Lunar Phases and Student Misconceptions
Tuesday 07/11/2017 
8:00 pm ET (5:00 pm PT)

FREE 1-hour Webinar
Educators in Grades 2- 8

The NASA Educator Professional Development Collaborative at
Texas State University is providing a 1-hour webinar.


In preparation for the total solar eclipse, we will explore the astronomy behind lunar and solar eclipses.   We will demonstrate several activities to equip classes for viewing, as well as tie it into lessons pertaining to phases of the moon.  More often than not, students express certain misconceptions in their spatial understanding that we can anticipate and prepare for.



Brandon Rodriguez is the Education Specialist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California. Brandon originally received his undergraduate degree in 2005 in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University, then his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 2009. Afterwards he worked for several years in the private sector doing research for green alternatives to petrochemicals as well as in the field of genetically modified food options for developing countries. This led to a desire to give back to under-represented communities, in order to help foster the growth of the next generation of scientists who could solve the problems of tomorrow. As such, Brandon became a chemistry teacher at a local charter school, leading numerous extracurricular activities, such as the Women in Science Club. In 2016 he joined the EPDC team and focuses on professional development for science teachers serving communities in need.