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Science teachers as
community eclipse
outreach agents
BY ANDREW FRAKNOI AND DENNIS SCHATZ
As the public slowly becomes
aware of the August 21 so-
lar eclipse in 2017, there is
a need for knowledgeable people
who can explain the eclipse and
prepare families and the public
to safely view the event. Science
teachers are among the people in
the best position to be of assis-
tance. They can help far beyond
the walls of their own schools
by becoming “eclipse outreach
agents” for their communities.
There are four realms in which
science teachers can help inform
others about eclipse science and
eclipse viewing:
1. within their own classes;
2. within their schools;
3. within their communities;
and
4. in the published, broadcast,
and social media.
From an informal survey of teach-
ers, roughly half of the country’s
schools will still be enjoying sum-
mer vacation on August 21, 2017,
while the other half will have re-
cently started school. Thus, the
time to prepare classes for under-
standing and observing the eclipse
is during the last few months of
the spring 2017 semester. The ac-
companying Science Scope article
in this issue (see “The August 2017
Total Solar Eclipse,” p. 40) identi-
es classroom experiences to help
students prepare for the eclipse. In
addition, the insert found in this
issue includes an eclipse observ-
ing guide that provides a variety
of viewing techniques to safely ob-
serve the eclipse.
Once students think they un-
derstand both eclipse science and
safety, they can become eclipse out-
reach agents to others in the school.
It is best to rst give students some
time to practice their explanation
of what’s coming with their fami-
lies. Then, perhaps for extra credit,
students with the best communica-
tion skills can go into other classes
(with handouts) to spread the
news to other students. You might
also work with the school library
and the principal’s ofce to orga-
nize a schoolwide assembly and
set up exhibits or bulletin boards to
provide information to everyone
in the school about how to safely
view the eclipse.
If there is an amateur astrono-
my club in the community, their
members may be willing to come
to the school and work with sci-
ence teachers and students in the
months before the school year
ends. A list of U.S. astronomy
clubs that are interested in doing
school and public outreach can
Safety note: Be sure your stu-
dents remind other students
and members of the commu-
nity that the partially eclipsed
Sun is dangerous to look at
without a way to protect your
eyes. This is why a key purpose
of “eclipse outreach agents” is
to provide others with safe ob-
serving techniques. This should
include effective ways to put
something protective between
the eclipse and your eyes (e.g.,
special eclipse-viewing glasses)
so that the Sun’s light is highly
reduced and thus safe to view
(see Figure 1) or by projecting
an image of the Sun. (See sug-
gestions in the insert provided
in this issue of Science Scope,
or on the NSTA website at http://
bit.ly/2bkGSvA.)
6
COMMENTARY
be found through NASA’s and
the Astronomical Society of the
Pacic’s Night Sky Network (see
Resources).
Don’t forget to get the school’s
Parent Student Teacher Associa-
tion involved early when think-
ing about eclipse programs. The
companies that manufacture
safe eclipse-viewing glasses
(see Resources) offer substan-
tial discounts for bulk orders in
advance. The PSTA could either
fund eclipse glasses for the whole
school or buy glasses in bulk
and then sell them (at reasonable
prices) to families and neighbors,
making the project a fundraiser
for school needs.
As the news about the upcom-
ing eclipse gets out to people, there
will be growing public interest in
nding information, eclipse glass-
es, and other safe-viewing meth-
ods. Astronomers and NASA are
increasingly thinking that public
libraries are likely to be effective
centers for community informa-
tion, particularly in towns that do
not have easy access to college as-
tronomy departments or science
museums.
STAR_Net (see Figure 2) is a pro-
gram funded by both the National
Science Foundation and NASA, at
the Space Science Institute in Boul-
der, Colorado. It provides libraries
with information and resources on
space science in general and on the
2017 solar eclipse in particular (see
Resources).
Libraries that join the STAR_
Net receive an information kit and
a small supply of eclipse-watching
glasses, and are encouraged to
| FIGURE 1: Safe Sun viewing with glasses
nd partners to help with com-
munity eclipse events—including
local middle school science teach-
ers. For more on the STAR_Net
and a list of libraries involved,
visit their website (see Resources).
Check whether your library is tak-
ing part. If so, you and your stu-
dents can volunteer to help. If the
library is not part of STAR_Net,
encourage the local library to join
the network and tell them you will
be available to help when they are
ready to provide eclipse programs
for the community.
If your community has a college
or university with an astronomy
department or a science museum
that hosts astronomy programs,
they may already be making plans
for public or community events,
and are more than likely to be de-
lighted if you and some student
volunteers want to help.
One nal note about the tra-
ditional media: If past practice
is any indication, TV, radio, and
newspapers may be among the
last to “tune in” to the eclipse.
Astronomers are already work-
ing with TV weather-casters to
provide them information in ad-
vance, but most other reporters
are likely to nd out about the
eclipse pretty late from their na-
tional sources. There is no reason
you can’t approach a local media
outlet and give them an early
heads-up about the eclipse a few
months in advance. Just be sure
you include enough background
information so that a nonscientist
| FIGURE 2: STAR_Net image
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHORS
March 2017 7
NSTA Member Price: $11.96 | Nonmember Price: $14.95
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This beautifully illustrated book from NSTA Press helps astronomers of all ages
learn the science behind eclipses.
COMMENTARY
Andrew Fraknoi (fraknoi@fhda.edu) is chair of the Astronomy Department at Foothill College in Los Altos, California. Dennis
Schatz (dschatz@pacsci.org) is senior advisor at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. They are the coauthors of
Solar Science: Exploring Sunspots, Seasons, Eclipses, and More, available from NSTA Press.
can understand what will be hap-
pening in August. You could ask
them to come to your school or the
local library when eclipse events
are happening and make it a spe-
cial occasion for everyone.
Don’t worry that you will need
to pass up your own opportunity
to view the eclipse. To be effec-
tive, most of the prep work, such
as community outreach, training
sessions, and the distribution of
eclipse glasses, will need to be
done in the months prior to the
event. On August 21, you should
be free to view the eclipse from a
location of your choosing.
We know that people learn
the most about something when
they teach it to others, so this is
the perfect time to practice this
strategy. We hope you and your
students nd plenty of opportu-
nities to work with others in your
school and community. Most im-
portantly, we hope you enjoy clear
skies and safe eclipse viewing on
August 21, 2017. •
RESOURCES
NASA and the Astronomical Society of
the Pacific’s Night Sky Network—
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov
NSTA book of eclipse activities—www.
nsta.org/solarscience
NASA eclipse 2017 website—http://
eclipse2017.nasa.gov
NSTA eclipse observing brochure for
the public—http://bit.ly/2bkGSvA
NSTA webinar on the eclipse—http://
bit.ly/2i7KdR7
Resource guide to eclipses in general
and the 2017 eclipse—www.
astrosociety.org/eclipse
Safe eclipse viewing glasses—www.
eclipsediscount.com
STAR_Net—http://bit.ly/2iftz28
The Great American Eclipse website
(with good maps)—www.
greatamericaneclipse.com
Universe in the Classroom newsletter
with eclipse activities and
teaching hints—http://bit.
ly/2ijpS7M
Educational Innovations, Inc.®
www.TeacherSource.com
Call 203-74-TEACH (83224) or order 24 hours a day online!
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SciScope 2017.03 EI Ad.indd 1 1/6/17 12:57 PM
March 2017 9