Dear MCSD Parents,
The highly anticipated solar eclipse is nearly upon us on Monday, April 8th around 3:30pm! While many local communities will only witness a partial eclipse, this rare celestial event presents an invaluable educational opportunity to experience together at home as a family.
We encourage you to use this day away from school as a teaching moment. Approach the eclipse not just as a break from routine, but as a chance to actively learn, discover, and inspire wonder in your children about this amazing phenomenon.
To help facilitate an enriching experience, we have compiled resources exploring the science behind eclipses, eclipse mythology and cultural significance throughout history, and crucial safety practices for viewing. Please take time to engage your kids through discussions, activities, and hands-on solar system learning.
The true essence extends far beyond just witnessing the event itself. This is an opportunity to embark on a journey of exploration about our universe, sharing amazement with your children along the way.
Let’s come together as a community and to inspire our kids by the spectacular dance between the sun, moon, and Earth. We cannot wait to hear about the discoveries and learnings from their eclipse experiences!
Eclipse Information and Resources:
NYSED reference page: https://www.nysed.gov/
Viewing and timing from Mechanicville: https://eclipse2024.org/
Safety Videos:
30 second: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
15 minute safety video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Solar Eclipse Resources: https://www.smore.com/n/qzsb1-
Eclipse Simulators: https://www.edumedia.com/en/
Even MORE Educational Resources and Activities for Students: https://docs.google.com/
New York Center for School Health reference page: https://www.schoolhealthny.
NASA’s Solar Eclipse Educational Materials: NASA has released a new set of resources for educators to help learners of all ages understand how to safely observe the solar eclipse. The resources include lesson plans, mini-lessons, student-facing web-based interactives, and a longer “story map,” which deepens the investigation of the phenomenon over multiple class periods. Learners can analyze NASA mission data from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) missions.
NASA – Solar Eclipse Safety Link
Educational Resources from the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF): NEEF provides a handful of environmental education activities and resources focused on both scientific and cultural aspects of the eclipse for students in Grades K-6. These resources comply with current Next Generation Science Standards. They include observation sheets for students to fill out before, during, and after the eclipse, and an activity where students learn about the unique stories people in ancient cultures created to explain the phenomena of a solar eclipse, and then write their own myths based on those stories.
NSTA’s Science Update: This resource provides information on what will happen in April, what you will see in your location, and most importantly, how to view the eclipse safely. It also includes suggestions for classroom-tested, hands-on activities.
Additional Links:
nasa.gov
mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov
neefusa.org
tjc.edu
solarsystem.nasa.gov
jpl.nasa.gov –Model a Solar Eclipse
jpl.nasa.gov – Moon Phases
jpl.nasa.gov – Eclipsing Enigma: A ‘Pi in the Sky’ Math Challenge