The Moon pcMEL

The Moon pcMEL asks students to weigh the connections between evidence and alternative explanations about the formation of the Moon. Understanding how the Moon formed supports understanding of Earth's formation and early history.

Below are links to resources that will help students use the Moon pcMEL and learn more about fundamental scientific principles related to the Moon and its formation.

Overview

This article provides an introduction to the Moon pcMEL plus suggestions from classroom use including management tips, potential problems, and activity extensions.

TES Moon Article Front Page
Understanding the Formation of the Earth's Moon (Acrobat (PDF) 822kB Jun4 18)

Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectation

HS-ESS1-6: Earth's Place in the Universe

  • Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth's formation and early history.

The Models

Model A: The Moon was an object that came from elsewhere in the solar system and was captured by Earth's gravity.
Model B: The Moon formed after a large object collided with Earth and material from both combined to create the moon.

Student Handouts

Lines of Evidence

Evidence #1: Earth's average density is higher than the Moon's. The density of Earth's crust is a little lower than the Moon's, but Earth's density increases toward the core.
Evidence #2: Simulations of other star systems show that planets form when smaller objects collide.
Evidence #3: The Moon's orbit around Earth is tilted compared to the planets' orbits around the Sun.
Evidence #4: Earth is about 35% iron, most of which is in the core. The Moon has very little iron.


Student Handouts

Lateral Reading (LR) Resources

What does it mean for a source to be credible? Why should we investigate whether a source is credible before we read it? How do we decide whether online sources are credible? Use lateral reading to find out.

Use lateral reading to evaluate the credibility of two sources related to the formation of the moon.

This LR Activity connects to Evidence #2 above: Simulations of other star systems show that planets form when smaller objects collide.

Use the LR Guiding Questions to evaluate the credibility of each source.

Lateral Reading Lesson Materials

Other Resources

This Plausibility Ranking Task (PRT), which may be completed prior to using any MELs, helps students to understand the role of evidence in supporting or refuting models.

Virtual MEL

*NOTE: The virtual materials below are from an older version of the activity than what is posted above.

The Google Drive folder below contains MEL resource documents in the Google formats. In order to maximize the flexibility of our activities, the MEL Project Team wanted to make more resources compatible with virtual settings. We have made our MEL scaffolds available in Google formats, so that they can be copied, modified, and uploaded more easily on a variety of platforms and devices. Please note that to access all the materials for each MEL scaffold, you will need a Google account. View the README file first.

Digital Resources

How Did the Moon Form NASA
This site from NASA, Moon Formation, contains images and animations describing the developments that lead to understanding how the Moon formed.



Moon Formation Simulation
A new NASA and Durham University simulation adds to the current theory of the Moon's origin – the Moon may have formed in a matter of hours, when material from the Earth and a Mars sized-body were launched directly into orbit after the impact.



How Did the Moon Form UK Natural History
How Did the Moon Form? from a Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom shares research from Professor Sara Russell that describes the origin of the Moon.



Astromaterials3D
ASTOMATERIALS3D is a virtual library for exploration and research of NASA's space rock collections in three-dimensions, enabling rotating of virtual specimens, adjustment of lighting, and viewing with lightweight red/blue 3D glasses, if desired. It includes an Apollo Lunar collection and an Antarctic Meteorite collection.