Phases of the Moon
By Patti Hutchison

fingernail	refer	amount	between
actually	lighted	orbit	toward
crescent	night	affects	sounds
last	behavior	clocks

Directions: Fill in each blank with the word that best completes the reading comprehension.

     Was there a full moon last night? Some people believe that a full moon (1)  _______________________   people's (2)  _______________________  . Whether that is true or not, the moon does go through phases. What causes the moon to appear differently throughout the month?
     You know that the moon does not give off its own light. When we see the moon shining at (3)  _______________________  , we are (4)  _______________________   seeing a reflection of the Sun's light. The part of the moon that we see shining (lunar phase) depends on the positions of the sun, moon, and the earth.
     When the moon is (5)  _______________________   the earth and the sun, we can't see it. The sunlit side of the moon is facing away from us. The dark side is facing (6)  _______________________   us. This phase is called the new moon.
     As the moon moves along its orbit, the (7)  _______________________   of reflected light we see increases. This is called waxing. At first, there is a waxing crescent. The moon looks like a (8)  _______________________   in the sky. We only see a slice of it.
     When it looks like half the moon is (9)  _______________________  , it is called the first quarter. (10)  _______________________   confusing, doesn't it? The quarter moon doesn't (11)  _______________________   to the shape of the moon. It is a point of time in the lunar month. There are four main phases to the lunar cycle. Four parts- four quarters. For each of these four phases, the moon has orbited one quarter of the way around the earth. This is why it is called a quarter moon when it really looks like a half moon.
     As the (12)  _______________________   continues, we begin to see more than half of the lighted side of the moon. This is called a waxing gibbous moon. As the lunar month goes on, the moon continues on its path. It comes to a position where the earth is between it and the sun. This time the sunlit side is facing us. We call it a full moon.
     Once the full moon is reached, we start to see less and less of the sunlit side. It looks like tiny slices are being taken off. This is called waning. When we still see more than half the moon shining, it is called a waning gibbous moon.
     Soon, the moon reaches its third quarter phase. Again, it looks like only half the moon is lighted. We are seeing half the sunlit side. As we begin to see less and less of the sunlit portion, the moon is becoming a waning (13)  _______________________  . Soon it will "disappear" once again and become a new moon.
     There are four lunar phases: new moon, first quarter, full moon, and (14)  _______________________   quarter. It takes the moon about 29.5 days to complete this cycle. This is called a lunar month. Ancient civilizations set their calendars by the phases of the moon. Many calendars, and even some (15)  _______________________  , keep track of the moon's phases yet today.

Name _____________________________

Date ___________________

1.	Why can't we see the moon during the new moon phase?

2.	As the amount of sunlight we see reflected increases, it is called: Waxing Last quarter Waning

3.	Name the four phases of the lunar cycle.

4.	After the full moon, we see less and less of the sunlit side. This is called: Gibbous Waning Waxing

5.	How long is a lunar month?

6.	When the moon looks like a half moon, it is in its: First or third quarter phase Full moon phase New moon phase

Phases of the Moon
By Patti Hutchison

Answer Key

     Was there a full moon last night? Some people believe that a full moon (1)  affects   people's (2)  behavior  . Whether that is true or not, the moon does go through phases. What causes the moon to appear differently throughout the month?
     You know that the moon does not give off its own light. When we see the moon shining at (3)  night  , we are (4)  actually   seeing a reflection of the Sun's light. The part of the moon that we see shining (lunar phase) depends on the positions of the sun, moon, and the earth.
     When the moon is (5)  between   the earth and the sun, we can't see it. The sunlit side of the moon is facing away from us. The dark side is facing (6)  toward   us. This phase is called the new moon.
     As the moon moves along its orbit, the (7)  amount   of reflected light we see increases. This is called waxing. At first, there is a waxing crescent. The moon looks like a (8)  fingernail   in the sky. We only see a slice of it.
     When it looks like half the moon is (9)  lighted  , it is called the first quarter. (10)  Sounds   confusing, doesn't it? The quarter moon doesn't (11)  refer   to the shape of the moon. It is a point of time in the lunar month. There are four main phases to the lunar cycle. Four parts- four quarters. For each of these four phases, the moon has orbited one quarter of the way around the earth. This is why it is called a quarter moon when it really looks like a half moon.
     As the (12)  orbit   continues, we begin to see more than half of the lighted side of the moon. This is called a waxing gibbous moon. As the lunar month goes on, the moon continues on its path. It comes to a position where the earth is between it and the sun. This time the sunlit side is facing us. We call it a full moon.
     Once the full moon is reached, we start to see less and less of the sunlit side. It looks like tiny slices are being taken off. This is called waning. When we still see more than half the moon shining, it is called a waning gibbous moon.
     Soon, the moon reaches its third quarter phase. Again, it looks like only half the moon is lighted. We are seeing half the sunlit side. As we begin to see less and less of the sunlit portion, the moon is becoming a waning (13)  crescent  . Soon it will "disappear" once again and become a new moon.
     There are four lunar phases: new moon, first quarter, full moon, and (14)  last   quarter. It takes the moon about 29.5 days to complete this cycle. This is called a lunar month. Ancient civilizations set their calendars by the phases of the moon. Many calendars, and even some (15)  clocks  , keep track of the moon's phases yet today.

Answers to Reading Comprehension Questions

1 The moon is between the earth and the sun. The sunlit side of the moon is facing away from earth.
2

  Waxing
3  new moon, first quarter, full moon, third quarter
4

  Waning
5  29.5 days
6

First or third quarter phase