GoalExplain that the Moon shines because it reflects light from the Sun, so it is not a light source.
New words
Moon · a big ball of rock that goes round the Earthreflect · to bounce light off a surfacenight sky · the sky at night, when our side of the Earth faces away from the Sun
Explanation
At night the Moon looks bright and big in the sky. Many people think it makes its own light. But it does not. The Moon is a ball of rock, and it only reflects light from the Sun. That is why we can see it. So the Moon is not a light source. The Sun and the stars are light sources. They make their own light. The Moon is like a giant mirror in the sky. It bounces back the Sun’s light. Never look straight at the Sun, even when you want to learn about it. It can hurt your eyes.
Worked examples
The Sun makes its own light. The Moon does not. It looks bright because the Sun’s light bounces off it.
Mia shines a torch on a mirror in a dark room. The mirror seems to glow, but the light comes from the torch, not from the mirror.
Stars are light sources, but they are so far away that they look like tiny dots in the night sky.
Class activity
Moon model (with an adult): stand a ball in a dark room. Ask a friend to shine a torch on the ball from the side. Look at the ball. Does it glow because of the torch? Turn off the torch: can you still see the ball? What does this tell you about the Moon? Never use the real Sun for this activity.
Practice
1
Is the Moon a light source? Explain.
No. The Moon does not make its own light. It reflects light from the Sun.
2
Which of these makes its own light?
B, the Sun.
3
Where does the light we see from the Moon come from?
From the Sun. It bounces off the Moon.
4
At night, a cat’s eyes seem to shine when car lights fall on them. Are a cat’s eyes a light source?
No. They only bounce back (reflect) the light from the car. They do not make their own light.
