Invitation to Learn Eclipses

A Learning Lifestyle

My preschoolers are officially not preschoolers any more. As we step into Kindergarten and 2nd grade, and as a family new to "officially" homeschooling, I recently bought writing curriculum from BraveWriter and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The guidance offered essentially advocates for 1) focusing on creating an environment filled with books, music, and experiences; and, 2) a language-rich lifestyle - one where you listen to your child, respond thoughtfully, and pursue ideas together. (This builds on what we know about how preschoolers learn, too. ) She, of course, weaves writing lessons into the day and provides structure so parents don't have to come up with everything on their own. (Whew!) 

Books, Music, and Experiences

Despite being regulars at the library, I often find myself scouring the catalog and shelves for books that might work to answer my child's question or delve deeper into the subject du jour. It is no wonder why lists are some of the most popular blogs in the world. You know the ones: "101 Books to Read Before Kindergarten," "10+ Children's Books to Inspire Kindness," and my own  "24 Books for Preschool Engineers."

A Smaller, More Approachable List

The problem is that sometimes we want a smaller, more approachable list. One with fewer books that includes other things. I just want a few good books, a CD, and a video, perhaps a toy. Something like a thoughtful little themed basket.

Invitation to Learn

It is in the spirit of having a small sampling of one topic that I am writing Invitations to Learn. Each invitation grows from our homeschool life and is a pint-sized unit of study for the DIY crowd. With this list, I am inviting you to learn alongside your child and giving you a small amount of guidance for creating a rich learning environment in your home or school.

Read a book one day; listen to an audiobook another day; watch a movie a different day; go on a field trip a different day. By offering one great thing at a time, you are inviting your child to learn with you and enjoy learning with you! Over time you and your child will consider the topic in several different ways, using different materials, have different but related conversations about it, and you will grow your knowledge in wonderfully robust ways.

INVITATION TO LEARN ABOUT ECLIPSES

I have found some of these at the library or for free online. For your convenience, I will also include affiliate links to Amazon when available.

Eclipses by Nick Hunter

This book looks at solar and lunar eclipses, providing background information about the Sun, the Moon and our planet. The book covers what an eclipse is, what eclipses can look like, how they happen, the effects on wildlife, what people thought of eclipses in the past, how they are studied today, and about eclipses on other planets. A fun activity is provided along with advice on viewing eclipses. Beautiful photographs and simple text help to engage readers and aid their understanding.

Sunpainters: Eclipse of the Navajo Sun by 

"Kii Leonard sits in his favorite juniper tree. While listening to the radio, Kii Leonard's grandfather, Pipi, announces that the sun has died. Kii Leonard saw a strange gloom all around him. Everywhere he looked, the deep purple and red darkness was there. Join Kii as he learns about the Naa'ach'aahii, or painters, who visit during this astronomical event."

When the Sun Goes Dark by Andrew Fraknoi and Dennis Schatz 

The book tells how two curious children and their grandparents re-create eclipses in their living room using a lamp, a tennis ball, two Hula Hoops, and Ping-Pong balls. Later, in the backyard and around the house, the family explores safe ways to view a solar eclipse and ponders phenomena from sunspots to phases of the Moon. Written by the authors of NSTA’s award-winning book Solar Science, When the Sun Goes Dark gives children and adults hands-on techniques for learning the science behind eclipses of the Sun and Moon.

Every Soul Has a Star by Wendy Mass

And as streams of light fan out behind the darkened sun like the wings of a butterfly, I realize that I never saw real beauty until now.

At Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, thousands have gathered to catch a glimpse of a rare and extraordinary total eclipse of the sun. Three lives are about to be changed forever:

[Note: We are listening to this as an audiobook. It is not really a good fit for my son but my daughter is enjoying it.]

YouTube Short Videos with Bill Nye

The Planetary Society and the NPS also worked together on a web series called "Bill Nye & the Totally Awesome Solar Eclipse," which explores eclipse science and the connection between eclipses and national parks. 

For the first time ever, The Planetary Society has partnered with the U.S. National Park Service to create an amazing eclipse experience. The partnership includes a Junior Ranger Eclipse Explorer activity book.

Join Bill Nye and Junior Ranger CaLisa on their ecliptic path through this fun and educational book! Great for kids, teachers, parents, and everyone else, it’s designed to get people out of the house to learn about and safely view eclipses. Call or go to your nearest U.S. National Park and ask if they have the Eclipse Explorer book or click here to download a printable version.

http://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/pdfs/Junior-Ranger-Eclipse-Explorer.pdf

Eclipse Viewers

The following telescope and solar-filter companies manufacture and/or sell eclipse glasses (sometimes called eclipse shades) and/or handheld solar viewers that have been verified by an accredited testing laboratory to meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard for such products. They are listed in alphabetical order; those with an asterisk (*) are based outside the United States.

Build a Solar Viewing Projector

There are many ways to view a solar eclipse. The safest (and most fun!) is to make your own solar viewing projector. This technique of using a small hole to focus light goes back to the 5th century BC.

For the rest go to https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/solar-viewing-projector.