Safe Solar Eclipse View

Solar Eclipse August 21st 

Summer isn’t over the school bells ring! There is still time to do a few summer things.

   String problems may take the rest of the summer to untangle, but remember summer is not over until it’s over. You will need two people, balls of yarn or thick string, and  chairs.  Tie string loosely around two chairs with loose knots. The one who is not doing the tying can watch or to make the untying more difficult, look away.  You can use two different colors, take turns tying up the chairs, and as a team untie the string. This activity can be used for preschool on up, and you can make up many variations. It is inspired by the book “Maniac Magee” by Jerry Spinelli, a good read for middle school students.
An eclipse of the sun will occur when the moon gets between the sun and the earth August 21.

 Looking at the sun for even a short time can damage the eyes or cause blindness, but

  NASA has a safe fun way to study the Great American Solar Eclipse with a homemade pin hole camera.  You will need two pieces of cardboard or white heavy stock, one 4”x 4” aluminum foil, a pin or paper clip end, tape, and scissors.

We Are the Only Planet To See Total Eclipses

  Cut 2”x2’ square hole in the middle of one sheet of paper. Tape the foil over the square. Poke a hole in the aluminum foil. Place the second piece of paper on the ground, preferably in the shade for a clearer image. Hold the foiled paper with the foil facing up. Stand with the sun behind you and view the projected image on the paper below. Do not look at the sun. Move around until you find the image. The farther away you hold your camera from the ground, the bigger the projected image but not as sharp.

  We are the only planet in our solar system where the moon and the sun have the same apparent sizes because of distance. Total solar eclipses rarely occur over the U.S, in some cases every 99 years. Check what will occur in your area.

Shadow Pictures

Make Some Shadow of Your Own

  While in the sun make unique pictures of friends. In the early morning or late afternoon, tape  large pieces of newspaper on the ground. Your children can stand so their shadows fall on the paper and they can trace shadows. Can they arrange themselves so the shadows exactly cover (eclipse) a friend’s shadow?  Try this again at noon. How different are the shadows and drawings at noon when the sun is in a different position in the sky?  If done at 11:30 the shadows will point north. For more fun and family education see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com, wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos