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The dos and don'ts to watching a Solar Eclipse! I love this graphic because it is fun and engaging and has great points for safety. 

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The dos and don'ts to watching a Solar Eclipse! I love this graphic because it is fun and engaging and has great points for safety. 

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Scanned from a Xerox Multifunction Printer

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Though this activity is shown to be designed for 9-12 grade, you could easily modify it for 4th or 5th grade. Post the photographs around the classroom and in small groups, have students observe each photo for 3 minutes and record their findings on the gallery sheet. They can describe what they see in the photo and/or compare it to others.

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Eclipse Gallery Lesson Plan - students explore lunar and solar eclipses through a gallery walk to get them moving and collaborating! Eclipse Gallery is a great introduction to eclipses and incorporates students writing about their observations. This bundle includes:

Editable slides containing the gallery walk

Editable teacher lesson plan

Sample student worksheet

This lesson is extremely adaptable for in-person learning or remote learning. It has been tried and tested for students working in groups and independently. This lesson was designed for a high school level Astronomy class, but can be adapted for a middle school or late elementary class as well.

If you like this activity, also check out my Galaxy Gallery lesson plan!

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Eclipse Gallery Lesson Plan - students explore lunar and solar eclipses through a gallery walk to get them moving and collaborating! Eclipse Gallery is a great introduction to eclipses and incorporates students writing about their observations. This bundle includes:Editable slides containing the gal...

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amazing reading for the solar eclipse!

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Kids learn about lunar and solar eclipses in the science of astronomy including the umbra, antumbra, penumbra shadows as well as total, partial, and annular.

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This is a lesson on Solar Eclipse Safety.

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Overview

This hands-on activity is the construction of an extended coverage area of eclipse glasses to provide extra protection for safely viewing a solar eclipse. This makes it harder to look outside the lenses on the eclipse glasses.

Materials Required

Procedure

Remember to never look directly at the Sun without proper safety equipment.
Teacher Preparation:
Teachers can prepare the plates for students or have students make them. It is essential that they are checked to make sure there are not gaps that sunlight can get through. The cardboard from the eclipse glasses should completely cover the cut outs in the plates.

Do not tape glasses to the plates if you are planning to decorate them.
Procedure:

1. Prepare plates as described in the teacher preparation section.

2. Distribute the plates to the students.

3. Optional: Have students decorate the plates.

For younger children the earpieces might not fit securely. In that case, a string, ribbon, or rubber band can be attached to the sides of the plate so that the child can wear it like a mask. The string will help hold the protective shield in place.

Supported NGSS Performance Expectations

Complementary Lesson Plans

Complementary Mini Lessons

Not finding what you are looking for?

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Solar Eclipse Safety Activity | My NASA Data

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This hands-on activity is the construction of an extended coverage area of eclipse glasses to provide extra protection for safely viewing a solar eclipse. This makes it harder to look outside the lenses on the eclipse glasses.

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This is a 5 E lesson plan for a model of a solar eclipse.

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Generation Genius is used in the classroom that I am in now. It has lots of materials and it is supposed to connect with 5E lessons. There are discussion questions, vocabulary, reading lessons, a DIY activities guide, teacher resources, and an assessment.

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Learn how eclipses happens with simple demonstrations using a model. Solar eclipses happen when our view of the sun is blocked by the moon. Watch now.

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Come hang out!!

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Join us at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to witness the wonder of the solar eclipse and explore the science behind wildlife research!
12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Columbus Zoo invites you to join us for a celestial experience. As the Zoo sits in the path of totality for the solar eclipse, we will experience about two minutes of darkness, similar to dawn or dusk (weather permitting). This singular event will be a truly unforgettable experience.

We do expect heavier-than-normal traffic and suggest arriving to the Zoo earlier in the day (our hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.).

Eclipse Information

For planning purposes, here are the projected times for the eclipse when viewing from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

You can view more detailed eclipse information for our location here.

Event Information

In addition to viewing the eclipse, guests can meet and greet our beloved Character Ambassadors and enjoy Partner Activity Stations at Conservation Courtyard. It will be a day filled with excitement, education, and the natural beauty of our world.

Eclipse viewing glasses will be provided (while supplies last) to safely witness this natural phenomenon, but we also encourage guests to bring their own since demand will be high.

COSI will be bringing a hands-on activity as well as modeling a solar eclipse to show how the moon blocks the sun!

Columbus Recreation and Parks will host a trivia game that centers around eclipse and conservation questions.

Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative | During the spring and fall, many songbirds migrate at night and are often drawn to artificial light from buildings, leading to collisions. Learn how you can help save songbirds though the Ohio Lights Out program.

The Wilds will join us as well to talk about upcoming programs and tours as well as sharing hands-on biofacts and info packets.

Velvet Ice Cream has created a special SUNdae just for this special day. Bring your appetite!

Animal Information

You may wonder, "How will the animals react to the eclipse?"

