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Eclipse Safety and Educational Resources for Teachers

Understanding Solar Eclipses

Eclipse Safety and Educational Resources for Teachers

"Perfect Ring of Fire - Annular Solar Eclipse"
by Kevin Baird - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Solar eclipses are captivating celestial events that occur when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking the Sun’s light. As educators, it’s essential to help students grasp the science behind these phenomena while emphasizing safety precautions. The next total solar eclipse will occur on Monday April 8, 2024. These resources will help you and your students safely experience this phenomenon.

Available Video Sources:

YouTube

Safety First: Protecting Your Eyes

Safety Tips for Viewing the Eclipse:

  • Never look directly at the Sun during an eclipse. Use ISO 12312-2-compliant eclipse glasses or solar viewers.
  • Inspect your eclipse glasses before use and discard if scratched or damaged.
  • Avoid looking at the Sun through cameras, telescopes, or binoculars without proper filters.

Outdoor Viewing Tips:

  • Choose a safe location away from tall buildings or trees that may obstruct the view.
  • If you don't have eclipse glasses, create a pinhole projector to view the eclipse indirectly.

Educational Resources

My NASA Data: Explore the My NASA Data website, which offers lesson plans, mini-lessons, and web-based interactives related to solar eclipses. Students can analyze real NASA mission data and learn about the Sun’s impact on Earth systems. https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/phenomenon/solar-eclipse

NASA HEAT: Dive deeper into space weather and its effects on Earth by exploring educational materials from the Heliophysics Education Activation Team.
NASA HEAT Educational Resources https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/heat/home/

Eclipse Box: Simple video instructions for how to create an Eclipse Box using household items to safely view the eclipse. Eclipse Box - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL3cuAUArok

Shadows on the Ground: Viewing shadows on the ground is a safe way to view the eclipse indirectly. Shadows on the Ground - https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/

Pinhole Projector: Easy instructions on how to make a pinhole projector. Pinhole Projector Instructions - https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/how-to-make-a-pinhole-camera/

Modeling Day and Night: Students make a miniature model to investigate the causes of day and night. Modeling Day and Night - https://www.bioedonline.org/lessons-and-more/lessons-by-topic/human-organism/sleep-and-circadian-rhythms/modeling-day-and-night/

Earth Moon Cycles: Informational video on the relative motion and positions of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. Earth Moon Cycles - https://www.bioedonline.org/videos/content-presentations/space-science/earth-moon-cycles/

Engage Your Students

Hands-On Activities:

  • Encourage students to safely collect their own data during the upcoming eclipses using tools like the Observer Eclipse tool.
  • Monitor atmospheric conditions, record animal sounds, and observe changes in air temperatures and clouds.

Yardstick Eclipse Activity:

Remember, teaching about eclipses is an opportunity to instill in students a sense of wonder about our fascinating universe. Let’s explore the cosmos together!