Nebraska Extension and Raising Nebraska are partnering with the Hastings Museum to offer solar eclipse training for teachers and youth professionals before the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. The training will provide participants with resources and lesson plans they can use in their classroom, after-school setting or organization.
During the eclipse, the moon’s umbral shadow will move across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina, in a little over 90 minutes. Over 200 Nebraska communities fall within the path of totality, or the path of the shadow where observers will see the moon completely cover the sun for roughly two and a half minutes. This is the first eclipse through the contiguous United States since 1979.
“The total solar eclipse is a remarkable phenomenon that not many have the opportunity to witness,” said Elizabeth Janning, Science and Agriculture in Action educator at Raising Nebraska. “Nebraska’s wide-open spaces will be one of the best places to view the eclipse, so we want to help youth professionals capitalize on this exciting teaching opportunity.”
According to Janning, the training will educate participants on exactly what the eclipse is and how they can take lessons from concept to application. The curriculum will also be applicable beyond the Aug. 21 event, covering topics such as nocturnal animals, how sundials work and why sunlight is critical for plants.
The free training sessions are 2 to 4 p.m. Training dates and locations are:
June 1: Raising Nebraska, Nebraska State Fairgrounds, 501 E. Fonner Park Road, Grand Island
June 15: Hastings Museum, 1330 N. Burlington Ave., Hastings
June 18: Raising Nebraska
July 27: Training via Zoom video conference
To register for the June 15 training, call 402-461-2339. To register for all other trainings, click here. Space is limited.
For more information, contact Janning at 308-385-3967 or raisingnebraska@unl.edu.
