Earth, Sun & Moon Patterns — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A round bright moon in the sky is called a full moon.
When we see the entire lit side, the moon looks like a full round circle.
2. When only half of the moon is lit, we call it a half moon.
A half moon shows a straight edge and a curved edge, like a D shape.
3. A thin curved moon shape is called a crescent moon.
A crescent is a skinny, curved sliver that looks like a banana in the sky.
4. When we cannot see the moon at all, it is a new moon.
At new moon, the sun lights the far side, so we see no moon at night.
5. The moon changes its shape a little each night.
We see different amounts of the lit side, so the shape looks different nightly.
6. All the phases together make a pattern we can watch each month.
Moon phases repeat about every month, so we can predict tonight's shape.
7. The moon moves around Earth while we watch the phases.
The moon orbits Earth, and that motion causes the phases we see from home.
8. The light on the moon comes from the sun.
The sun shines on the moon, and the moon reflects that light down to Earth.
9. After a full moon, the bright part looks smaller each night.
The lit part shrinks night by night until we reach new moon, then grows again.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Full moon
→ Whole bright circle shape
Whole bright circle shape
Half moon
→ Half circle with flat edge
Half circle with flat edge
Crescent moon
→ Thin curved sliver shape
Thin curved sliver shape
New moon
→ Dark sky with no moon seen
Dark sky with no moon seen
Each phase name tells us exactly how much of the lit moon we can see from Earth.