Tides and Moon

Lesson Duration

60 minutes

Lesson Title: The Moon's Role in Tides

Curriculum Area:
Science – The New Zealand Curriculum, Level 2 (Year 4): Understanding about Planet Earth and Beyond
Focus: Exploring and investigating the dynamic relationships between celestial bodies, such as the influence of the moon on Earth’s natural systems.

Unit Overview:
Lesson 2 of the 8-lesson unit, "Tides and Moon Magic". This lesson focuses on introducing students to the moon’s gravitational pull and how it influences tidal patterns. The session also introduces learners to the phases of the moon and their connection to tides.

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Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand how the moon’s gravitational pull affects tides.
2. Identify the phases of the moon and link these phases to tidal changes.
3. Appreciate how the moon plays a role in Māori knowledge systems (Maramataka) for predicting tides and organising activities (e.g., fishing and food gathering).

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Lesson Structure

Introduction to Tides and the Moon

(10 minutes)

• Begin by gathering students into a semicircle and displaying a globe, a large white ball (representing the moon), and a torch (representing the sun).
• Ask a thinking question: "Have you ever noticed how the sea comes in and out at the beach? Why do you think this happens?"
• Use storytelling to introduce the idea of the moon’s “magic pull”: Explain in simple terms how the moon’s gravity attracts water on Earth, causing tides.
• Tie the concept to New Zealand by explaining how tides are important for Māori knowledge systems like Maramataka, the traditional lunar calendar.

Engagement Activity:
Ask students to point out where they have seen tides in their experiences (e.g., on holiday, at beaches near their homes). Write their responses on the whiteboard to make connections to prior knowledge.

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Exploring Moon Phases and Their Impact on Tides

(20 minutes)

Visual Learning: The Phases of the Moon

• Show students a simple visual diagram of the eight moon phases and their names (e.g., full moon, new moon, first quarter, etc.).
• Use the modelling materials (globe, moon ball, and torch) to simulate moon phases. Move the objects in a circle to demonstrate how the sun, moon, and Earth interact to create patterns like full moons and new moons.

The Moon and Tidal Patterns

• Explain key terms using illustrated flashcards or diagrams: High Tide, Low Tide, Spring Tide, and Neap Tide. Use questions like:

  “What do you think happens to the tides when the moon is closest to Earth? Let’s discover together!”

• Introduce the link between moon phases and tides:
  • Spring Tides: When the moon is full or new.
  • Neap Tides: First and third quarters of the moon.

Hands-On Group Activity: Creating a Tide and Moon Chart

• Divide students into four groups (each with 4 students). Provide each group with blank paper, coloured pencils, and pre-cut moon phase templates.
• Each group creates a poster-sized chart that connects moon phases with tidal patterns. For example:
  Full Moon = High Tides! Illustrate it with waves.
• Allow each group to share one fact from their completed chart with the class.

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Interactive Investigation: Mini-Tidal Simulation

(15 minutes)

• Objective: Students will visually learn how the moon pulls water to create tides.
• Materials: Shallow bins of water, plasticine to make “land masses” (New Zealand shaped islands), and a tennis ball “Moon.”
• Instructions:
  1. Fill each shallow bin with water and place plasticine models of land at the centre.
  2. Students use the ball to create simulated "gravitational pull" by gently tilting the bin or pushing water toward the land.
  3. Discuss as a class:

     "What happens when the moon ‘pulls’ the water in closer?"

• Conclude the activity by connecting it back to real life: How this pull creates actual high and low tides.

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Cultural Connection: Māori Perspectives on Moon and Tides

(5 minutes)

• Share with the class that Māori used the Maramataka, the traditional lunar calendar, to predict the best times to plant, harvest, and gather seafood like kaimoana.
• Highlight how phases of the moon link to tides, and how knowledge of this was (and still is) important for living sustainably with the environment.
• Play a short, teacher-read whakataukī (proverb) about observing nature:

  “Te Kāhui o ngā whetū, kei runga, kei raro” – The stars above guide the Earth below.

• Encourage students to reflect on how science and cultural knowledge work together.

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Wrap-Up and Reflection

(10 minutes)

• Bring everyone back together for a class korero (discussion):

  “What’s something surprising about the moon and tides that you learned today?”
  “Why might it be important to understand the moon’s role in tides for people who fish or live near the sea?”

• Summarise the key takeaways:

  • The moon’s gravity affects tides.
  • Full moons and new moons create high tides.
  • Māori have used this knowledge in Maramataka.

• Home Activity: Ask students to observe the moon tonight with their family and draw its shape. Prompt: “What phase do you see? Can you guess what the tide might be doing?”

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Assessment and Success Criteria

1. Class Discussion: Active participation with insights during korero shows their grasp of the moon’s influence on tides.
2. Tide and Moon Chart: Posters display accurate representation of moon phases and corresponding tidal patterns.
3. Mini-Tidal Simulation: Students can explain what happens during their simulation activity.

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Extension Opportunities

• Students who quickly grasp the concepts can research how the moon’s gravitational pull also causes other phenomena (e.g., effects on animals like sea turtles).
• Introduce scientific terms such as “gravitational forces” for more advanced learners.

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This hands-on and culturally relevant learning plan ties science exploration with practical and cultural insights, fostering engagement and curiosity!