Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium

Moon Phases Adventure Pack

Inside the dome of Adler Planetarium, the lunar projection system is glitching.

The Moon’s position is out of sync. Sunlight angles are miscalculated. The phases are appearing in the wrong order across the timeline. Ari Raider has detected a disruption in the lunar cycle model, and if the orbit sequence is not restored, explorers may lose track of how the Moon changes night after night.

In Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium, students board the Lunar Theater Pod and enter a high-stakes space science mission. By exploring how the Moon orbits Earth, how sunlight creates different phases, and how the lunar cycle follows a predictable pattern, explorers must rebuild the sequence and restore the correct order of the phases.

This adventure blends astronomy, observation skills, and spatial reasoning with story-driven exploration.

About This Adventure Pack

Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium is designed for elementary explorers and connects directly to an interactive online adventure.

Students can complete the Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium adventure online for free, including access to free printable trading cards that match this experience. The online adventure delivers the full learning and story-driven mission without requiring a physical kit.

👉 Explore the free Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium adventure here:
Coming Soon

For families or classrooms that want to extend the experience, this Adventure Pack adds collectible cards and hands-on components that bring the lunar mission into the physical world.

The learning experience is the same whether students use the physical pack or not. The pack simply adds a tactile, collectible layer to the adventure.

What This Adventure Covers

Each Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium Adventure Pack explores core Moon phase concepts, including:

• Moon – Earth’s natural satellite that reflects sunlight
• Orbit – The path the Moon follows around Earth
• Sunlight – Light from the Sun that illuminates the Moon
• Phase – The different shapes of the Moon we see from Earth
• New Moon – The phase when the Moon is not visible from Earth
• Crescent – A thin curved shape of the Moon visible after a new moon or before a full moon
• Quarter – The phase when half of the Moon appears illuminated
• Gibbous – A phase when more than half but not all of the Moon is illuminated
• Full Moon – The phase when the entire visible side of the Moon is lit

Each topic appears naturally within the adventure and is required to move the story forward, reinforcing understanding through observation and reasoning rather than memorization.

What’s Inside the Pack

• Adventure-Filled Field Pack (6×9 Adventure Pouch)
• Adventure Mission Card
• Interactive Online Adventure
• Knowledge Card Pack
• Mystery Dig Kit
• Dig Stick Tool
• Cleaning Wipe
• Mystery Collectible Specimen (Gemlet)
• Gemlet Storage Container
• Excavating Adventures Sticker

Why Kids Love It

Stepping inside a planetarium dome, racing to fix the lunar sequence, solving orbit puzzles, and uncovering a real mystery specimen makes space science feel immersive and exciting.

Why Teachers and Parents Love It

Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium supports elementary Earth and space science standards through clear explanations of lunar movement, sunlight reflection, and predictable cycles. The adventure encourages spatial thinking, pattern recognition, and hands-on learning about the night sky.

The adventure works for whole-class instruction, small groups, or independent learning — with or without the physical pack.

Free Adventure Option

Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium is also available online for free, including free printable trading cards that align directly with this adventure. No purchase is required to participate.

This reflects our mission at Excavating Adventures: to make engaging, story-driven adventures accessible to everyone.

👉 Explore the free Moon Phase Run at Adler Planetarium adventure here:
Coming Soon