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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Pre-School Story/Craft: Moon Struck!

Perfect for PJ Time (or anytime), a storytime celebrating the moon, mistaken ideas & friendship along with some numeracy and science ideas (reflection/echo).

Entering Music: various tracks from This Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin

Singable Book: Knick, Knack, Paddywhack – Marissa Moss (enumerating 1-10, numerals/fingers, guessing what the man might be making…”reveal” at countdown)

Action: Do You Want to Go With Me To the Moon? (Source Unknown)
Do You Want to Go With Me To the Moon?
Let’s get in our rocket ship & blast off soon.
Faster and faster we reach to the sky.
Isn’t it fun to be able to fly?
We’re on the moon, now all take a look
And gently sit down, and I’ll show you a book!

Book: Kitten’s First Full Moon – Kevin Henkes (Caldecott winner-explain) (act out kitten’s motions, chorus “Poor Kitten,” discuss science concept: reflection)

Speaking of food…
Song/Flannel: “Aikendrum” http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/raffi/aikendrum.html (quickly cut “cream cheese” circle, “brown bread,” “ice cream cones,” “carrots,” “cookies,” “swiss cheese,” “pizza,” “bananas” out of felt, used a bit of tan yarn for “spaghetti” hair – suggested to families that this song makes a good lunchtime inspiration or backseat while driving song…can make up own lyrics!)

Aikendrum (based on a song by Raffi) -- makes a fun lunch or snacktime idea, substitute other items...

There was a man lived in the moon, in the moon, in the moon
There was a man lived in the moon and his name was Aikendrum

And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle
He played upon a ladle and his name was Aikendrum

And his face was made of cream cheese, cream cheese, cream cheese
His face was made of cream cheese and his name was Aikendrum

· And his body was made of brown bread...

· And his legs were made of ice cream cones...

· And his arms were made of carrots...

· And his eyes were made of cookies...

· And his nose was made of swiss cheese...

· And his mouth was made of pizza...

· And his ears were made of bananas...

· And his hair was made of spaghetti ...

And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle
He played upon a ladle and his name was Aikendrum

Book: Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me – Eric Carle (directional concept words, fun fold-out pages)

Action Song: Mr. Moon (my variation on Mr. Sun by Raffi)
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Won’t you please come play with me.
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Hiding behind that tree.
These little children are asking you
To please come out so they can play with you.
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Please come play with, please come play with,
Please come play with me!
Monkey wants to play with the moon…

Flannel: Moonkey (based on the book by Mike Thaler) I love the beginning“Once upon a palm tree…”, the fantasy and figurative language "It looked like many green moons." and the beautiful friendship theme. (long out of print -- text below)

Once upon a palm tree, there was a monkey who fell in love with the Moon. He loved it because it was so bright and friendly.

He loved it when it was FULL like a pie,

Or Half like a slice of watermelon,

Or Small like a banana.

And when it wasn’t there at all (remove moon), he just stared up into the sky… until it came back. (replace small moon).

His friends worried about him.

“Hey, do you want to play?” asked HIPPO.

Monkey didn’t answer.

“I bet you want a banana.” Said GORILLA.

Monkey didn’t answer.

“Would you like to come to a party?” asked LION.

Monkey didn’t answer. Remove monkey

“Where’s monkey?” asked GIRAFFE, when they all arrived at the party.

“I asked him to come,” said LION.

“I offered him a banana,” said GORILLA.

“I asked him to play,” said HIPPO.

“But he didn’t answer,” said all his friends.

“We’d better go talk to him,” said GIRAFFE, who was very wise.

“What’s the matter, MONKEY? Asked GIRAFFE.

“I’m in love with the moon!? Said Monkey.

So all the animals went back to the party.

But the party was no fun without monkey.

“How can we help him?” asked LION.

“I have an idea,” said GIRAFFE. “Follow me.”

So all the animals followed GIRAFFE up to Monkey’s TREE.

“Hippo,” said GIRAFFE, “you get on top of me, and LION, you get on top of HIPPO, and GORILLA, you get on top of Lion.

Monkey, you climb up on top of us and see if you can reach the moon.

So Monkey climbed up Giraffe, and up Hippo and up Lion and up Gorilla… and he reached the moon.

Then all the animals got DOWN. They were tired so they went to bed.

“I’m here Moon,” Monkey whispered. But the moon didn’t answer.

Monkey hugged the moon. It was cold. Monkey was all alone.

He looked down.

Far below he said he palm tree.

