Getting Ready for the Solar Eclipse

Are you psyched for the eclipse? Those of us in the United States have the rare treat of a total solar eclipse happening Aug. 21.

It’s definitely worth it to get to a place where you can experience totality if you can, but other parts of the United States and Canada will still have the cool experience of its suddenly getting darker in the middle of the day.

Space.com has a great rundown of what an eclipse is, why it happens and the different kinds of eclipses that can occur.

I think we all know it’s not safe to look directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, but their are ways you can view or experience the eclipse without harming your eyes.

First, you can buy eclipse-safe filters or glasses through which you can safely view the sun. They need to have an ISO 12312-2 rating, and make sure they aren’t scratched or torn before you use them.

A classic eclipse “viewing” device is a pinhole viewer, through which you can see the shadow of the eclipse. (This is the way I “saw” a lunar eclipse back in 1996.) The Exploratorium has some great info on how to make different kinds of pinholes, plus some no-prep ways to get a glimpse at the eclipse.

If you’d like to really be able to see the eclipse, Smithsonian magazine has a good roundup of the different kinds of gear you can use to view the eclipse safely.

People throughout North America can take readings during the eclipse and report them to NASA for a citizen science project. Sounds like a fun activity to do with the kids.

I haven’t read it yet but I just checked out a book from the library about an eclipse called When the Sun Goes Dark. It’s part of this roundup of books about eclipses for kids from Growing with Science, which has books arranged by age group.

If the eclipse has you in the mood for crafting, check out these ideas:

Coffee filter eclipse craft – Look We’re Learning

Solar eclipse chalk art – Books and Giggles

Sun, earth and moon model – Enchanted Learning

Eclipse paper plate craft – JDaniel4’s Mom

More eclipse crafts for students – Orbit Oregon

Are you gearing up for the eclipse? I’d love to know what you’re planning!

[Photo of solar eclipse by Nakae, via Flickr.]

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Solar Eclipse Activities for Kids

Whether you have snow where you live or are on the wrong side of the world for that, these snow glob crafts for kids are a lot of fun to put together at home or in the classroom.

If you want to keep it super basic, you can download some snow globe coloring pages from Monday Mandala and have kids drawn in their own images (or color in what is there for the ones that are already filled). This could be a fun way to play with different media, having kids paint in one, draw in another, or use crayons in one, colored pencils in another, etc.

Or you can add your kid (or a classroom full of kids) to snowglobes with this craft from Twitchetts. It’s easy to make and fun for kids to help with, too.

You can also make snow globes with paper plates pretty easily, and there are lots of different options out there that should give you some ideas. This one from In the Playroom uses blue glittery pompoms as the snow and has a snowman in the background (though you can use whatever you want).

Mas and Pas uses a clear plate on top of a regular plate to make its snow globe, and Daydream into Reality just uses a paper plate to make the snow globe shape but there’s no snow involved. Their template includes different images you can put in the snow globe, or draw your own.

If you want to make a snow globe without the watery (so potentially less mess) you can make a waterless snow globe out of a plastic cup with this tutorial from The Pragmatic Parent. It uses tiny foam balls as the snow. Tidy Mom’s version uses a real glass jar and fake snow to flurry around.

And if you’re OK with using liquids in your snow globe, which will allow the snow to flutter like in a real snow globe, check out this version from 123 Homeschool 4 Me, which uses water and baby oil.

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