Are you getting ready for the solar eclipse? We are just as excited about it as you are! That said, we thought we’d bring you some great information about the solar eclipse that you can use in your homeschool. We definitely want you to give your upcoming homeschool year a jump start!
What Is a Solar Eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks the sun – either completely or partially, depending on your location for
viewing. If you are in the “path of totality,” then the sun will be completely blocked by the moon for your viewing pleasure! This is called a “total eclipse.” If you’re located outside the path of totality, you’ll observe a partial eclipse.
Interestingly, everyone in North America and some in South America can view a partial eclipse. In addition, people in Africa and Europe will also view at least a partial eclipse!
Solar Eclipse Resources
Incorporating lessons about the solar eclipse may seem like a large task. Thankfully, NASA has put out a lot of information – some of which is specifically for homeschoolers – to get you started!
- Here are some great solar eclipse resources curated by NASA: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/homeschool.
- The August 21 solar eclipse is the perfect opportunity to introduce a variety of science topics along with related math, language arts, history, etc. Some activities are designed for use prior to the eclipse; some are for use during the actual event: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/
- Learn about past solar eclipses and some safe viewing tips: https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/resource.html
- Find out how you can prepare for the next total or partial solar eclipse: https://nationaleclipse.com/resources.html
- Be sure to tuck away some of these resources for your homeschooling: http://bit.ly/2wCx0Vt
A solar eclipse is a special event that only occurs at certain times. The next time one is on the horizon, we hope you’ll be able to take your students on an incredible viewing journey from home!