Phases of the moon don’t phase students

January 9, 2023

Fifth and sixth grade students at Butler Catholic School recently learned about the phases of the moon…with the help of Oreos!

“It was fun for them!” said BCS faculty member Jennifer Friel, who taught the lesson.

Students were given eight Oreos and a chart of moon phases. Using popsicle sticks, they carefully dissected the cookies and scraped away the frosting to reflect each phase.

Once they were done, students had a complete chart of the moon’s journey—as well as the makings of a tasty snack.

“I really liked it!” said fifth grader Kaelyn Gapinski. “It made it especially more fun with the Oreos.”

Learning about the phases of the moon is an important part of our new Nancy Larson Science series, adopted last school year. By combining challenging curriculum with hands-on activities, the program is designed to push students to think beyond textbook application by having first-hand experiences.

Though lessons are built on scientific conversations using a variety of academic materials, the series gives teachers autonomy when it comes to generating class projects that put theory into practice.

It’s one of the program’s best features, according to Mrs. Friel.

Founded on the idea that every student is a scientist and every scientist was once a student, Nancy Larson Science helps make even the most basic science lessons engaging. Students in both fifth and sixth grade enjoyed using cookies to visualize the moon’s waning and waxing stages.

After seeing the Nancy Larson Science series in motion with upper-grade students, BCS is looking to expand the program to younger grades. The program offers exciting new ways to balance scientific understanding with fun, helping with learning retention.

As students show us their favorite ways to learn, BCS continues to grow and evolve alongside them.