From: L*y Marske <lmarske@mtcnet.net>
Subject: Re: Eclipse Party
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 1996 23:41:35 -0700
Dave and anyone else interested,
Thank you for all the information and lesson ideas for a lunar
eclipse party. I think I'm going to go ahead with it and follow one of
the lessons presented. I would be interested in collaborating with other
teachers, especially 6th grade and share information. I'm sending the
letter and the worksheet for recording the data etc. in case anyone's
interested. By the way does anyone know if the eclipse begins at 10:30
or is total at 10:30. And is that Eastern daylight time, Central
daylight time or what? I left that blank to be filled in later.
Let me know who's interested.
Lucy Marske
Sioux Center Middle School
Sioux Center, IA 51250
Dear 6th graders and parents,
You are invited to a lunar eclipse party Thursday night, Sept. 26. We
will meet at the football field north of the middle school. If you
can't attend, you are invited to "join" us by having your own party at
your home.
We will meet at ________, and we will end a short time after the
complete lunar eclipse about ___________.
The following activities will be part of the party:
1. A star count during the full moon and during the total
eclipse.
2. A rating of the observation of the lunar eclipse.
3. Sharing of the data with other students in the country.
The following is the procedure for the star counts:
Using an empty paper towel or toilet tissue roll, students will
hold up the roll at 25 varying positions in the sky and count the
number of stars they see within the "viewer". Using a formula, students
will be able to estimate the number of stars seen in the sky.
Use the following table for the data:
Position Number of stars Number of stars
Full moon Total lunar eclipse
_________________________________________________________________________1. Northern sky
a. ___________ ___________
b. ___________ ___________
c. ___________ ___________
d. ___________ ___________
e. ___________ ___________
2. Eastern Sky
a. ___________ ____________
b. ___________ ____________
c. ___________ ____________
d. ___________ ____________
e. ___________ ____________
3. Southern Sky
a. ___________ ____________
b. ___________ ____________
c. ___________ ____________
d. ___________ ____________
e. ___________ ____________
4. Western Sky
a. ___________ ____________
b. ___________ ____________
c. ___________ ____________
d. ___________ ____________
e. ___________ ____________
5. Straight above
a. ___________ ____________
b. ___________ ____________
c. ___________ ____________
d. ___________ ____________
e. ___________ ____________
TOTAL ___________ ____________
AVERAGE:
MULTIPLY BY 25 ___________ ____________
MULTIPLY BY 700 ___________ ____________
(estimate of total stars)
Rate your observation of the total lunar eclipse by circling the one that
fits the best:
0 = Almost invisible
1 = gray-brown with a few details visible
2 = more obvious dark red color with a light rim
3 = brighter red color with the moon easily visible
4 = brilliant orange