To answer that question, members of the Columbus Zoo's Animal Care team, along with researchers from The Ohio State University (OSU) School of Environment and Natural Resources, will conduct an observational study during the eclipse. This will be the first such study conducted at the Columbus Zoo to see how the animals behave during this celestial phenomenon.

Using science to provide excellent animal wellbeing is a top priority at the Columbus Zoo. Zoo and OSU scientists will utilize ethograms, tools used to record specific animal behaviors, to collect data during the eclipse. We encourage guests to stop by the Zoo's research station at the event to learn more about this study. Science-minded visitors can use these same ethograms to record their observations. Volunteers will be stationed throughout the Zoo to guide budding scientists, young and old.

This event is included with Zoo admission.
Purchase Your Zoo Day Pass

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Join us at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to witness the wonder of the solar eclipse and explore the science behind wildlife research! 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Columbus Zoo invites you to join us for a celestial experience.

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What about the animals? Will they need special glasses too?

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This will be the first total solar eclipse in Ohio since 1806, so there is not a lot of data to show what the animals will do.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Zoo will be in the path of totality when the solar eclipse crosses over Ohio, and zookeepers want to know how the animals will react.

On April 8, they will have a little under two minutes to find out.

Staff from the zoo's Wellbeing Program and researchers from The Ohio State University will be stationed at habitats across the zoo to conduct a first-of-its-kind study to observe the animals.

The zoo has selected specific animals to study including the red panda, bears and manatees, but they are most excited to see how the ostriches will react to the celestial event.

"This is going to allow us to dive into the behaviors of many of the animals before during and two months after the eclipse to see if we can pull out, are there behavioral changes? Did the eclipse have an impact on the animals?" said Adam Felts, senior curator of animal care and Director of Wellbeing at the Columbus Zoo.

This will be the first total solar eclipse in Ohio since 1806, so there is not a lot of data to show what the animals will do.

"We want to see these animals that really live on daylight. Will they think it is dark and will they go into nesting, or go to sleep, or be stressed out? We don't know," Felts said.

Zookeepers said animals do not tend to look directly at the sun, and they won't need any special eclipse glasses, like humans.

Neither will your pets at home.

The biggest concern for pet owners, will be the excitement around the event, according to Dr. M. Leanne Lilly, a veterinary behaviorist at Ohio State.

"It is a little bit like the Fourth of July or Labor Day when everybody is outside, everybody is doing things, there is lots of extra activity and it's not something your pet is concerned about. It is going to be concerning during that time as well," Lilly said.

Otherwise, Lilly said it will be safe to keep animals on their normal routines, or let them outside - even if it is dark outside.

"That depends what everyone around you is doing," she said. "From a simple standpoint of light, dark, yes, it will be safe for them to be outside. It doesn't get so dark that they can't see just like we can see, and their night time vision if they are a dog, is as good as ours. If they are a cat, it is better than ours."

Whether they are at the zoo, or in your backyard, the eclipse could cause some confusion and make animals want to get ready for night time.

"If they want to go to bed, let's let them nap they don't need to be awake to see it," Dr. Lilly said.

The Columbus Zoo is hosting a Solar-bration on the day of the eclipse where people can watch the phenomenon.

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Columbus zoo to study how animals react to total solar eclipse in April

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This will be the first total solar eclipse in Ohio since 1806, so there is not a lot of data to show what the animals will do.

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Many different links to access for the upcoming Solar Eclipse

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This website provides lesson ideas for how to make models of a solar eclipse for both elementary and middle school students.

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Educator Guide: Model a Solar Eclipse | NASA/JPL Edu

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Students use simple materials to model a partial, annular, and total solar eclipse.

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This teacher kit comes with a slideshow/books/videos and more to help your students learn while being engaged!

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This is a children's book about experiencing a solar eclipse. This is the link to the book on Amazon but there are also videos of teachers reading the book on YouTube. 10/10 recommend.

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A poetic and exquisitely illustrated tribute to the solar eclipse and the magic of togetherness, seen through the eyes of a child.​

What happens during a solar eclipse? The sun vanishes. Light becomes dark. Day animals sleep, and night animals wake. The moon takes over the sky. People stop what they're doing and together, they look up. The whole world changes for a few beautiful minutes.

Celebrating a favorite wonder of the universe, A Few Beautiful Minutes encourages young readers to (safely) discover each stage of a solar eclipse, and to experience how this incredible phenomenon can connect us to one another.

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A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse

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A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse [Allen Fox, Kate, Le, Khoa] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse

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This video walks students through the process of the solar eclipse.

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https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/How%20to%20Safely%20Observe%20a%20Solar%20Eclipse%20-%20Student%20Sheets%20508.pdf

This is a link to a student worksheet that helps student learn about how to view a solar eclipse safely.

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This slide show talks about the two different types of eclipses and has misconceptions and why they are false!

