Model an eclipse event using simple materials.
Eclipse Model Making
K-12 Resource: Activity
Explore the sun, moon, and earth in action
Project Details
- Grade Level K-5
- Subject Science, Art
- Activity Type Making Models
About
Learning Objectives
Materials Needed
3 balls (small, medium, and large; representing the moon, earth, and sun)
Light source (lamp or flashlight)
Darkened room or space
Assignment
Hey there, future astronomers! Today, we’re going to make our very own eclipse event using simple materials. Get ready to explore the sun, moon, and earth in action!
Set Up
Make sure you have all your materials ready on a table or flat surface. Find a darkened room or area where you can conduct your eclipse model experiment. Close curtains or blinds to block out excess light.
Arrange the Balls
Place the balls on the table to represent the sun, moon, and earth. Position the sun (largest ball) in the center, followed by the earth (medium-sized ball), and then the moon (smallest ball) between the earth and the sun.
Take a look at the image above for how to arrange your setup.
Demonstrate Solar Eclipse
Shine the light source (representing sunlight) onto the setup from one side. Observe how the moon casts a shadow on the earth, creating a solar eclipse. Notice the alignment of the sun, moon, and earth during a solar eclipse.
Demonstrate Lunar Eclipse
Now, move the moon ball to the opposite side of the earth ball, away from the light source. Shine the light source onto the setup from the other side. Observe how the earth casts a shadow on the moon, creating a lunar eclipse. Notice the alignment of the sun, earth, and moon during a lunar eclipse.
Experiment with Positions
Move the balls around to explore different positions and alignments. Notice how the positions of the sun, moon, and earth change during different phases of the moon and how this affects eclipses.
Remember: The earth moves around the sun, and the moon moves around the earth. They both go around the sun in a sort of stretched-out circle called an ellipse. The earth is like the leader of the moon, showing it where to go as they travel together around the sun.
Reflect and Discuss
After experimenting with your eclipse models, gather as a group to reflect on what you observed. Discuss the patterns and alignments you noticed and how they relate to real-life eclipses.
Have fun exploring the mysteries of eclipses through hands-on experimentation!
Vocabulary
Solar Eclipse
The moon moves between the sun and the earth, blocking out the sun’s light for a little while.
Lunar Eclipse
The earth moves between the sun and the moon, and the earth’s shadow falls on the moon.
Orbit
The path that a planet, moon, or spaceship takes as it moves around another object in space. Imagine it’s like a big circle or oval in space that goes around and around. Planets orbit around stars like our sun, moons orbit around planets, and even satellites orbit around Earth.
Deeper Dive
Extensions
For an extra challenge, research specific historical and future eclipses. When could you plan your next party to view the next eclipse?
Suggested Modifications
When students study eclipses, they can sometimes get confused about why they don’t happen twice a month, when the moon is between the sun and earth and when the earth is between the sun and moon. Address the fact that the moon’s orbital plane does not perfectly match the earth’s orbital plane, and therefore, most of the time, there are no eclipses, only when the objects line up just right.