Sung to the tune of The Ants Go Marching . . ., this song will teach and reinforce names, shapes, and the sequence of our Moon's eight primary phases.

Invite the children to share what they have observed about how our Moon changes.

• Does it change?
• In what way?
• Is there a pattern to the changes?
• Over what period of time do the changes occur?

When people look at the Moon, they often describe it as passing through one of eight phases. The phases occur in a cycle that lasts about a month. The word “month” actually came from the word “Moon,” and was at one time pronounced “moonth.”

Share a chart of lunar phases with the children.

• What do they observe about the chart?
• What is changing? Over what time?

Provide the children (individually or in small groups) with the song lyrics and invite them to sing the song to describe the eight different Moon phases. Have the children learn one verse of the song at a time, perhaps over several days, and point to each phase as they are describing it in the song.

See “Fruit for Phases” as a follow-up activity to explore the cause of lunar phases.

Phrases with Phases

Lyrics by Becky Nelson, Lunar and Planetary Institute

Sung to the tune The Ants Go Marching . . Moon phases and important terms are shown in capital letters.

Each Moon phase marches COUNTERCLOCKWISE —

Now, let's start . . .

The FIRST PHASE is the NEW MOON that we see as DARK.

Then next the WAXING CRESCENT shines

A LITTLE LIGHT upon the RIGHT,

And after that's the

QUARTER MOON, where the

RIGHT HALF'S LIGHT.

Following is WAXING GIBBOUS on the RIGHT,

Where the LIGHT continues SPREADING and becoming bright.

We'll be HALFWAY through the phases soon,

With the FULLest, brightest, biggest MOON,

Just before the DARK creeps

On the RIGHT

Of a WANING MOON.

The WANING GIBBOUS phase is when the LIGHT will SHRINK,

Then what will be the next phase after that, you think?

It's once AGAIN a QUARTER MOON,

But the DARK HALF's now upon the RIGHT,

And the LEFT side is the

One's that's BRIGHT!!

Did you get that right?

The next phase is the LAST phase where there's just a spark

Of light, so WANING CRESCENT appears ALMOST DARK!

The Moon is really magical,

When it's WAXING, WANING, NEW OR FULL.

And it COULDN'T SHINE at all

WITHOUT ......

THE SUN'S ......bright light!!

Last updated
January 9, 2007

Who?
Ages 6–12

How Long?
30 minutes or longer

What's Needed?

• One copy of song lyrics for each child or group of children

• Chart, poster, or transparency of lunar phases

Connections to the National Science Standard(s)

Standard D (grades K–4): Understand the pattern of movement of the Moon across the sky, as well as the observable cycle of changes in the Moon's shape within a month.