Today's Classroom Activities :

Solar and Lunar Eclipses

Experience an Eclipse
Science Place a lamp (the sun) in the center of a dark room. Attach a foam ball (the moon) to a pencil. Slowly move the ball around your head (Earth) to mimic the moon orbiting Earth. What happens when the moon passes directly between Earth and the sun?

Eclipse: Using a Classroom Model to Explore the Moon's Shadow
This lesson provides students with a concrete model of the Sun, Earth and Moon and their interaction during a solar eclipse. Students observe and manipulate the 3-D model and simulate the movement of these bodies during an eclipse.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses WebQuest
This activity involves two WebQuest Internet research components. Students will use the Internet links provided to research solar and lunar eclipses in an attempt to better understand the relationship between the sun, moon and Earth. Students will also be presented with fascinating eclipse pictures and a look at the astronomers who chase eclipses around the world. The last part of the lesson involves having students write a descriptive paragraph and a detailed diagram explaining how solar and lunar eclipses differ.