Astronomy Week 3: The Sun & Eclipses

Classical Conversations Correlation: Cycle 2 Week 8

Reading:

Book of Astronomy & Space, pg. 12-17

Classical Acts & Facts Science Cards #45

   

Vocabulary:

Orbit

Sun
Eclipse

Videos:

Here comes the Sun:

Exploring the Sun:

2015 Solar Eclipse

"Solar Stormwatch" Website: Zoom in to the surface of the sun!

Activity 1: Demonstrate Rotating & Revolving

Go outside & draw a giant chalk sun on the ground. Each child holds a ball representing a planet. Now tell them they must revolve around the sun, just like the planets. Next, have one child become the moon and revolve around the earth, all the while still revolving around the sun. Then, each planet has to rotate by spinning in circles while still revolving around the sun. After everyone is dizzy, switch roles!

Activity 2: Model of the Earth’s Moon Orbit 

Follow the instructions to make your own model of the Earth revolving around the sun and the moon revolving around the earth.

Activity 3: Focus the Power of the Sun

Supplies:

- Jumbo Magnifying Glass

- Hershey Bar

- white dish set

Place half a chocolate bar on a white plate. Focus the sunlight onto the chocolate bar with the magnifying glass. If you hold it at different heights and different angles you can make different sizes of circles. The smaller the circle, the more focused the sunlight. Continue to reflect the sun’s light off the magnifying glass to melt the chocolate on the plate.

Activity 4: Sun Cookies

Supplies:

- sugar cookie for each student

- white frosting

- yellow & red sprinkles (granular appearance of the photosphere)

- chocolate chips (sun spots-- These appear in pairs so put 2 close to each other)

- licorice (small arches-- They can stand straight up or lie flat to protrude off the edge of the cookie, like prominences. These are generally found near sunspots, where the area is active & has a stronger magnetic field.)

Activity 5: Make a Sun Dial

Long before the invention of watches or clocks, people told time using only the sun. Make your own sun clock by following the instructions at this link.

Supplies Needed:
- paper plate
- crayons
- sharpened pencil
- straw
- push pins
- ruler

Activity 6: Sun Art Project

Supplies:

- paint (red, orange, yellow)

- Double Zipper Gallon Ziploc bags

- card stock

Put random blobs on your circle of card stock. Seal the paint-blobbed cardstock into the Ziploc bag. Smash the paint all over. Add more paint if necessary. Glue your sun to a piece of black construction paper.

Activity 7: Solar Eclipse Demonstration

Supplies:

- Globe

- Tennis Ball

- Flashlight

Shine the flashlight on the globe to demonstrate how when half the world is lit during the day, the other half is lit and it’s night. Then use the tennis ball to demonstrate how the moon rotates around the earth. Continue to shine the flashlight and maneuver the ball in such a way that it blocks the light and creates an eclipse.