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What Are Lunar Maria

Interactive passage with audio narration, comprehension questions, and printable PDF.

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Format: Interactive (Online), Printable (PDF)
Grades: 5678
Subjects: scienceela
Standards: MS-ESS1-2
Languages: English, Spanish

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What's included

Reading passage

Reading comprehension

Audio narration

With word word highlighting

Comprehension quiz

Auto-graded

Writing activity

Open-ended response

Glossary & flashcards

Vocabulary practice

Differentiated version

Adapted for varied levels

Spanish translation

Bilingual support

About this reader

This 400-500 word informational science reading passage explores lunar maria, the dark, smooth plains visible on the Moon's surface. Aligned with NGSS standard MS-ESS1-2 and disciplinary core idea MS-ESS1.B (Earth and the Solar System), the passage explains how early astronomers mistakenly identified these features as seas—maria means 'seas' in Latin—when they are actually ancient lava flows that filled massive impact craters billions of years ago. Students learn about the formation process of maria through volcanic activity, the composition of basalt rock, and how these features create recognizable patterns like the 'Man in the Moon.' The passage includes audio integration for accessibility, age-appropriate scientific terminology, and real-world connections to lunar exploration. Supporting materials include a simplified version for struggling readers, Spanish translations, glossary terms, multiple-choice questions, writing activities, and graphic organizers that help students understand cause-and-effect relationships in lunar geology. This comprehensive resource supports middle school science curriculum by developing student understanding of Earth's place in the universe and the processes that shape planetary surfaces.

Written by Workybooks TeamPublished by Workybooks

Sample passage and quiz content

CONTENT PREVIEW

Lunar maria are the dark, smooth plains you can see on the Moon's surface. "ARC-1990-A91-2007" / NASA

Lunar maria are the dark, smooth plains you can see on the Moon's surface. These features look like large, dark patches when you observe the Moon from Earth. Early astronomers believed these dark areas were bodies of water. They called them maria, which means "seas" in Latin. However, scientists now know that no water exists on the Moon's surface.

The maria are actually ancient lava flows that formed billions of years ago. Evidence shows that massive asteroids and comets crashed into the Moon during its early history. These collisions created enormous impact craters that measured hundreds of miles across. The impacts were so powerful that they cracked the Moon's outer layer, called the crust. Molten rock, or magma, then flowed up through these cracks from deep inside the Moon. The magma spread across the crater floors and cooled into solid rock.

Scientists explain that this process took millions of years to complete. The lava that filled the craters was made of dark rock called basalt. Basalt is the same type of rock that forms when volcanoes erupt on Earth. When the lava cooled and hardened, it created the smooth, flat surfaces we see today. The maria appear darker than the surrounding areas because basalt reflects less sunlight than the lighter-colored rocks in the Moon's highlands.

The largest lunar mare is Mare Imbrium, or the "Sea of Rains." This feature spans about 750 miles across. Scientists have studied rock samples from the maria that Apollo astronauts brought back to Earth. These samples show that the maria formed between 3.1 and 3.9 billion years ago. The maria cover about 16 percent of the Moon's total surface. Most maria are located on the side of the Moon that faces Earth.

Understanding lunar maria matters because they reveal important information about the Moon's history. The maria show us that the Moon was once geologically active with volcanic processes. Scientists can study these features to learn how the Moon formed and changed over time. The patterns created by the maria also form the familiar shapes we recognize, such as the "Man in the Moon."

Interesting Fact: The Moon's far side, which we cannot see from Earth, has very few maria. Scientists think this happened because the crust on the far side is thicker, making it harder for lava to reach the surface.

What are lunar maria?

Bodies of water on the Moon's surfaceDark, smooth plains formed by ancient lava flowsMountains on the MoonCraters filled with ice

Why did early astronomers call these features 'maria'?

They were named after a famous scientistThe word means 'dark' in LatinThey thought the dark areas were seasThey wanted to honor the Moon goddess

What does the term 'basalt' refer to in the passage?

A type of crater on the MoonDark volcanic rock that forms when lava coolsThe outer layer of the MoonA tool used by astronauts

What is an impact crater?

A volcano on the Moon's surfaceA dark area filled with waterA bowl-shaped hole created when objects crash into the MoonA type of rock found on Earth

Based on the passage, why do maria appear darker than other areas of the Moon?

They are covered with dustThey contain water that absorbs lightBasalt reflects less sunlight than lighter-colored rocksThey are in shadow most of the time

What can scientists learn by studying lunar maria?

How to predict earthquakes on EarthHow the Moon formed and changed over timeWhere to find water on the MoonHow to travel faster in space

If a large asteroid struck the Moon today, what would most likely happen based on information in the passage?

It would create a new mare immediatelyIt would create an impact crater, but no lava would flow because the Moon is no longer volcanically activeThe Moon would break apartWater would fill the new crater

How might studying lunar maria help scientists understand Earth's geological history?

Both bodies have similar volcanic rocks and impact featuresThe Moon and Earth have identical surfacesMaria exist on Earth tooThe Moon controls Earth's volcanoes

True or False: The maria cover more than half of the Moon's total surface.

TrueFalse

True or False: The far side of the Moon has fewer maria because its crust is thicker.

TrueFalse