Three space challenges. Use paper, a pencil and your imagination. Print or choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print window.
1 · Moon shape detective
Goal: Explain why the Moon looks different during its orbit.
The Sun lights half the Moon. From Earth, we see different amounts of that bright half. Normal Moon phases are not Earth’s shadow.
Shade these Moon circles to show: new Moon, first quarter, full Moon, last quarter.
Draw Sun → Earth → Moon positions for a lunar eclipse. Label your model “not to scale”.
Stretch challenge: Why don’t eclipses happen every month?
Safety: Never look directly at the Sun. A paper model is safe!
2 · Plan a rover route
Goal: Plan steps, collect samples and return safely.
Start at B. Visit both ★ sample sites and come back to B. Move up, down, left or right. Avoid the ● craters. Write or draw your plan before trying it.
B★●●●★
My route:
Stretch challenge: Find a shorter route. Why might a real rover need to travel slowly?
3 · My discovery passport
Goal: Explain a discovery in your own words.
Choose a mission: Solar System · Beyond Our Sun · Milky Way · Other Galaxies · Cosmic Mysteries.
I discovered:
A new space word and what it means:
A question I still have:
Design your own discovery badge.
Remember: the Milky Way is our galaxy. Our solar system is inside it!
Grown-up discussion guide (not printed)
New Moon: dark side faces us. First/last quarter: half of the visible disc is lit. Full Moon: whole visible disc lit. Lunar eclipse: Sun–Earth–Moon, with the Moon in Earth’s shadow. The Moon’s tilted orbit usually carries it above or below that shadow. A rover example: right ×4, down ×4, left ×4, up ×4 (16 moves). Real rovers navigate hazards and need energy and careful communication.