We Wonder
Week 24
We wonder why the moon changes its shape
[Note: The emphasis in this story is not on explaining the phases of the moon but on our wondering about the moon. Our goal is not to give the answers to the “Why” but to show that we wonder about the moon, but the possums don’t wonder about it. To wonder why is part of the preciousness of humanity.]
Point to emphasize
We wonder why the moon changes it shape.
Sample content and conversation with children
Today we are going to see that we wonder why the moon changes shape.
Ask the children: Have you ever looked outside at night? What do you see in the sky? What does the moon look like? [Get a variety of responses from the children.] Is the moon always the same shape? Do you ever wonder why it looks like that? [Show video below of Moon Phases 2015, Northern Hemisphere (Moon Only).]
Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/embed/LC5rEhxGqT4?rel=0
- When we look at the moon, we notice that some days, the moon is shaped like a banana. Other days, it is round like a pizza. Have you ever wonder why? [Show the children pictures of the moon compared to pizza and banana.]
- Some animals, like possums, are awake all night. They run around and look in our trash for food or look in the ground for grub and insects or they go into your fruit tree. But do you think a possum ever looks up at the sky and wonders about the moon? No. Possums and other night animals never wonder about the moon. They don’t wonder about why the moon looks so big one day and looks like a crescent another day. Every night, they just do the same thing. [Show video or pictures of possums.]
Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/embed/c_zBpfN2VDo?rel=0
- But God created us to have the ability to wonder. We can look up at the sky and wonder why. We wonder about the moon, stars, and planets (the night sky). People have wondered about the moon so much that they invented things like a telescope so they can study the moon. They study it to understand why things happen, like why the moon changes shapes. We can even use the night sky as a compass. [You can show the children a picture of a telescope as well as the video below of the moon viewed through a telescope.]
Video 3: https://www.youtube.com/embed/1KtQBXvWjI8?rel=0
Some people have wondered so much that they built a spaceship to go study the moon up close. (Show a picture of a spaceship and mention again that these exist because people wondered about the moon.)
God created us with the ability to wonder. We can look up to the night sky and wonder about so many things. We look at the moon and wonder why it changes shapes.
Suggested activities/games
Zoom activity:
SINK OR FLOAT
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- Fill a clear container or bucket with water, have some items that will sink and some items that will float.
- Have the children guess whether each item will sink or float.
- Then drop it in the water to see!
Crafts:
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- Make a simple telescope using a cardboard tube or an empty bottle with the bottom cut out
- Make a simple telescope using a cardboard tube or an empty bottle with the bottom cut out
Suggested songs
Our God Is So Big
People Like to Know
Pictures
