Understanding Moon Phases
A Grade 4 science worksheet to help students learn about and identify the different phases of the moon.
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Understanding Moon Phases
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Use the provided image to help you identify the moon phases.
Label the phases of the moon in the diagram above by matching the number of the phase to its correct name in the fill-in-the-blanks section below.
1. When the moon is completely dark and not visible, it is called a moon.
2. The phase where the moon appears as a thin sliver of light after the new moon is the crescent.
3. When half of the moon is lit up, it can be a first quarter or a quarter moon.
4. When more than half of the moon is lit, but not yet full, it is a moon.
5. The phase where the entire moon is lit up is called a moon.
6. After the full moon, when it starts to shrink, it becomes a waning .
7. The phase before the new moon, where only a small sliver is visible, is the waning .
1. How long does it take for the moon to complete one full cycle of phases?
One day
One week
About one month
One year
2. What causes the different phases of the moon that we see from Earth?
Clouds covering the moon
The Earth's shadow
The moon's rotation
The amount of sunlight reflecting off the moon as it orbits Earth
1. The moon makes its own light.
True
False
2. We always see the same side of the moon from Earth.
True
False
1. Describe the difference between a waxing moon and a waning moon.
2. Why is it important for us to understand the phases of the moon?