It looked so friendly in the moonlight.

So safe.

So bright.

It looked like many green moons.

Monkey felt all alone.

He missed his friends.

He began to cry.

LION woke up. “Hey, it’s raining,” he said.

GORILLA woke up. “Hey, it’s raining.”

HIPPO woke up. “Hey, it’s raining.”

GIRAFFE woke up. “It’s not raining. Listen… Monkey is crying.”

So all his friends came and got him.

They made a big CAKE that said “MOONKEY” and had another party by the light of the moon.

Action Song: Sally Go Round the Sun (traditional)
Sally Go Round the Sun (Turn Right)
Sally Go Round the Moon (Turn Left)
Sally Go Round the Chimney Tops (Step Lively)
All on an Afternoon, BOOM! (Sit down!)

Video: Happy Birthday Moon -- Frank Asch (mention MoonBear series – displayed)

Action Song: Be My Echo from Sesame Street (reinforces science concept of echo from video)
http://www.metrolyrics.com/sing-after-me-lyrics-sesame-street.html

Hand-stamping Music: various tracks from This Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin

Craft (2016): Make your own Aikendrum. Materials 12x18 cardboards, scrap construction paper, glue sticks, scissors.

(Loved how a couple of kids spontaneously started creating pattern sequences!)

Supersized! November supermoon will be biggest in nearly 70 years

The November full moon - visible on Nov 13-14, 2016 is not only the closest full moon of 2016, NASA said, but also the closest full moon since 1948 (which is still the last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series).

Other possibilities:
Flannel/Rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle
Books: It’s Only Stanley – Jon Agee (no time to use this in above program)
The Moon is Going to Addy’s House – Ida Pearle
Moon Boy – Barbara Brenner
MoonGame – Frank Asch
Mrs. Mooley -- Jack Kent
What’s Next Baby Bear – Murphy (wkrm) or
Zoom Zoom Zoom! I’m off to the moon – Yacarino
I’ll Catch the Moon – Nina Crews
9.14 9.15 11.16

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Storytime Shake Up -- Jazzing Up Storytime Programs

Storytime Shake Up -- Jazzing Up Storytime Programs
Extended Version of the Youth Services Forum Program

Presented by Carol Simon Levin, Youth Services Librarian, Somerset County Library.

I have been doing storytimes for 20+ years and love to "jazz them up." Most of the plans for programs I've done in the last couple of years are posted here on my blog: CarolSimonLevin.blogspot.com. You can also search the blog for any of the items listed below to find their use in context. Email me if you want me to share any patterns.

Today, will be:

*sharing favorite flannelboards,

* participatory story-sharing/theater (e.g. showing how we act out Halloween stories, The Three Little Pigs in my Houses & Homes storytime, Green Eggs & Ham for Dr. Seuss Day, a Hopi Rainstick story for our Rain storytime),

* piggyback songs to reinforce activity sequencing (e.g."This is the way" for the steps in baking after we read The Little Red Hen),

*using sign language songs (we call it "dancing with our hands" - Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs is a great resource),

*action songs and surprises (e.g. indoor "snowball fight"),

*and a variety of other things I do regularly to jazz up the traditional book- flannel-song/fingerplay rhythm of storytime.

Fall favorites -- interactive Halloween stories & songs, a turkey towel-folding story for Thanksgiving...

· "Brand New Day" (sign language song) from Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs

· One by Kathryn Otashi bullying/concept book

· Monkey Face by Frank Asch -- flannel

· "Look There Daddy Do You See?" -- flannel song, make up verses

· "School Stuff" from A Storytime Year by Susan Dailey-- flannel

· Moonkey by Mike Thayer -- flannel

· "Aikendrum" by Raffi -- flannel song

· Little Red House with No Doors...-- flannel/hanging signs

· Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman = Great Big Enormous Turnip -- flannel/participatory story-acting

· Rotten Pumpkin by David M. Schwartz -- non-fiction potential reader's theater!

