Way Out There
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Approach:  One to one
Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Solar system – earth, comets, moon  
Resources:
3 pictures
532Kb
Questions/instructions:  
     
% responses
     
y4
y8

Image sourced, with thanks, from: NZCER; http://arb.nzcer.org.nz/resources/science/planet/9000/pe9056.htm (March, 2007). Originally derived, by NZCER, from http://www.nasa.gov
 Hand student planet picture.
Here is a picture taken from outer space of part of planet Earth.
1. What does this picture tell us about the shape of the earth?
    
that the earth is a sphere (ball)
9
13
that the earth is curved/round
76
76
no relevant response
15
11
Image sourced, with thanks, from:Roseingrave, M., http://sn.mlr.co.nz/entry.php?id=77 (March, 2007).
Hand student comet picture.
Here is a picture of a comet seen
in our night sky.

2. What is a comet?
a fast moving object in space
14
25
a bright moving object in sky
13
13
it has a tail
3
7
it is made up of rock/ice/dust
6
16
Resource information in lieu of copyright:
Picture:Cidadao, A., U.S.N.O., http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/
moon_phases (March, 2007)
Description: Composite of 24 shots of the moon progressing through
a lunar month
Hand student moon phase picture.
Here are some pictures of the moon on different nights.

3. Why does the moon look different on
different nights?
 
because the sun’s light reflects off the moon to our eyes
14
28
which parts of the moon are seen depends on the relative positions of the sun,earth and moon
12
29
student gives a really clear example
(such as seeing left side of moon because sun is shining from the left, as we are looking at the moon)
1
3

Total score:
4–9
6
16
3
11
19
2
28
30
1
45
31
0
10
4
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
Most students showed limited knowledge and understanding of these astronomical features or phenomena.