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This video provides students with background knowledge as you prepare to do related solar eclipse activities in your classroom.

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I like this video because it gives information on other ways the state is preparing for the eclipse

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How Ohio officials are preparing for April solar eclipse

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This video helps explain solar eclipses, how they occur, and what to do when an eclipse occurs to ensure a person is safe.

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Solar Eclipse - Solar Eclipse video for kids

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This provides multiple different lessons that can involve students in the eclipse a few weeks before, up until the time of the eclipse.

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Live Streams

here!
If you're clouded out or want to see totality, look for a live stream
Watch eclipse live stream

Websites
Want more resources?

Learn the science behind the eclipse at NASA's Eclipse 2024 Website. This has background information for educators who teach all ages.

NASA has recommendations for eclipse viewing with neurodiverse learners

The National Science Teachers Association has information for you to prepare to teach about the eclipse: NSTA Eclipse Page

DIY Sun Science is an app from the Lawrence Hall of Science that allows families and educators to investigate and learn about the Sun at home, at school, or on the go! The app provides 15 free, easy to use, hands-on activities, plus images, videos, and much more! Each activity includes material lists, step-by-step instructions, and detailed explanations. The activity materials are widely available and inexpensive, and you probably have many of them in your own home. This free app is available for iPhones, iPads , and Android devices, in English and Spanish.

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Solar Eclipse Educator Resources - Bell Museum

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Live Streams here! If you're clouded out or want to see totality, look for a live stream Watch eclipse live stream Want more resources? Learn the science behind the eclipse at NASA's Eclipse 2024 Website . This has background information for educators who teach all ages.

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This video demonstrates how to observe the eclipse and how to do it safely.

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This is a non fiction book about eclipses

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A great way to introduce the solar eclipse. 

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This is a short video that explains what a solar eclipse is and how they happen. It would be best for grades 3-5.

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Every now and then, the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that, when viewed from the Earth, the Moon eclipses the Sun's light. Solar eclipses are fairly common -- the Moon will block out some portion of the Sun at least twice a year. However, a total solar eclipse happens far less frequently.

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This is a cute children book to read with your class

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Many years ago, people didn't understand what was happening during an eclipse. Across the globe, each culture developed its own explanations for this amazing phenomenon. Join us in exploring the many mythical answers to the question "Who Turned Off the Sun?"

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Many years ago, people didn't understand what was happening during an eclipse. Across the globe, each culture developed its own explanations for this amazing phenomenon. Join us in exploring the many mythical answers to the question "Who Turned Off the Sun?"

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This article allows students to read about eclipses and also includes a short video to watch about the eclipse in 2024.

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5 min read

On April 8, 2024, much of North America will experience a solar eclipse: a cosmic alignment of Sun, Moon, and Earth, in that order. The Moon's shadow path will make landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast, cross the United States from Texas to Maine, and exit North America via Newfoundland, Canada, continuing into the Atlantic Ocean.

Solar eclipses on Earth are a convenient coincidence. The Sun's diameter is about 400 times larger than the Moon's, and the Sun is almost 400 times farther away from us than the Moon is. This combination makes the Sun and Moon appear nearly the same size in our sky, setting up a spectacular show when they align. Try experimenting with apparent size for yourself by holding up a small item, like your thumb, and moving it closer and farther away to block different-sized objects from your view.

The Moon's distance from Earth varies, though only slightly. The Moon's orbit is not a perfect circle, and it is not quite centered on our planet. At its closest, the Moon is about twenty-eight Earth diameters away; at its farthest, about thirty-two. As a result, the Moon's apparent size changes over time, and eclipses are not all alike.

A total solar eclipse is only possible when the Moon is closer to Earth than average. When the Moon is farther away, its apparent size is smaller than the Sun's, so it does not completely block the Sun's bright disk. In this configuration, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, a "ring of fire" remains visible - that's an annular solar e clipse.

Ever wonder why solar eclipses don't happen more often? Earth, Moon, and Sun don't line up perfectly every month because the Moon's orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees compared to Earth's orbit around the Sun. Most of the time, the Moon's shadow misses our planet.

When all three celestial bodies do align, views of the eclipse depend not just on our position in the solar system, but also on our location on Earth. The Moon's shadow has two parts, the umbra and the penumbra. Observers in the umbra (or "path of totality") will experience a total solar eclipse. For those in the penumbra, the eclipse will be partial.

If you are planning to observe the eclipse, you've probably consulted a shadow path map like this one. But how do we know exactly where and when the Moon will cast its shadow? Eclipse prediction depends, first and foremost, on understanding the positions and movements of the Moon, Sun, and Earth. Modern maps build on a long human history of eclipse forecasting. And since 2009, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been mapping the Moon in unprecedented detail. LRO's lunar topography data enables us to make more accurate eclipse predictions than ever before.

