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The Phases of the Moon: A diagram showing the Moon's orbit around Earth and the resulting lunar phases.

Diagram illustrating the phases of the Moon, showing the Earth at the center with the Moon in various positions around it, and corresponding lunar phase images below.

Diagram illustrating the phases of the Moon, showing the Earth at the center with the Moon in various positions around it, and corresponding lunar phase images below.

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Show Answer Key & Explanations Step-by-step solution for: The Phases of the Moon Worksheet for 3rd - 6th Grade | Lesson Planet
To solve the problem of identifying and labeling the phases of the Moon, let's break it down step by step. The image provided shows a diagram of the Moon's orbit around Earth, along with various phases of the Moon. Here’s how we can approach the solution:

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Step 1: Understand the Phases of the Moon


The Moon goes through different phases as it orbits Earth due to the changing angle of sunlight illuminating its surface. The phases are determined by the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.

#### Key Phases:
1. New Moon: The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the side facing Earth is not illuminated.
2. Waxing Crescent: The Moon is partially illuminated, showing a small crescent on the right side.
3. First Quarter: Half of the Moon is illuminated (right side).
4. Waxing Gibbous: More than half of the Moon is illuminated, but not fully.
5. Full Moon: The entire face of the Moon is illuminated.
6. Waning Gibbous: More than half of the Moon is illuminated, but the illumination is decreasing.
7. Third Quarter: Half of the Moon is illuminated (left side).
8. Waning Crescent: The Moon is partially illuminated, showing a small crescent on the left side.

---

Step 2: Match the Diagram to the Phases


The diagram shows the Moon in different positions around Earth, along with corresponding images of the Moon's phases. We need to label each phase correctly based on the visual appearance of the Moon.

#### Labels for the Phases:
- 01: New Moon
- 02: Waxing Crescent
- 03: First Quarter
- 04: Waxing Gibbous
- 05: Full Moon
- 06: Waning Gibbous
- 07: Third Quarter
- 08: Waning Crescent

#### Corresponding Images:
- New Moon: Completely dark (no visible illumination).
- Waxing Crescent: Small crescent on the right side.
- First Quarter: Half illuminated on the right side.
- Waxing Gibbous: More than half illuminated, approaching full.
- Full Moon: Fully illuminated.
- Waning Gibbous: More than half illuminated, but decreasing.
- Third Quarter: Half illuminated on the left side.
- Waning Crescent: Small crescent on the left side.

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Step 3: Fill in the Table


Using the labels and images, we can fill in the table as follows:

| Phase Name | Image Description |
|-------------------|---------------------------|
| New Moon | Completely dark |
| Waxing Crescent | Small crescent on the right |
| First Quarter | Half illuminated on the right |
| Waxing Gibbous | More than half illuminated, approaching full |
| Full Moon | Fully illuminated |
| Waning Gibbous | More than half illuminated, but decreasing |
| Third Quarter | Half illuminated on the left |
| Waning Crescent | Small crescent on the left |

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Step 4: Verify the Solution


Double-check that the phases match the positions of the Moon in its orbit and the corresponding images. The sequence should follow the natural progression of the Moon's phases as it moves from new moon to full moon and back.

---

Final Answer


The completed table and labeled phases are as follows:

| Phase Name | Image Description |
|-------------------|---------------------------|
| New Moon | Completely dark |
| Waxing Crescent | Small crescent on the right |
| First Quarter | Half illuminated on the right |
| Waxing Gibbous | More than half illuminated, approaching full |
| Full Moon | Fully illuminated |
| Waning Gibbous | More than half illuminated, but decreasing |
| Third Quarter | Half illuminated on the left |
| Waning Crescent | Small crescent on the left |

Thus, the final answer is:

\boxed{
\begin{array}{|c|c|}
\hline
\text{Phase Name} & \text{Image Description} \\
\hline
\text{New Moon} & \text{Completely dark} \\
\hline
\text{Waxing Crescent} & \text{Small crescent on the right} \\
\hline
\text{First Quarter} & \text{Half illuminated on the right} \\
\hline
\text{Waxing Gibbous} & \text{More than half illuminated, approaching full} \\
\hline
\text{Full Moon} & \text{Fully illuminated} \\
\hline
\text{Waning Gibbous} & \text{More than half illuminated, but decreasing} \\
\hline
\text{Third Quarter} & \text{Half illuminated on the left} \\
\hline
\text{Waning Crescent} & \text{Small crescent on the left} \\
\hline
\end{array}
}
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of phases of the moon worksheet.
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