MS-ESS1-1 Solar and Lunar Eclipses Lab Activity | Printable, Digital & Editable

About SNAPs Lab Stations Activities

SNAPs Lab Stations Activities require students to use science, math, literacy, problem-solving and engineering skills. They are designed to enhance students' understanding of scientific concepts and help students apply scientific ideas to the real world. Each station activity promotes skills so to develop students into proficient and competent scientific thinkers.

SNAPs lab activities have five components:

• Science Skills Station to develop science skill proficiency

• Narrative Station to build science literacy

• Assessment Station to evaluate learning and understanding

• Problem-Solving Station to foster engineering design

• Synthesis Station and Project to inspire higher-order learning

Important Notes:

• Download the FREE SNAPs Setup Guide for best practices, signage and editable rubrics

• Download a FREE SNAPs Lab Stations Activity to learn more about my SNAPs labs

• Save $$ with the NGSS Science Lab Stations Bundle ($500 for 200+ labs)

• Save $$$ with the Earth Science Complete Curriculum

• Save $$$$ with the Integrated Science Complete Curriculum

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DIGITAL LABORATORY – DISTANCE LEARNING & DIGITAL CLASSROOMS

• This lab is offered in a digital format to support digital classrooms & distance learning.

• The digital lab activity is designed to work with Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint

• The digital lab activity CANNOT be edited. However:

- Students can manipulate text boxes

- Students can create tables, graphs and diagrams

- Students can insert images and drawings

GOOGLE FORM ASSESSMENT STATION

• The assessment station is offered as a self-grading Google Form.

• Questions are all short answer and are 100% editable.

• Suggestions for use are included in the download.

DISTANCE LEARNING COMPATIBILITY

SNAPs lab activities are rated for their ease with distance – independent learning. Refer to the preview for more information about how well this laboratory works in a fully digital classroom and with distance learning.

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EDITABLE DOCUMENTS

This download includes an editable word document (docx file) of all lab components:

• Pre-Lab and Post-Lab Activities

• The Lab Overview

• Lab Station Activities and Questions

• Directed Synthesis Project (when applicable)

Important Notes:

• Diagrams, illustrations, tables and graphs essential to lab activities are included

• Illustrative clipart is NOT included

• Editable documents and rubrics are included with the FREE SNAPs Setup Guide

Editable files allow you to:

• Edit the scope of the activities so to suit your students’ needs

• Edit the materials required based on resource availability

• Create single-period “mini-labs” using activities at the individual skills stations

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The activities at each station in this lab are detailed below.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses Lab Stations Activity Learning Objectives

1. Describe the motion of the moon relative to the Earth and the sun.

2. Compare and contrast features of solar and lunar eclipses.

3. Compare and contrast the relative position of the sun, Earth and moon during a solar and lunar eclipse.

4. Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-moon system to describe the position of celestial bodies during a solar and lunar eclipse.

Science Skills Station

In the first activity, students will study the frequency of solar and lunar eclipses. In the second activity, students will observe the view of the sun and moon during a solar and lunar eclipse, respectively, from the perspective of the Earth’s surface. From these observations, students will illustrate the relative position of the Sun, moon and Earth during a solar and lunar eclipse.

Narrative Station

Students will read about solar and lunar eclipses at this station. They will also watch videos that show how the orbit of the Moon is tilted with respect to the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.

Assessment Station

At this station, students will answer questions about key terms and ideas relating to solar and lunar eclipses. Students must employ lower, mid and higher order thinking skills to answer these questions.

Problem-Solving Station

Students will build a physical model that helps explain how solar and lunar eclipses occur. They will use the model to demonstrate how shadows are cast by the moon or Earth, resulting in a solar or lunar eclipse, respectively. Students will choose objects that will show the relative sizes of each other and will identify limitations within the model.

Synthesis Station

Students will compose a CER (claim-evidence-reasoning) report to summarize the lab. Students are provided the claim statement and must support the claim with observations, data and other information gathered in the lab. Students will explain how the evidence supports the claim using scientific reasoning.

Synthesis Project

Students will have a choice of 11 projects. Refer to the SNAPs Lab Stations Best Practices and Setup Guide for directions and suggestions on how to conduct the project.

This download includes:

• A pre-lab assignment and post-lab reflection

• Directions and questions for each lab station

• Student recording sheets

• Teacher Key

Additional Materials Required:

2 Computers or tablets

1 Rectangular piece of styrofoam (per lab group)

Small styrofoam balls (of at least 3 different sizes; each group will need 3 balls)

Toothpicks, thin wood dowels or skinny wood sticks (approximately 5 per group)

Pipe Cleaners or Wire

1 flashlight

Markers

LINKS TO VIDEOS

This laboratory requires internet to access videos. Videos are hosted on SafeShare.TV so to safely watch and share educational YouTube videos without ads, comments and other distractions. Shortened and full link(s) to SafeShare.TV included. Full link to original YouTube video(s) included.

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS

This laboratory satisfies NGSS MS-ESS1-1. It combines the three dimensions of science learning - science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts - to meet the standard. This lab also makes interdisciplinary connections to STEM, Math CCSS and ELA CCSS to build the appropriate skills.

TERMS OF USE

• All rights reserved by Stephanie Elkowitz.

• This product is to be used by the original purchaser only.

• Intended for classroom and personal use only.

• Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited.

• This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view.

• Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).