The Moon is a rugged world of peaks, craters, basins, and valleys. Since the lunar horizon is bumpy and jagged, the shadow it casts is not quite round. Knowing the precise shape of the Moon helps us understand exactly where its shadow will darken Earth's surface. Of course, our own planet is not perfectly round, either. Today's eclipse maps account not only for the lunar landscape, but also for the contours of Earth's mountain ranges, lowlands, and other features.

Casual observers don't usually notice that the Moon's silhouette is rough around the edges. At a distance of 239,000 miles (that's the average gap between Earth and the Moon), our nearest neighbor in space looks round - even mountains appear too small for the human eye to distinguish. But, for two brief moments during a solar eclipse, craggy lunar terrain commands the spotlight.

On the brink of totality, as the Moon moves into full Sun-blocking position, the Sun's edge doesn't go dark all at once. Last rays of sunlight peek through valleys on the lunar horizon. These isolated areas of intense brightness can resemble a string of glowing beads or a single dramatic burst of light like the gem on a ring. The same phenomena, sometimes called Baily's Beads and the Diamond Ring Effect, can also occur as the Moon edges out of totality (or annularity). Since we know the shape and position of the Moon so well, we can predict where the first and last bits of sunlight will appear.

Science Advisor: Ernie Wright, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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Total Solar Eclipse 2024: The Moon's Moment in the Sun

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To know exactly where and when the solar eclipse will cast its shadow, we study our nearest neighbor in space.

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This website includes a video about solar eclipses and provides directions that allow students to build their own demonstration of a solar eclipse.

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Instructions

1Attach a binder clip to the 1 cm mark on the meter stick.

2Attach the other binder clip to the 100 cm mark on the meter stick.

3Stick 2 toothpicks into the 3.5 cm clay ball and attach it to one binder clip.

4Stick the last toothpick into the 1 cm clay ball and attach it to the other binder clip.

5Go outside with the model and stand under the sun to see strong shadows.

6Tilt your meter stick so the 3.5 cm clay ball (Earth) faces downward, to model a solar eclipse.

7Flip the meter stick so the 1 cm ball (moon) faces towards the ground, to model a lunar eclipse.

How It Works

A solar eclipse happens when our view of the sun is blocked by the moon. A lunar eclipse happens when the moon passes into the Earth's shadow. When the 3.5 cm clay ball (representing Earth) is facing downward, it is hard to line up the shadow of the smaller moon due to the distance between the two. When you flip the meter stick so that the 1 cm clay ball (moon) is closer to the ground, it is much easier to make an eclipse, since the shadow from the 3.5 cm clay ball (Earth) is much larger.

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Oops! It looks like your security settings are blocking this video 🙁 If you are on a school computer or network, ask your tech person to whitelist these URLs: *.wistia.com, fast.wistia.com, fast.wistia.net, embedwistia-a.akamaihd.net Sometimes a simple refresh solves this issue. If you need further help, contact us.

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This book would be a great read aloud to introduce the solar eclipse to children.

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Silvia Piccinotti (Author), Rong Pham (Illustrator)

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Magical and Unusual Solar Eclipse [Piccinotti, Silvia, Pham, Rong] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Magical and Unusual Solar Eclipse

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This video allows an in-depth explanation of the eclipse that very early elementary

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https://ema.ohio.gov/media-publications/ohio-total-solar-eclipse

This link provides a bunch of information including info about the eclipse, the path, safety tips, and frequency asked question.

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This is a good hands on activity with a beach ball

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Exploring the Solar System: Solar Eclipse | NISE Network

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In this activity, learners investigate the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon to create shadows and learn about solar eclipses.

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This website includes a few different student readings that help explain the eclipse using child friendly language.

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This website has 10 different activities that students can do to learn about the solar eclipse. My personal favorite is the paper towel solar eclipse viewer that students can make!

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A solar eclipse is not just an awe-inspiring celestial event; it's a fantastic opportunity for learning and fun, especially for kids. This natural phenomenon, where the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, briefly turning day into night, can ignite the imagination of young minds and foster a lifelong interest in astronomy. Here are some engaging and educational activities to help kids get the most out of a solar eclipse experience:

10 Solar Eclipse Activities:

1. Play a Vocabulary Match Game

2. Create Sun Print Art (Cyanotypes)

3. Build a Paper Plate Solar Eclipse Model

4. Create a Solar Eclipse Play Dough Model

5. Make a Solar Eclipse Slider

6. Build a Solar Shelter to Protect from UV Rays

7. Create a Solar Eclipse Paper Towel Roll Viewer

8. Make a Solar Eclipse Flip Book

9. Create a Solar Eclipse Cereal Box Pinhole Projector

10. Explore the Sun Using Augmented or Virtual Reality

The celestial dance of the sun and moon during a solar eclipse is not only a fascinating astronomical event but also a fantastic opportunity for hands-on learning. Here, we delve into creative and engaging activities that bring the concept of a solar eclipse to life in the classroom.

