The Stargazing Plan

Caroline and Joseph join a school stargazing evening. They set up a telescope with their teacher, Mr West. Caroline hopes to see the Moon. Joseph looks up, but thick clouds cover the sky.

They wait beside the telescope for a while. A small gap opens in the clouds, then closes again. “We may not see much tonight,” says Mr West. Caroline feels disappointed.

Joseph remembers the model of the Moon in the classroom. “Could we look at that while we wait?” he asks. Mr West leads the group inside. Caroline carries their notebook.

They shine a torch on the model to show its light and dark sides. Caroline draws what she sees in the notebook. Joseph turns the model slowly. The side facing the torch is bright, while the other side is dark.

Mr West checks the sky through the window. “The clouds are clearing,” he says. They go back outside, and he adjusts the telescope. Caroline sees the Moon’s bright surface at last.

Joseph takes his turn at the telescope. Then they compare the Moon with the model. “The waiting helped us learn something,” says Caroline. They add one last drawing before packing away.