As everyone makes plans for the April 8th eclipse, you should be aware that the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) has produced a variety of free, useful resources and guides about the eclipse. These are collected in a special eclipse page on the NSTA Website at http://www.nsta.org/eclipse. We like to think of this as one-stop-shopping for information and activities related to the eclipses.
Among the materials available on NSTA webpage are:
1) Solar Eclipse Guide for Educators – This 28-page, illustrated booklet includes ways to find out what will happen at your location, background and teaching suggestions regarding the eclipse, plus safe viewing strategies.
2) Solar Eclipse Guide for Administrators – Includes key information school administrators will need to encourage them to support students observing the eclipse, rather than forbid students go outside.
3) Eclipse Handouts to Share with Family Members and Friends – Two-page handouts for each eclipse that give the key facts about what happens during the eclipse and suggestions for safe viewing strategies.
4) Eclipse Resources Collection – Guides to free eclipse-related activities you can do at home; eclipse connections in fiction, films, music, and other fields; reliable eclipse websites to go to; and more.
5) NSTA Journal Articles with Classroom Learning Experiences – These provide 3-Dimensional teaching strategies for use in your classroom
6) Links to other key organizations with resources related to the eclipses.
Two especially useful publications from NSTA are:
1. Solar Science: Exploring Sunspots, Seasons, Eclipses and More - https://my.nsta.org/resource/102100/solar-science-exploring-sunspots-seasons-eclipses-and-more
2. When the Sun Goes Dark – https://my.nsta.org/resource/108257
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Dennis Schatz
Senior Fellow
Institute for Learning Innovation
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