These activities are perfect for elementary school teachers looking to inspire their students with the wonders of the cosmos through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.

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Solar Eclipse Activities For Kids - Carly and Adam

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A solar eclipse is not just an awe-inspiring celestial event; it's a fantastic opportunity for learning and fun, especially for kids. This natural phenomenon, where the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, briefly turning day into night, can ignite the imagination of young minds and foster a l

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This shows aspects of the solar eclipse through tips, weather forecast, the paths, etc.

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Solar eclipse: Ohio eclipse path, weather forecast, viewing tips and everything you need to know

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Your guide to the 2024 solar eclipse in Ohio, including its path, where to get glasses, safe viewing tips, school closings, and how Ohio is preparing.

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This book would be a great resources for children learning about the Eclipse and it discusses the suns feelings.

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This is just a fun coloring sheet for littles

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A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse Hardcover – Picture Book, September 26, 2023

by Kate Allen Fox (Author), Khoa Le (Illustrator)

This is a children's read aloud that explains how solar eclipses occur and can support children 4-8 years old. It can be found on amazon and has amazing illustrations.

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This allows students to learn about eclipses while playing a fun and interactive game.

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On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible to over 30 million people across North America. To help kids learn about solar eclipses, NASA is launching Snap It! An Eclipse Photo Adventure.

The Snap It! game - designed for kids ages 7 and up - lets players help out the Traveler, an enthusiastic character who loves to explore the universe. The Traveler has previously learned about black holes and is now visiting Earth to learn about eclipses.

Solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. The total solar eclipse later this year will completely block the Sun's light from reaching parts of eastern and southern North America, bathing the landscape in darkness. Through taking photos of the Sun and decorating postcards, the goal of this game is to learn about eclipses and objects that transit, or pass in front of, the Sun. The game can be played on any computer using an internet browser.

Discover More Topics From NASA

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NASA Launches Snap It! Computer Game to Learn About Eclipses

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On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible to over 30 million people across North America. To help kids learn about solar eclipses, NASA is launching Snap It! An Eclipse Photo Adventure. The Snap It! game - designed for kids ages 7 and up - lets players help out the Traveler, an enthusiastic character who [...]

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The dos and don'ts to watching a Solar Eclipse! I love this graphic because it is fun and engaging and has great points for safety. 

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The dos and don'ts to watching a Solar Eclipse! I love this graphic because it is fun and engaging and has great points for safety. 

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Scanned from a Xerox Multifunction Printer

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This video help prepare students for the solar eclipse and it also talks about ohio which they will understand

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Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

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This video shows the total solar eclipse, its path, and where and when it goes through Ohio.

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The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse : A Once in a Lifetime

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This is a link to multiple live streams of the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. This is a great resource for schools that are not in totality to see the eclipse.

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Here you'll find links to livestreams and webcasts of the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse. If you know of a livestream or webcast that should be listed here but isn't, please contact us.

Total Solar Eclipse, April 8, 2024

Exploratorium

Located in San Francisco, California, the Exploratorium is a public learning laboratory exploring the world through science, art, and human perception. The Exploratorium will broadcast four livestreams:

Live Coverage of the Eclipse from Junction, Texas

Telescope View from Junction, Texas, with Sonification

Telescope View from Torreón, Mexico

Cobertura en Vivo en Español

All can be accessed from the Exploratorium's " Watch Our Livestreams" page.

NASA

The U.S. space agency is sponsoring numerous eclipse events across North America and will stream the annular eclipse on the web, on social media, on one or more NASA apps, and on YouTube. We'll add links when they become available.

Time and Date

Based in Norway, TimeandDate.com claims to be the world's top-ranking website for time and time zones, featuring extensive databases not only for time and time zones, but also for calendars, holidays, Sun and Moon data, and more. You have two options for their coverage of the annular eclipse:

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Here you'll find links to livestreams and webcasts of the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse. If you know of a livestream or webcast that should be listed here but isn't, please contact us. Located in San Francisco, California, the Exploratorium is a public learning laboratory exploring the world through science, art, and human perception.

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This whole website offers links to articles, books, maps , images and so much more.

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This website was developed by NASA and has many different lessons and mini-lessons for grades K-12 that help explain what an eclipse is and what happens when it occurs. It also includes a fun video that shows the part of an eclipse that humans do not usually get to see.

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Student Directions

Remember to never look directly at the Sun without proper safety equipment.

Solar Eclipse Animation | Video Length 0:30 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woqqRtDQJbo | Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

NASA's Epic View of 2017 Eclipse Across America| Video Length 0:28 (There is no sound.) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7tfLvHmXA|Credit: NASA EPIC Team Video credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Katy Mersmann

1. Feimer, W. (2016, March 3). CILab: Solar Eclipse Animation. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20233

2. NASA's EPIC View of 2017 Eclipse Across America. (2017, August 22). YouTube. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7tfLvHmXA

Teacher Note

Teachers, these mini lessons/student activities are perfect "warm up" tasks that can be used as a hook, bell ringer, exit slip, etc. They take less than a class period to complete. Learn more on the " My NASA Data What are Mini Lessons?" page.

