The ideas were so great. I think I should write a book on eclipse parties! Here are some of the foods they would serve as their parties:
Sunkist Orange Soda
Sun Chips
Moon Pies
Sunnyside-Up Eggs
Orbit and Eclipse Gum
Milky Way and Mars Candy Bars
Starburst Candies
Eclipse Burgers (the cheeseburger represents the sun and you slide the moon (aka the bun) over the burger to make it eclipse.
The games they created for the eclipse party:
*Pin the Moon on the Sun (a variation of Pin the Tale on the Donkey). The closer you are to totality, the more points you get.
*Pie Eclipse (a variation on getting a pie thrown in your face). One person stands, covered with a yellow shower curtain. This person represents the sun. The moon is a pie tin of whipped cream. The person with the moon throws the pie at the sun. Based on how much whipped cream is covering the sun, the type of eclipse (partial or total) is determined. Any volunteers?
*Corn Hole in which the target is the sun and the round bean bags are the moon.
We talked about the next eclipse in the United States of this magnitude - 40 years from now. I made a deal with the kids - If I'm still alive, I'm inviting all of my students and we're going to have an Eclipse Party.
On Thursday, Dr. Laura Forcyzk, astrophysicist, talked with all of our NPES 4th and 5th graders about the solar eclipse. I particularly loved having a female scientist role model for the girls to see. (Dr. Forczyk holds a doctorate degree in physics, with a specialization in planetary science. She has worked for NASA where she specialized in analyzing gamma rays and built x-ray telescopes. She assisted in selecting over 50 microgravity research experiments to fly to space. She has flown on 65 parabolas (weightless flights) where she conducted experiments. She currently owns her own company, Astralytical, and she is working on space tourism, STEM education for underprivileged girls, and many other space science projects. Her long-term goal: to become an astronaut. Below is a short excerpt from her presentation.
Finally.... over the next two weeks, I will be testing new "candidates" for TAG in the morning and seeing my TAG students for two hours after testing. In September, we're full-time in TAG classes. Thank you so much for all of the supplies you have sent in. I appreciate your generosity.