronauts must set up a solar power plant on the moon to save the planet. In the followup titled Race to Mars, the catStronauts compete with the CosmoCats to be the first cats on Mars.

Librarians will find this series to be an excellent addition of the growing collection of graphic novels aimed at the elementary grades. These simply illustrated books contain short, easy to read chapters perfect for children bridging beginning comics and more complex graphic novels.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette on April 18, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: The Last Mission to the Moon

THE LAST MISSION TO THE MOON immerses young people in a real-time journey through the Apollo 17 mission to the moon.

This comprehensive website includes over 300 hours of audio, 22 hours of video, and 4,200 photos related to the mission. Users can either start the experience at T-minus one minute or join the mission in progress.

Users are presented with a screen that includes a control panel including video, audio, images, a transcript, a guided tour, commentary, and more. Along the way, the experience can be paused, photos can be selected, or other choices can be made. The mission can be tracked, fast-forwarded, and rewound using the interactive timeline.

Librarians will find this website popular with fans of the space program. Use this real-time experience as an example of the value of primary sources in information inquiry. Weave the website into a display featuring books about the history of moon exploration.

To use the website, go to http://apollo17.org/.

Book Review: A Moon of my Own

A MOON OF MY OWN by Jennifer Rustgi tells the charming story of a young girl exploring the world with the moon as a companion.

This imaginative adventure follows a child as she visits the seven continents and experiences the phases of the moon. The book includes information about each area of the world featured in the story along with facts about the phases of the moon. The text concludes with activities for further learning.

Through shades of blue along with black silhouettes, the simple illustrations bring the moon and night sky to life.

Librarians will find this book to be a wonderful way to connect the science of the moon with an engaging narrative.

To learn more about the author, go to http://amoonofmyown.com/.

Published by Dawn Publications on September 1, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Sizing Up the Universe

SIZING UP THE UNIVERSE from the Smithsonian Institution is web-based interactive that helps students make comparisons between objects found in outer space.

Users are presented with objects found in space and explore the relative sizes and distances. Familiar objects such as beachballs and cookies help students visualize relationships. Google maps allows students to make place-based connections and comparisons.

Students are taken step-by-step through the universe starting with the Earth and Moon. Users are kept active by selecting objects and making decisions. Concise, informative feedback is provided at each stage. Short videos provide engaging information.

Librarians will find this website to be a useful way to help students visualize sizes in space. Both science and math teachers will find practical applications for this online interactive. Pair the website with books and videos exploring relative size and distance. Design a learning station with hands-on opportunities to size and distance experiments.

To visit the website, go to http://learning.si.edu/idealabs/sizinguptheuniverse.