Teachers who are interested in receiving the answer key, please complete the Teacher Key Request and Verification Form. We verify that requestors are teachers prior to sending access to the answer keys as we've had many students try to pass as teachers to gain access.

Supported NGSS Performance Expectations

Complementary Mini Lessons

Complementary Lesson Plans

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In this activity students will make observations about the objects, size, distance, and motion of the Sun, Earth, and Moon during a solar eclipse.

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This talks about the different supplies needed for safe viewing of the eclipse.

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Here you'll find links to selected suppliers of solar viewers and filters that you can be confident are safe when used properly. These include companies and organizations with which members of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force have had good experience as well as other companies and organizations that have demonstrated to our satisfaction that the products they're selling meet the safety requirements of the ISO 12312-2 international standard.
Press Release, March 11, 2024: "American Astronomical Society Offers Warnings & Reassurances on Eclipse Glasses"
We have pared down our list to give preference to North American manufacturers and importers and their major authorized resellers; after all, the April 8th solar eclipse is almost exclusively a North American event, and this site is a service of the American Astronomical Society. We also highlight some German companies that astronomers all over the world have been patronizing contentedly for decades.

If you don't see a vendor listed on this page, it does not mean their products are unsafe - with so many sellers out there, it's impossible for us to vet them all.
As of February 8th - T (totality) minus 2 months - we are no longer adding vendors to this page. Any company worthy of your business should have established itself well before last October's annular solar eclipse across the Americas, let alone well before this coming April's eclipse!
Important: We do not recommend searching for eclipse glasses on Amazon, eBay, Temu, or any other online marketplace and buying from whichever vendor offers the lowest price. Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page.

For instructions on how to observe the Sun safely, see our main safety page and our pages on pinhole and optical projection and viewing through optics.
Eclipse Glasses & Handheld Solar Viewers | Solar Filters for Optics | Solar Filters for Smartphones | Solar Optical Projectors
Eclipse Glasses, Handheld Solar Viewers & Solar Filter Sheets/Rolls

The following companies manufacture or import eclipse glasses, clip-on solar viewers, handheld solar viewers, and/or sheets or rolls of solar-filter material for direct viewing of the Sun's bright face. Some offer custom printing, though the number that do is rapidly dwindling as the April 8th solar eclipse approaches and manufacturers reach capacity. We have intentionally randomized the listings within each subsection so as not to give an unfair advantage to companies whose names put them near the top of alphabetized lists. The order of listings will be randomly shuffled once a week through the beginning of April.

Be sure to read our safety tips before using eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers.

North American Manufacturers

These companies manufacture their own solar-filter film and/or use one of the other company's films to produce eclipse glasses and/or handheld solar viewers, except as noted below.

*This U.S. company produces innovative 3-in-1 interchangeable blue-light-blockers + sunglasses + eclipse glasses that remain wearable post-eclipse. They feature detachable, safe solar filters responsibly sourced from China that comply with the transmittance requirements of the ISO 12312-2 standard.

North American Telescope Companies

These well-known companies sell branded solar viewers made for them by the manufacturers listed above.

North American Importers from Germany

These well-known companies sell solar viewers or sheets of solar-filter material made for them by long-established manufacturers in Germany.

Authorized Dealers of Products Made in North America or Germany

The following companies and organizations sell products made or imported by one or more of the companies listed above. Most are in North America, but we include some in other parts of the world in case people there want to buy locally before traveling to North America for the April 8th solar eclipse. When a country is listed in parentheses, it indicates the seller's primary market, but in most cases they'll ship worldwide. (Note that international shipping may be subject to delays and extra costs.)

North American Large Retail Chains

Some (not all) locations of the following retail chains sell ISO-compliant safe eclipse glasses and/or handheld viewers made by one or more of the companies listed at the top of this page, so you can confidently buy solar viewers if you find them in their stores - but not necessarily on their websites, as some chains use different suppliers for their websites than they do for their stores. (If you can tell that a chain's website is selling one of the brands listed elsewhere on this page, go for it!) Links are provided here to help you locate the retail store nearest you:

(Mostly) North American Importers and Dealers of Products Manufactured in China

The vendors in the list below sell products manufactured in China. The most-used factories include Cangnan County Qiwei Craft Co., Ltd.; Hangzhou Retsing Eyewear Co., Ltd. (wholesale only, no retail sales); Jaxy Optical Instruments Co., Ltd. (wholesale only); Shenzhen Lionstar Technology Co., Ltd.; and Shenzhen Shihui Tongda Technology Co., Ltd. (selling both wholesale and retail [direct to consumers] and shipping from North American warehouses). We link only to the factories with websites that support direct wholesale and/or retail sales. In the following list, when a country is listed in parentheses, it indicates the seller's primary market.

