Brunsell and Marcks, (2007), in their article Teaching for Conceptual Change in Space Science,
state that “one of the most common misconceptions for explaining phases is that the Moon enters
Earth’s shadow,” (Brunsell & Marcks, 2007, p. 22). Data from surveys supporting their research
showed that only 4% of sixth grade students, 5% of eighth grade students, and 19% of tenth and
eleventh graders correctly understood the causes of lunar phases, (p. 22).