Science photos with Popplet

Why is it always science where the curriculum says observe the experiment, the reaction, and...the moon phases.  How can students observe the moon phases in the middle of the day?  Not to mention over a week long period where the observations seem very similar and students are expected to recognize every slight difference?  Why doesn't the curriculum say, using technology have students create a moon phases chart with imported moon images?

In order to address this fifth grade objective, "students will identify the phases of the moon and why the moon's shape changes throughout the year" (HCPSS, 2007), I incorporated the mindmapping tool Popplet.  Popplet allows students to organize words, ideas, and pictures by importing images onto a blank canvas.  For science this is essential, students are able to find moon resources and create a diagram when observations are too difficult. They can then connect their ideas and demonstrate their understanding, far beyond hard to see observations.

As seen in the Popplet Blog, users have used this mindmapping tool for all subject areas, at home and in the classroom.