Virtual Field Trip to the Moon

Introduction

THE MOON

Hello students! Today we will be traveling through time and space on our journey to they moon. The moon is Earths only natural satellite and has been a topic of human interest since the beginning of recorded history. It has been constantly studied by astronomers and remains the only celestial body, (besides earth), ever to be walked upon by human explorers. Even though our knowledge of the moon may seem vast, efforts to continue collecting data, making successful landings, and to continue our observations are still being pursued by NASA.

Learning Goals

During our virtual field trip I want you to be thinking about the historical significance the moon has had within society. I also want you to figure out how the moon physically affects the earth. Another thing to keep in mind is how the moon is going to play into the future of human exploration, travel, and colonization. By the end of the virtual tour I will expect you to be able to answer the following questions:
Take notes accordingly!

What is the moon made of?
How was the moon perceived by ancient cultures?
How does the moon physically affect the earth?
What are the phases of the moon, how/why do they change?
Who was the first person to walk on the moon, and when did this happen?
Why would people want to live on the moon?

What is the moon?

Welcome to your first stop, here we will be thinking about what the moon might represent to people today and also what it might have once represented in other cultures.

Watch this video to gain a brief understanding of the moon and its activities from a modern viewpoint.

Taking that information into consideration, how much do you think we knew about the moon before going there? Was there any other way to gather data on the moon besides by simply looking at it though a telescope? How much more difficult do you think it was to observe the moon without any tools or accurate recording devices?

Well the next stop should give you somewhat of an idea of how painstaking this process was for people living in an ancient civilization.

Ancient history of the moon

Different cultures from around the world all looked to the moon as a significant part of society. Some of the most advanced ancient civilizations understood the phases of the moon to represent the passing of time and built whole calendars off of the lunar cycle. It took them years of observation, usually with the most challenging part of the process being record keeping, to gain the knowledge necessary to accurately predict the changing of the seasons in mathematical terms.

"Ancient ideas

Some ancient peoples believed that the moon was a rotating bowl of fire. Others thought it was a mirror that reflected Earth's lands and seas. But philosophers in ancient Greece understood that the moon is a sphere in orbit around Earth. They also knew that moonlight is reflected sunlight.

Some Greek philosophers believed that the moon was a world much like Earth. In about A.D. 100, Plutarch even suggested that people lived on the moon. The Greeks also apparently believed that the dark areas of the moon were seas, while the bright regions were land." - NASA

Babylonian Calender :

European Zodiac Calender:

Mayan Calendar:

As different models of how the solar system worked became historically popular, the phases of the moon were seen as a key element within each of these theories. The phases of the moon in their order of appearance starting at the New Moon and progressing through the Crescent, First Quarter, and Gibbous to reach the Full Moon. The Full Moon is then followed by Gibbous, Last Quarter and Crescent to complete full circle at the New Moon again.

Recent history

The recent history on this virtual field trip will start in the 1960's during the Cold War between Russia and the United States. This video series will provide you with a lot of accurate information regarding the "space race" between Russian and American scientists.

As a review, the gist of this video was to provide you with an understanding of how traveling to the moon became a relevant scientific competition, serving not only to support national interests, but also to take a step into the future of mankind.

Getting to the moon

Recent scientific understanding of the moon almost comes solely from our observations from devices and people in space. This makes traveling to the moon extremely important.

The first video posted is the historic footage from the first ever moon landing. If you haven't seen it yet I suggest You check it out.

This second video is an attempt to show you what it would be like to take off in a space shuttle and enter space.

Composition of the Moon

What exactly is the moon made out of? Rock? Water? Cheese? Lets take a look at exactly what the moon is made out of.

This video will provide greater detail in both the composition and formation:

Effects The Moon Has On The Earth

As you may have observed in the videos previous to this stop, the effects of the lunar cycle on the earth are first and foremost gravitational. The mass of the moon is large enough to affect the surface of the water creating a slight bulge in the ocean. The affect this gravitational uplift has on humans is a topic of debate amongst Astrologists who believe that it can significantly change human emotion or behavior.

Life on the Moon?

Our final stop on this virtual tour will explore the idea of possibly living on the moon.

The initial theory of an orbital space colony (or lunar colony) has been credited to a number of different science fiction writers living during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although these authors couldn't know about the complications of space travel, the far majority of their ideas seemed to grasp the basic necessities of NASA's modern design goals.

According to NASA, "The main goal is to design a permanent community in space that is sufficiently productive to maintain itself, and to exploit actively the environment of space to an extent that permits growth, replication, and the eventual creation of much larger communities." These regulations imply that humans will demand a settlement that would be sustainable, efficient, and productive.

This video provides more information on the idea of creating a space station on the moon:

Amongst other research, NASA has gathered data from scientists, engineers, and the general public about reasons why we should return to the moon. The main topics appear to fall into six general themes that would be seen as the benefits of lunar colonization. These themes include; The Expansion of Human Civilization, Scientific Knowledge, Exploration Preparation, Global preparation, Global Partnerships, Economic Expansion, and Public Engagement.

Websites for Students

Here are some great resources for students to gain more information from:

This is NASA's main page on the moon. Its full of awesome facts, pictures, and videos about all kinds of new developments regarding our moon.
http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/moon_worldbook.html

Another part of NASA's site is a page dedicated just to their thoughts on colonizing the moon. These articles are definitely interesting because of their futuristic possibilities.
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/why_moon.html

Wikipedia's page on the moon focuses on a wide variety of topics regarding the moon. This is a good starting point if you have general questions about the moon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon#Presence_of_water

This site is one geared towards younger students. It provides a solid explination of the Apollo 11 and the significance their journey holds in both American and human history.
http://www.kidport.com/REFLIB/Science/MoonLanding/MoonLanding.htm

The last site clearly explains the composition of the Moon and its interior. It has lots of links to other topics such as its formation .
http://www.neiu.edu/~jmhemzac/mooncomp.htm