Solar Eclipse a Remarkable Learning Opportunity for Newman Students

A solar eclipse is a once-in-a generation learning opportunity that’s too extraordinary to miss. Newman incorporated today’s partial eclipse into the school day so that students could experience and learn from the rare occurrence.

 

Guided by our science faculty in all divisions, and with an emphasis on safety, students in Lower, Middle and Upper School viewed the eclipse through NASA-approved glasses and pinhole viewers they made themselves. Physics teacher Robby Harris even brought his telescope, equipped with a special solar filter. At the height of the eclipse, when nearly 80 percent of the sun was obscured, Michael Lupin Field was filled with Newman students, faculty, and staff marveling at the phenomenon and trying out various implements for safe viewing.

In a corner of the field, Lower Schoolers observed the behavior of small classroom animals for any eclipse-related changes. (Turtles seemed more animated than usual; a chicken fell asleep.) Students noticed that shadows were more defined and the wind direction shifted. The temperature dropped eight degrees during the course of the eclipse, according to Lower School science teacher Jennifer Williams.

As Williams explained, the eclipse was more than just an opportunity to learn about the solar system, but a way for students to become excited about science.

 

“It is a moment that we hope will be a lasting memory for students and spark their interest in science,” Williams said. “The country saw a huge increase in scientific innovation after the 1918 solar eclipse. We hope our school’s participation in today’s event inspires future scientists, engineers, astronauts, astrophysicists, and science enthusiasts.”

Click here to view a photo album from today's eclipse.