Solar Eclipse 2024: Total Solar Eclipse Activities for Middle and High School

The Total Solar Eclipse 2024 is right around the corner! This bundle of activities includes everything you need to teach your secondary students about the 2024 Solar Eclipse! This resource includes a slideshow, reading comprehension, bingo game, puzzles, reflections, and a solar eclipse manipulative. Designed to be completed before and/or after the Great North American Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024, these tools will generate excitement before the total solar eclipse and encourage students to reflect on their observations and experiences after the solar eclipse.

These easy-to-implement activities are ideal for both middle school and high school science students, with very little preparation.

What's Included:

• Pre-Eclipse Hexagonal Thinking Activity*
• Post-Eclipse Hexagonal Thinking Activity*
• Solar Eclipse Bingo
• Reading Passage
• Comprehension Questions
• Crossword Puzzle
• Wordsearch
• Slideshow
• Solar Eclipse Interactive Wheel
• Pre-Eclipse Reflection Graphic Organizer*
• Post-Eclipse Reflection Graphic Organizer*

*Hexagonal Thinking Activity and Graphic Organizer Contain the Same Prompts

Resource 1: Hexagonal Thinking Activities

This easy-to-implement activity is ideal for both middle school and high school science students. With no preparation required, educators can simply print the provided questions on a single sheet. Students are then guided to reflect and respond to six essential questions about the 2024 Solar Eclipse.

This activity is editable and can be used for any subject!

What is a Hexagonal Thinking One-Pager?

It’s a one-page worksheet with a hexagon split into six sections, each housing a unique and editable question. Your students get to answer questions like "What is the most surprising fact or aspect you have learned about solar eclipses and why did it catch your attention?" in their own creative way. The questions are completely editable, so you can change them to suit your needs.

Once they've filled out their hexagons and cut them out, it's time for a class-wide brainstorm. Students find connections in their answers and link their hexagons together. For example, if a student responds that his most surprising fact learned about solar eclipses is that animals respond as if it were nighttime, and another student responds that she can't wait to see her chickens go into their coop during the eclipse, then those hexagon sides will be matched together. The class continues to collaborate as they connect hexagons based on shared or complementary responses. The result is a colorful tapestry of responses.

The goal of these resources is to get students to open up, connect, and reflect on the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. It's easy-to-use, customizable, and the perfect way to generate excitement about the Total Solar Eclipse in your class! Give it a shot, and watch your classroom transform into a community!

What's Included?

• Pre-Eclipse Hexagonal Thinking Activity
• Posts-Eclipse Hexagonal Thinking Activity
• Each Activity includes TWO VERSIONS:
  • Hexagonal Thinking Activity with icons that can be colored (it is recommended that the students use colored pencils to color the icons and then use a Sharpie to add their text after the icons are colored).
  • Hexagonal Thinking Activity without icons

How can this Resource Be Used?

• Celebrate and generate excitement for the 2024 Solar Eclipse
• Solar Eclipse 2024 Bulletin Board
• Classroom Collaboration Activity
• Uncover misconceptions about total eclipses
• Focus students on their feelings and observations during the eclipse
• Reflect on the experience of the solar eclipse
• Build community in the classroom

Resource 2: Reading Comprehension, Puzzles and Reflections

Solar Eclipse 2024 reading comprehension resource includes reading passages and comprehension questions, a crossword puzzle, a wordsearch, a pre-eclipse reflection and a post-eclipse reflection activity.

This Solar Eclipse Activity includes two versions of the reading passage, one with bolded terms and one without. The bolded terms act as answers to the included Solar Eclipse 2024 Crossword Puzzle or Wordsearch, providing a fun and interactive way for students to reinforce their understanding of key concepts and vocabulary.

The 2024 Solar Eclipse reading passages cover a range of topics, including the science of solar eclipses, types of solar eclipses, the path of totality, solar eclipse safety, scientific discoveries made during solar eclipses, myths and legends from solar eclipse, historical events that have been impacted by solar eclipses, and interesting facts about solar eclipses. Students will gain a deeper understanding of solar eclipses in preparation for April 8, 2024, Total Solar Eclipse. The reading comprehension questions, crossword puzzle and word search reinforce concepts from the reading passage.

Also included: The 2024 Solar Eclipse Pre-Eclipse and Post-Eclipse Reflection Resources are a fun way for students to make predictions and reflect on their Solar Eclipse experiences. Students will think about...

• Emotional feelings
• Physical Feelings
• Who they will watch the eclipse with
• Safety planning
• Solar eclipse surprises
• Nature's reactions to solar eclipses
• Shared experiences
• How the eclipse inspires them
• Where they will be for the next solar eclipse in 2045!

What does this resource include?

