Queen's 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics2024 Eclipse Ontario Education Bundle
The Education and Materials committee of the Ontario Eclipse Task Force has put together the 2024 Eclipse Ontario Education Bundle in order to make eclipse learning more adaptable to the classroom setting. It includes a variety of eclipse activities and resources organized by grade.
This resource was designed for public consumption, and is completely free to use.
Eclipse Activities
Members of the Queen's University Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy department have contributed many great educational activities that are suitable for a variety of age groups. There is also lots of activity inspiration to be found online!
A curated list of developed and discovered activities can be found to the right.
An activity in which you use rulers and different sized balls to create a mini-scale model of the Sun-Moon-Earth system. From there, you can recreate an eclipse using a light source (such as a flashlight) to cast shadows on the mini-Earth!
Recommended for students from grades K-12 (or ages 5 and up).
An activity in which you make a pinhole camera (also called a pinhole projector), which is a tool that can be used to safely observe an eclipse. Light is allowed through a small punched hole, which then projects the incoming light onto the opposite end of the box.
Recommended for students from grades 4-12 (or ages 9 and up).
A creative activity in which you punch a design or pattern into a sheet of paper. The incoming sunlight can then pass through all the little holes, projecting your pattern onto a flat surface. As the eclipse passes over, you will be able to track its progress through your image as the light projections change in shape. This is also a safe way to view an eclipse.
Recommended for all ages.
Video tutorial by the channel "Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum" on Youtube.
An activity in which you can log the different environmental changes that accompany an eclipse - from temperature and brightness to changes in animal behaviour!
Recommended for students from grades 4-12 (or ages 9 and up).
More Info
As much as we want to be experts on eclipse planning and information, it's good to use multiple sources. There are a ton of useful websites and organizations looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime event just as much as we are! We highly encourage checking out some of these other sites in preparation for the big day.
An excellent Canadian educational group who offer free resources and training for educators. All information is available in both English and French, and they also have Community of Practice meetings for community leaders to discuss event planning and share information/resources! Sign up for free on their website:
A website run by experienced eclipse chaser Dan McGlaun, and based in the US. His website has been a goldmine of information and resources for eclipse planners since the 2017 total solar eclipse.
A US based organization partnered with NASA whose website is a hub for all things eclipses. They have plenty of educational resources, activities, safety information, and more. They also host occasional workshops.
For our French speakers, there is a very thorough Québec-based website with everything you need to know to be ready for the 2024 total solar eclipse.
Pour nos francophones, il y a un site web basé au Québec avec tout ce que vous devez savoir pour être prêt pour l'éclipse solaire totale de 2024.
A free 36-page PDF booklet for all things eclipse event planning. Authored by US-based American Astronomical Society (AAS) Solar Eclipse Task Force members Andrew Fraknoi and Dennis Schatz, this booklet was designed to help local leaders organize events for their libraries and communities.
"Solar Eclipses of 2023 and 2024: A North American 'Double-Header'"
2024 Eclipse Ontario Education Bundle: Courtesy Mark Margolis / Rainbow Symphony