How To Make Moon Phases With Oreos

Yum! Let’s enjoy a bit of edible astronomy with this Oreo moon phases activity. Have you ever noticed the changing shape of the moon? Let’s explore how the moon’s shape or moon phases change over the course of the month with a favorite cookie. Learn the moon phases with this simple moon craft activity and snack. Explore the moon with neat space activities all month long.

OREO PHASES OF THE MOON FOR KIDS!

LEARN ABOUT THE MOON

Get ready to add this simple Oreo moon phases activity to your space lesson plans this season. If you want to learn about the phases of the moon, let’s get twisting! Twisting apart the cookies that is…

While you’re at it, make sure to check out these other fun space theme activities.

Our science activities are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, quick to do, most activities will take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete and are heaps of fun! Plus, our supplies lists usually contain only free or cheap materials you can source from home!

WHAT ARE THE PHASES OF THE MOON?

To start, the phases of the Moon are the different ways the Moon looks from Earth over the course of about a month!

As the moon orbits around the Earth, the half of the moon that faces the sun will be lit up. The different shapes of the lit up portion of the moon that can be seen from the Earth are known as the phases of the Moon.

Each phase repeats itself every 29.5 days. There are 8 phases that the moon goes through.

HERE ARE THE MOON PHASES (IN ORDER)

NEW MOON: A new moon cannot be seen because we are looking at the unlit half of the Moon.

WAXING CRESCENT: This is when the Moon looks like a crescent and gets bigger in size from one day to the next.

FIRST QUARTER: Half of the lit portion of the Moon is visible.

WAXING GIBBOUS: This occurs when more than half of the lit portion of the Moon can be seen. It gets bigger in size day by day.

FULL MOON: The entire lit portion of the moon can be seen!

WANING GIBBOUS: This occurs when more than half of the lit portion of the Moon can be seen but it gets smaller in size day by day.

LAST QUARTER: Half of the lit portion of the Moon is visible.

WANING CRESCENT: This is when the Moon looks like a crescent and gets smaller in size from one day to the next

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OREO PHASES OF THE MOON

Let’s dig into the cookie bag and learn about the different phases of the moon and what causes us to see only part of the moon at certain times of the month!

This fun Oreo moon phases activity lets kids combine a fun snack with simple astronomy in the process.

YOU WILL NEED:

Note: This Moon phases project can be easily done with construction paper as well!

Oreo cookies or similar generic brand
Paper plate
Marker
Plastic knife, fork, or spoon (for carving out the moon phases)
Glass of milk (optional for dunking the Moon)

HOW TO MAKE THE PHASES OF THE MOON WITH OREOS

STEP 1: Open up a pack of cookies and twist 8 cookies carefully apart.

STEP 2: Use the edge of a fork to draw a line down the center of the icing, carefully scrape off half the icing, and set onto the top of the paper plate to begin your first quarter Moon cycle.

STEP 3: Work from left to right on your cookie moon cycle, with next being waxing gibbous. Use the fork to draw the line, scrape off the icing, and set on the left of the first quarter Moon.

STEP 4: Work your way around: full Moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, new, waning crescent, and back to the first quarter.

STEP 5: Once all the Moon’s are on the plate in a circle, carefully draw the Earth in the center with markers.

STEP 6: Use a marker or pen to write which Moon phase each cookie represents next to the appropriate Moon cookie model.

PHASES OF THE MOON TIPS

If you can’t use food to illustrate the phases of the moon, why not try this moon phases craft activity using paper or felt.

MORE FUN SPACE ACTIVITIES

MAKE OREO MOON PHASES FOR KIDS’ ASTRONOMY!

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