• Solar Eclipse 2024 Reading Passage (see sample of passage below)
• Solar Eclipse 2024 Comprehension Questions
• Solar Eclipse 2024 Crossword Puzzle
• Solar Eclipse 2024 Wordsearch
• Solar Eclipse 2024 Pre-Eclipse Reflection
• Solar Eclipse 2024 Post-Eclipse Reflection

Who is this resource for?

• Classroom Teachers
• Homeschool Parents
• Homeschool Co-op Teachers
• Christian School Teachers
• Enrichment Teachers
• Special Education Teachers

Sample from Reading Passage (First two paragraphs):

Solar eclipses are a fascinating natural phenomenon where the moon passes between Earth and the sun, temporarily blocking all or part of the sun's light. This event only occurs during a new moon phase, but not every new moon results in an eclipse. The rarity of solar eclipses, and their visibility only in specific locations, stems from the precise alignment needed between the sun, Earth, and the moon. The moon's orbital tilt means it doesn't always cast its shadow on Earth during a new moon, making solar eclipses uncommon occurrences.

The Shadow of the Moon: Umbra and Penumbra

During a solar eclipse, the moon casts two types of shadows on Earth: the umbra and the penumbra. The umbra is the innermost and darkest part of the shadow where the light from the sun is completely blocked by the moon. Observers within the umbra experience a total solar eclipse. Surrounding the umbra is the penumbra, a lighter shadow where the sunlight is only partially blocked. Those within the penumbra see a partial solar eclipse. This distinction between umbra and penumbra plays a crucial role in the type and visibility of an eclipse experienced by observers on Earth.

Resource 3: Solar Eclipse BINGO

This bingo game is an easy, fun way to celebrate this amazing event... and there is no-prep required! It’s a print-and-go game, no setup involved. Perfect for class parties, incentives or just some fun!

What's Included:

• 30 Unique Bingo Cards in black and white and color
• 1 Teacher Calling Card with prompts and answers

Resource 4: Solar Eclipse Slideshow

This slide show will get your students excited and prepared for the 2024 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE! Students will learn why a solar eclipse occurs, where the solar eclipse will be visible, fun facts about solar eclipses, and safety information they will need to know to safely watch the solar eclipse.

What's Included in the Solar Eclipse Slideshow?

• 25 Engaging, editable slides
• Topics related to solar eclipses such as why solar eclipses occur, the path of totality, types of solar eclipses, and interesting facts
• How to safely watch a solar eclipse
• What to expect during a solar eclipse
• Myths, legends, and cultural information related to solar eclipses
• What scientists have learned during previous solar eclipses
• Historical events that have been associated with solar eclipses

Who Will Benefit from Using this Slideshow?

• Classroom teachers who are preparing students for the solar eclipse
• Administrators preparing for assemblies
• Homeschool parents
• Science camps and clubs
• Scout groups

Resource 5: Interactive Solar Eclipse Wheel

This Interactive Solar Eclipse Wheel is an easy, fun way to visualize how the moon and the sun line up to create solar eclipses. It’s a print-and-go activity with no setup involved (although it is recommended that you create a sample before leading your students through the activity.

How will this help my students?

It is difficult for students to visualize the three different types of solar eclipses - total, partial, and annular. This Interactive Solar Eclipse Wheel will help them visualize how the sun obscures the moon when these different eclipses take place.

This Interactive Solar Eclipse Wheel can be used as a classroom model that the teacher makes for students to interact with instead of a classroom activity. This is great for centers and solar eclipse parties!

What will students do?

Students will cut two wheels: the bottom wheel with the sun and the top wheel with a window. Then, they will use one of four methods (see preview for more details) to add the moon in such a way that it obscures the sun. Then, they will use a paper fastener to connect the two wheels. As they spin the top wheel, they will see how the moon obscures the sun in a total, partial, or annular eclipse.

What's Included:

• Printable "Sun" wheel with total, partial and annular eclipse
• Printable "Types of Eclipses" wheel and moon
• Black and white version
• Materials lists
• Detailed, step-by-step instructions with color photos

What materials are required:

Version 1: Using Invisible Tape

• 2 Pieces of 8 ½” x 11 white cardstock
• Scissors
• Invisible tape
• Push pin
• Paper fastener

Version 2: Using Packaging Tape

• 2 Pieces of 8 ½” x 11 white cardstock
• Scissors
• Packaging tape
• Push pin
• Paper fastener

Version 3: Using a Snack Baggie and Tape

• 2 Pieces of 8 ½” x 11 white cardstock
• Scissors
• Invisible tape
• Snack-size baggie
• 1 Glue dot
• Push pin
• Paper fastener

Version 4: With the Moon Attached

• 2 Pieces of 8 ½” x 11 white cardstock
• Scissors
• 2 Glue dots or glue stick
• Push pin
• Paper fastener

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