Solar or Lunar Eclipse

Move students beyond memorizing definitions with this model-based eclipse reasoning worksheet for NGSS MS-ESS1-1 and grades 6-8. Instead of recalling facts, students use Sun-Moon-Earth alignment diagrams to decide whether each situation is a solar or a lunar eclipse and to justify why, which is exactly the modeling move the standard asks for.

The worksheet walks students through whose shadow falls and on what, which object sits in the middle, and which Moon phase each eclipse requires, then asks them to apply that thinking to new cases. The keystone item targets the trickiest idea, why the Moon's tilted orbit means eclipses do not happen every month.

A complete answer key with sample responses is included, and the sheet prints cleanly in black and white. It pairs naturally with the eclipse reading passages and the rest of the unit for a full teach, practice, and assess sequence.

• Model-based reasoning, not recall
• Answer key with sample responses
• Aligned to NGSS MS-ESS1-1, grades 6-8