What an amazing event! While we weren’t in the path of totality, it was still such an awesome thing to see in the sky this morning. I am so glad I could share it with my students today. Some schools around the country closed or didn’t allow students outside at all, and others had the entire school outside with glasses on. Our school was somewhere in the middle. Students were kept inside from recess during the eclipse hours, but could go out with their teacher if they had an activity planned with a safe way to view the sun.
Our class spent the morning discussing what an eclipse is by watching a short video, reading/decorating a book, and making a fun paper model. We also talked a lot about eye safety.
The eclipse was starting as we headed to lunch, but we kept our heads down and entered the cafeteria. After making it through the lunch line we saw that the projector had been set up to show a livestream of the eclipse happening up north, so everyone could watch it while they ate! Halfway through lunch I grabbed my students that had permission slips for the eclipse glasses and we headed out to the playground. Reminders were given and then the glasses were handed out and it was such fun to hear the students’ excitement over seeing the crescent shaped sun as the moon blocked the light. We stayed out for just a few minutes, but it was a great experience.
We loved it so much that we continued to watch the livestreams in our classroom while we worked on other things, watching the sun completely disappear behind the moon in cities on the path of totality.
To wrap up our eclipse learning for the day, we did a write the room activity where students labeled different images having to do with the eclipse. For being just the 9th day of kindergarten, the students did a great job with their writing!
What a memorable experience to start off our school year. I will definitely remember it for years to come. Who’s already planning for the next total US eclipse in 2024?
Kinder with Ms. Collins 