Paper Plate Solar Eclipse

Besides being a wondrous event to observe, what a great time to introduce a bit more scientific information about the Earth, the Moon and the Sun. You can even make a very simple craft that illustrates how the eclipse creates a shadow covering the sun. 

Materials: 2 paper plates, a brad, scissors and some marker, crayons or paint.

1.     Paint or color one of the paper plates yellow, all the way to the outer edges. This is the Sun. Very young children may need help coloring the entire plate--I colored the edges and let my grandson fill in the middle.

2.     Paint or color this paper plate black. This is the moon's shadow.

3.    Using your scissors, cut 1/4" all the way around the black plate, making it slightly smaller than the first plate. Older children can do this by themselves, but younger children might need your assistance.

4.    Stack the two plates together and make a tiny hole through both plates, near one edge. Insert a brad and spread the prongs on the back.

5.     Now, you can swing the “moon” back and forth, simulating a solar eclipse.