Solar Eclipse-Themed Resources
Resources for Teachers
Download Concept Survey: Word PDF
Use this instrument as a pre/post tool to reveal student thinking about describing solar versus lunar eclipses, what is observed during a solar eclipse, how location of the observer affects what is observed, the times of day/night when eclipses can be observed, and the geometry of the Earth, Sun, and Moon during solar eclipses.
Lab: Modeling Eclipses
Download Lab: Word PDF
This hands-on, guided-inquiry activity helps students to understand the geometry of lunar and solar eclipses by creating a physical, proportional model of the Earth and Moon system and observing shadows. This resource is designed to supplement Physics by Inquiry for physics teacher preparation and includes elements similar to those found in Ranking Tasks for Introductory Astronomy.
Curious to learn more about how concepts associated with solar eclipses can be integrated into physics? Check out the curated multimedia Digi Kit that is built around this lab by clicking below: Eclipse Science
Concept Questions: Eclipse Fundamentals
Download Concept Questions: Word PDF
These simple questions with selected response answer test specific concepts relating to geometry of the Earth, Sun, and Moon as well as observations of solar eclipses. This resource is designed to be used either as homework or in small discussions with methods such as Peer Instruction, Teaching with Clickers, or CAE Think-Pair-Share.
Lecture Tutorial: Modeling Eclipses
Download Tutorial: Word PDF
This guided inquiry paper-and-pencil activity helps students to understand the geometry of solar eclipses by drawing proportional sketches of the Earth and Moon system from various perspectives. This resource is designed to supplement Lecture-Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy for lecture-style classrooms.
Homework Questions: Eclipse Fundamentals
Download Homework Questions: Word PDF
These open-ended homework prompts encourage students to reveal their thinking about eclipses and help familiarize them with the frequency and location of visible eclipses.
Pre-Service Teacher Ed & Intro Astronomy
Eclipse Concept SurveyDownload Concept Survey: Word PDF
Use this instrument as a pre/post tool to reveal student thinking about describing solar versus lunar eclipses, what is observed during a solar eclipse, how location of the observer affects what is observed, the times of day/night when eclipses can be observed, and the geometry of the Earth, Sun, and Moon during solar eclipses.
Lab: Modeling Eclipses
Download Lab: Word PDF
This hands-on, guided-inquiry activity helps students to understand the geometry of lunar and solar eclipses by creating a physical, proportional model of the Earth and Moon system and observing shadows. This resource is designed to supplement Physics by Inquiry for physics teacher preparation and includes elements similar to those found in Ranking Tasks for Introductory Astronomy.
Curious to learn more about how concepts associated with solar eclipses can be integrated into physics? Check out the curated multimedia Digi Kit that is built around this lab by clicking below: Eclipse Science
Concept Questions: Eclipse Fundamentals
Download Concept Questions: Word PDF
These simple questions with selected response answer test specific concepts relating to geometry of the Earth, Sun, and Moon as well as observations of solar eclipses. This resource is designed to be used either as homework or in small discussions with methods such as Peer Instruction, Teaching with Clickers, or CAE Think-Pair-Share.
Lecture Tutorial: Modeling Eclipses
Download Tutorial: Word PDF
This guided inquiry paper-and-pencil activity helps students to understand the geometry of solar eclipses by drawing proportional sketches of the Earth and Moon system from various perspectives. This resource is designed to supplement Lecture-Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy for lecture-style classrooms.
Homework Questions: Eclipse Fundamentals
Download Homework Questions: Word PDF
These open-ended homework prompts encourage students to reveal their thinking about eclipses and help familiarize them with the frequency and location of visible eclipses.
Intro Physics
Concept Questions: Geometrical OpticsDownload Concept Questions: Word PDF
These questions with selected response answers test specific concepts relating to geometrical optics (factors that affect the size of the umbra and penumbra, apparent and angular size of an object or image). This resource is designed to be used either as homework or in small discussions with methods such as Peer Instruction, Teaching with Clickers, or CAE Think-Pair-Share.Concept Questions: Angular Momentum
Download Concept Questions: Word PDF
These questions with selected response answers test specific concepts relating to orbital angular momentum (factors that affect the magnitude of angular momentum, angular momentum as a vector quantity). This resource is designed to be used either as homework or in small discussions with methods such as Peer Instruction, Teaching with Clickers, or CAE Think-Pair-Share.
Upper Division Physics & Astronomy
Homework Questions: Geometrical Optics & Angular MomentumDownload Homework Questions: Word PDF
These open-ended homework prompts encourage students to reveal their thinking about the geometry of eclipses and the duration of the "eclipse season."Lecture Tutorial: Modeling the Sun-Earth-Moon System This guided inquiry paper-and-pencil activity helps students to understand in detail the motion of the three-body system that consists of the Sun, Earth, and Moon. This resource is designed to supplement Lecture-Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy for lecture-style classrooms.
Lecture Tutorial: Angular Momentum and Kepler's Second Law This guided inquiry paper-and-pencil activity helps students to understand angular momentum and its conservation as it applies to orbiting celestial objects. This resource is designed to supplement Lecture-Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy for lecture-style classrooms.