Moon phases worksheet for students to label each phase of the moon.

Let’s go step by step to label each moon phase correctly.

We’re looking at a diagram with Earth in the center and 8 moon phases arranged around it. The sun is shown on the right side — that means sunlight is coming from the right. So, the right side of the moon (from our view) will be lit when the moon is on the right side of Earth, and the left side will be lit when the moon is on the left side.

We have these labels to use:
- new moon
- full moon
- first quarter
- third quarter
- waxing crescent
- waning crescent
- waxing gibbous
- waning gibbous

Let’s go clockwise starting from the top (12 o’clock position):

1. Top (12 o’clock): Moon is half-lit on the right → This is first quarter.
2. Top-right (1:30): More than half lit on the right → This is waxing gibbous.
3. Right (3 o’clock): Fully lit → This is full moon.
4. Bottom-right (4:30): More than half lit on the left → This is waning gibbous.
5. Bottom (6 o’clock): Half-lit on the left → This is third quarter.
6. Bottom-left (7:30): Less than half lit on the left → This is waning crescent.
7. Left (9 o’clock): Not lit at all (dark) → This is new moon.
8. Top-left (10:30): Less than half lit on the right → This is waxing crescent.

Now let’s match them in order going clockwise from top:

- Top: first quarter
- Top-right: waxing gibbous
- Right: full moon
- Bottom-right: waning gibbous
- Bottom: third quarter
- Bottom-left: waning crescent
- Left: new moon
- Top-left: waxing crescent

That uses all 8 labels exactly once.

Final Answer:
first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, new moon, waxing crescent