Dancing with Light

Overview:

This joyful, hands-on session introduces Year 2 ākonga (students) to the concepts of day and night and the phases of the moon. By combining pūtaiao (science) with play and observation, tamariki will explore how Earth’s rotation creates day and night and how the Moon changes shape in the sky. The cleverly interactive use of Oreo biscuits helps learners visualise the phases of the Moon in a memorable, tactile way.

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Curriculum Links

The New Zealand Curriculum
Learning Area: Science — Planet Earth and Beyond
Level: Level 1
Strand: Planet Earth and Beyond
Achievement Aim:

• Investigate and describe natural features and resources.
• Describe the Sun’s and Moon’s influences on Earth.

Key Competencies:

• Thinking – making observations, identifying patterns.
• Participating and Contributing – engaging in collaborative, respectful activities.
• Using Language, Symbols and Texts – interpreting diagrams and creating models.

Values & Vision:

• Curiosity encouraged through observation and kinaesthetic learning.
• Respect for te taiao (the environment) and an understanding of our place in it.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Describe how the Earth’s rotation causes day and night.
2. Identify and name the main phases of the Moon.
3. Create a Moon phase model using Oreo biscuits.
4. Reflect on the apparent patterns of the Moon and Sun observed in the sky.

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Resources

• Oreo biscuits (1 packet per 4 students)
• Black paper plates or napkins (to display the “moon phases”)
• A torch or lamp (to represent the Sun)
• Inflatable globe or ball (to represent the Earth)
• Printed "Moon Phase Wheel" (cut into 8 slices)
• Moon phase cards (visuals of new, crescent, first quarter, full, etc.)
• Sticky stars or glow-in-the-dark dots (for setting mood/focus)
• A4 reflection sheets with sentence starters

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Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

1. Karakia and Whakawhanaungatanga (5 minutes)

Purpose: Settle tamariki and create safe and curious space for learning.

• Begin with a short karakia to welcome learning.
• Quick mihi and reflection on the night sky — “Who saw the moon last night?”
• Introduce the big questions: Why is there day and night? Why does the Moon change shape?

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2. Storytelling Circle: "Rā and Marama" (10 minutes)

Purpose: Introduce the scientific concepts through pūrākau (storytelling).

• Teacher tells a short narrative blending Māori worldview and scientific ideas about Rā (Sun) and Marama (Moon), linking to their movement and light.
• Use a globe and torch to show Earth rotating — explaining how we experience daylight and nighttime depending on our position.

Key Prompt: “If I stand on this side of Earth, and the light is here, what do I see?”

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3. Orbiting Drama (10 minutes)

Purpose: Kinesthetic modelling of rotation and orbits.

• Two volunteers: one holds the torch (Sun), the other holds the globe (Earth).
• Earth rotates slowly — we all call out "day" or "night" as Aotearoa turns toward or away from the torch.
• Next: Moon begins to "orbit" around Earth (child walks around Earth).
• Ask tamariki to act as the Earth, Sun, and Moon — involve whole class and switch roles.

Integrates: movement, visual understanding, and te ao Māori concepts of celestial bodies.

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4. Oreo Moon Phases Activity (20 minutes)

Purpose: Hands-on exploration of the phases of the Moon.
Steps:

1. Students are placed in groups of 4.
2. Each group gets Oreos (8 per group), a black paper plate, and a Moon Phase visual card.
3. They gently twist open the Oreos and sculpt the white icing to match each phase: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent.
4. Arrange them clockwise around the plate, labelling each phase.
5. Once a teacher or peer has checked their model, they can take a photo or draw it on their reflection sheet.
6. Optional: Eat one “full moon” for fun!

Teacher Prompt: “Which way do the moon shapes grow and shrink? What comes after a full moon?”

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5. Reflection and Sharing (10 minutes)

Purpose: Consolidate new learning and language.

• Students complete their A4 "Moon and Sun" reflection:
  • Today I learned…
  • My favourite moon phase was…
  • One thing I wonder is…
• A few students share their reflections.
• Revisit the globe and torch model.
• Place sticky stars in the classroom “sky” to “capture” this learning moment.

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Optional Extension / Homework

• Moon Observation Calendar: Send home a simple calendar for tamariki to record the shape of the Moon for 1–2 weeks.
• Ask whānau to observe the Moon together in the evening and talk about what shape they see.

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Assessment

Formative:

• Observation during drama and Oreo phase construction.
• Completed moon phase model (correct sequence and names).
• Student A4 reflection sheets for understanding and questions.

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Culturally Responsive Notes

• Integrate mātauranga Māori by introducing celestial bodies with their Māori names (Rā, Marama).
• Link observations to local iwi stories (if available in your rohe) about taniwha, navigation, maramataka.
• Affirm students who connect learning to home or whānau experiences with the Moon.

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Teacher Reflection Questions (Post-Lesson)

• Did students grasp the concept of Earth's rotation causing day and night?
• Were the kinesthetic and edible models effective in engaging learners?
• Did students demonstrate understanding of the moon phase cycle?
• Are new questions emerging that could lead into a “Space Explorers” mini-unit?

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Ka pai te mahi!

By engaging their heads, hands, and hearts, this playful but purposeful session helps Year 2 learners understand timeless celestial patterns through immersive learning — with icing on top.