Free Eclipse Glasses for Libraries

The STAR Library Network (STAR Net), managed by the Space Science Institute, is offering free eclipse glasses along with supporting information, training, and ideas for activities to conduct at eclipse events at U.S. public libraries. Learn more on the Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries (SEAL) website. If you're a librarian, you can register to participate. If you're an eclipse enthusiast looking for free eclipse glasses, check with your local library to see if they've got any.

Other Sources of Solar Viewers

What if you received eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer from a relative, friend, neighbor, or acquaintance? If that person is an amateur or professional astronomer - and astronomers have been handing out eclipse viewers like Halloween candy lately - they're almost certainly ISO-compliant, because astronomers get their solar filters from sources they know and trust (for example, the ones listed on this page). Ditto for professional astronomical organizations (including college and university physics and astronomy departments) and amateur-astronomy clubs.

If you bought or were given eclipse viewers at a science museum or planetarium, or at an astronomy trade show, again you're almost certainly in possession of ISO-compliant filters. As long as you can trace your filters to a manufacturer listed above, you have nothing to worry about. What you absolutely should not do is search for eclipse glasses on the internet and buy whatever pops up in the ads or search results. Buy from one of the sources listed on this page.

Solar Filters for Telescopes, Binoculars & Camera Lenses

Solar filters for optics are meant to go over the aperture, i.e., the front opening, and should be used only by experienced observers. We have intentionally randomized these listings \so as not to give an unfair advantage to companies whose names put them near the top of alphabetized lists. The order of listings will be randomly shuffled once a week through the beginning of April. We have intentionally randomized the listings within each subsection so as not to give an unfair advantage to companies whose names put them near the top of alphabetized lists. The order of listings will be randomly shuffled once a week through the beginning of April. Be sure to read our safety tips before using solar filters with optics!

Warning: Solar filters designed to thread into an eyepiece at the back end of the telescope - where you put your eye - are dangerous; sunlight concentrated by your optics could destroy it and injure your eye in a flash - literally. If you have such a filter, such as the example shown at right, discard it. We'll say it again: A solar filter must be attached to the front of your telescope, binoculars, or camera lens.

To find telescopes and binoculars specially made for observing the Sun, see the Special-Purpose Solar Binoculars & Telescopes section of our Telescopes & Binoculars page.

Solar Filters for Smartphones

The following products include safe solar filters and Velcro or other fasteners that enable you to temporarily secure a filter over the lens(es) of your smartphone camera.

Solar Snap (Doug Duncan & American Paper Optics; made in the U.S.)
This is the first such product to appear on the market. Using the accompanying Solar Snap app, which is available for free in versions for iPhones and Android phones, you can easily choose appropriate exposure settings to shoot photos of the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun through the included solar filter. You can use the app to capture images of the totally eclipsed Sun, too, but you'll need to remove the filter during totality or your images will be blank.

SafeShot (Grafix Arts / Grafix Plastics; made in the U.S.)
Made of heavy-duty cardboard, this product has two solar filters: a dark visual filter that you can look through and a lighter filter for your smartphone's camera; this means you can take pictures and view the Sun at the same time. Instructions on the SafeShot website explain how to use your phone's native camera app or a third-party camera app to dial in the appropriate exposure settings. Thanks to the light photographic filter, you should be able to capture images of the inner corona during totality without having to detach your smartphone from the device.

Smartphone Camera Filter (VisiSolar; made in China)
This is like Solar Snap (see above) but without the app, i.e., just a solar filter that covers your smartphone's camera lenses. Of course, you can use the free Solar Snap app with it if you wish. You must remove the filter if you want to shoot any pictures during totality! The filter is only for use during the partial phases of the eclipse or when no eclipse is happening. Another source of a similar device: East Fox Studio.

Cell Phone Solar Viewer (Solares, LLC; made in China)
Like SafeShot (see above) but made of lighter-weight cardboard, this product includes two solar filters so that you can shoot photos and view the Sun with your eyes at the same time. But in this case both filters are dark enough for visual use, so you'll have to disconnect your smartphone from the cardboard if you want to shoot images during totality. With all such products, advance experimentation on the uneclipsed Sun and the full Moon (which is about as bright as the totally eclipsed Sun) is the key to successful imaging, whether using the Solar Snap app (which will work with any of these products), your smartphone's native camera app, or a third-party camera app. Other sources of similar devices: Absolute Eclipse; Solar Eclipse International, Canada.

Solar Optical Projectors

The following devices are used for indirect solar observation. They use lenses and mirrors to project an image of the Sun onto a white surface. In other words, you don't look through them - you look at them. Be sure to read our safety tips before using a solar optical projector!

And check out the Sun Funnel, an inexpensive do-it-yourself projection device that works with a small telescope to provide a safe solar viewing experience for groups. Download a free PDF with detailed instructions for making and using one.

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Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters

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Here you'll find links to selected suppliers of solar viewers and filters that you can be confident are safe when used properly. These include companies and organizations with which members of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force have had good experience as well as other companies and organizations that have demonstrated to our satisfaction that the products they're selling meet the safety requirements of the ISO 12312-2 international standard.

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I love this worksheet because it provides good safety tips and it also provides a version in Spanish.

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On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun's bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.

This safety sheet, available in English and Spanish, provides information on how to safely experience the total solar eclipse.

2024 Eclipse Safety Sheet

Información sobre seguridad - Eclipse 2024

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2024 Total Solar Eclipse Safety Sheet - Multilingual

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This sheet, available in multiple languages, provides information on how to safely view the total solar eclipse.

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I liked this because it was short and sweet yet still gave fundamental information about the eclipse. This is a great resource for teachers to provide students with.

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Students will be able to participate in a fun experiment that connects to the UV light from the sun.

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In this activity from the Stanford University Solar Center, participants experiment with ultraviolet (UV) light-sensitive plastic beads, which are generally white but turn colors when exposed to UV light.

UV Bead Activity Instructions

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In this activity from the Stanford University Solar Center, participants experiment with ultraviolet (UV) light-sensitive plastic beads, which are generally white but turn colors when exposed to UV light.

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Students will be able to track their observations by coloring the moon everyday.

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If it is visible from your location, begin a month of lunar observations starting with the solar eclipse! Record your observations in the journal. Once you have completed your observations for the whole month, answer the questions below.

1. Did the Moon look the same each day? If not, describe how it changed throughout the month.

2. Did you see the Moon at the same time each day? Was there a pattern to the time when you were able to observe it? If so, describe the pattern.

3. Did anything prevent you from being able to see the Moon this month? Could you still figure out what the Moon would have looked like if you could have seen it? If so, how?

4. A solar eclipse is a rare opportunity to observe a new moon.
Look up information on the phases of the Moon and indicate in your Moon Observation Journal where you think the Moon most closely matched each of the following phases:
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and Waning Crescent, as well as New Moon.

5. A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth line up, with the Moon in between the Sun and Earth. This only happens during a new moon phase. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon line up, with the Earth in between the Sun and Moon. During what phase of the Moon could you see a lunar eclipse?

6. What questions do you have about the Moon or eclipses? See if you can find answers and then share what you learn with your friends and family.

Some places you can find information about the Moon and eclipses are:

Moon Observation Journal - 2024 Eclipse Edition

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Moon Observation Journal - 2024 Eclipse Edition

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A solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024. Many people will be able to see a partial eclipse, and some lucky viewers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Check out NASA's eclipse path map to find out what to expect in your location.

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Teaching Kids About the 2024 Solar Eclipse - The Science Penguin

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Let's take a look at 6 ideas teachers can use to teach students about the 2024 solar eclipse. What is a Solar Eclipse? A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon positions itself directly between the Earth and the Sun. This alignment results in the Moon's shadow being cast on Earth, momentarily dimming the Sun's ...

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If it is visible from your location, begin a month of lunar observations starting with the solar eclipse! Record your observations in the journal. Once you have completed your observations for the whole month, answer the questions below.

1. Did the Moon look the same each day? If not, describe how it changed throughout the month.

2. Did you see the Moon at the same time each day? Was there a pattern to the time when you were able to observe it? If so, describe the pattern.

3. Did anything prevent you from being able to see the Moon this month? Could you still figure out what the Moon would have looked like if you could have seen it? If so, how?

4. A solar eclipse is a rare opportunity to observe a new moon.
Look up information on the phases of the Moon and indicate in your Moon Observation Journal where you think the Moon most closely matched each of the following phases:
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and Waning Crescent, as well as New Moon.

5. A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth line up, with the Moon in between the Sun and Earth. This only happens during a new moon phase. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon line up, with the Earth in between the Sun and Moon. During what phase of the Moon could you see a lunar eclipse?

6. What questions do you have about the Moon or eclipses? See if you can find answers and then share what you learn with your friends and family.

Some places you can find information about the Moon and eclipses are:

Moon Observation Journal - 2024 Eclipse Edition

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Moon Observation Journal - 2024 Eclipse Edition

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A solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024. Many people will be able to see a partial eclipse, and some lucky viewers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Check out NASA's eclipse path map to find out what to expect in your location.

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This activity involves students making their own solar viewing glasses from paper plates, solar viewing glasses, scissors, crayons, etc.

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Eclipse Essentials: Safe and Stylish Solar Viewing Glasses

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Keep solar viewing safe, easy, and fun with this hands-on, art-infused, 25- to 30-minute activity for audiences of all ages.

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I loved this safety graphic! I think it is a good visual for how to watch eclipse such as this safely for children and adults.