· The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams -- flannel/participatory story-acting

· One Dark Night by Edna Mitchell Preston - flannel/participatory story-acting

· "Old McDonald Had a Haunted House" -- piggyback song clip art flannel

· Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

· It's Monster Day by Linda Arnold -- pinking sheers flannel

· I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson -- prop

· "Ten Friends - Diez Amigos" -- glove puppets

· Towel folding story: The Case of the Missing Thanksgiving Turkey -- Rhonda Turley

· "The Turkey Shot Out of the Oven" words: Jack Prelutsky, chorus: Cathy Darby – song

clip_image002

Winter favorites -- snowball fights, stone soup, counting cookies…

· Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathon London -- participatory story-acting

· The Mitten by Jan Brett -- participatory story-acting, prop

· Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson

· "In the Freezer" by Joe Scruggs -- flannel/song

· Snowball Fight -- plastic bag snowballs Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride

· Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Tabeck

· "Hi, My Name is Joe and I Work in a Button Factory" -- action (Also good to pair with Herve Tullet's Press Here)

· The Little Red Hen -- various versions

· "This is the Way" -- piggyback songs

· The Cake That Mack Ate by Rose Robart-- flannel

· The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins -- flannel math concepts

· The Gingerbread Man -- flannel/masks

· "Helping" from Free to Be You and Me -- flannel

· The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Sturges

· "I Am a Pizza" by Linda Arnold -- flannel

· "On Top of Spaghetti" -- flannel

· Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert,

· "This is the Way We Make the Soup" -- piggyback song "Mulberry Bush"

· Mean Soup by Betsy Everitt

· "If You're Happy and You Know it...sad, angry, loving"... piggyback song

· Doing the Chocolate Shake -- action

· Stone Soup -- puppets & props, participatory storytelling

· Alphabet Soup by Tom Chapin -- flannel

· Monkey Soup by Louis Sachar

· Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak, tune from Really Rosie -- enlarged pages

· "Popcorn" by Linda Arnold -- action song

clip_image004

Spring Favorites-- interactive Earth Dance, Three Little Pigs, Napping House, Hopi Rainstick…

· Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss -- participatory story-acting

· "On My Head I Wear a Hat" -- Cat in the Hat hat, song Seussapalooza

· "Deep in the Jungle" by Joe Scruggs -- puppet/flannel song

· "Alligator Pie" by Dennis Lee -- make up your own verses

· "I'm Being Swallowed by a Big Alligator" -- action song

· "There's a Dinosaur Knocking at My Door" by Linda Arnold -- puppet song

· "Down by the Bay" by Raffi -- flannel song

· "And the Green Grass Grew All Around" -- flannel song

· Earth Dance by Joanne Ryder -- participatory story-acting

· Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson -- participatory story-acting

· All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon -- simple but very profound

· Rainstorm – interactive action chant

· The Frog: Hopi Rainstick Story -- rainstick, puppets

· "Walk the World Now Children" by Tom Chapin -- sign language song

· A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson -- great to act out this story with a large box or card table

· Mouse House -- flannel shapes

· The Three Little Pigs -- participatory storytelling

· "Cluck Cluck Red Hen" by Raffi -- flannel/puppet song

· The Napping House by Audrey Wood -- prop story

These and many more ideas are posted on my blog: CarolSimonLevin.blogspot.com.
Historical impersonation programs for adults & children are at: tellingherstories.com.

Questions? Patterns? Please feel free to contact me at:
cslevin59 (at) gmail (dot) com
or call 908 526-4016 x126.

Carol Simon Levin presents Interactive Stories & Songs for all Reasons & Seasons!

Halloween Hootenanny * Dinosaur Roar * Bundle Up * Houses & Homes * Holiday Happenings * Seussapalooza * Earth Day * Animal Antics * Summer Fun * Folk Tale Frolics

A Sampling of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Programs:

A library is a feast to which we are all invited. -- Katherine Paterson

A library is a place full of mouth-watering food for thought. -- Diana Wynne-Jones

If you don't like to read, there are books out there that you will love...and this is why librarians were invented. -- Linda Sue Park

presented to Union County Children's Librarians, 2/20/15

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Pre-School Storytime: “What’s in a Name?”

A preschool storytime program on names, alphabet games, and self-esteem -- incorporating Every Child Ready to Read 2 (ECRR2) concepts of READING, TALKING, SINGING, WRITING and PLAYING + numeracy, music and movement.

Opening Music: “Name Game” from Child’s Celebration of Rock & Roll 738 CHIL
Help children write their names on white board as arrive (ECRR2 ”writing”)

Song: “Name Song” (Tune: Farmer in the Dell”)
Greg begins with ‘G’/Greg begins with ‘G’/One clap for ‘Greg’ (clap)/Greg begins with ‘G’
Circled initial letters on board as we sang, afterward counted how many K’s etc. (ECRR2 ”writing” + numeracy)

Book: Waggle – Sarah McMenemy (Younger groups: cute book about a girl playing with her new puppy as she decides what name she should give it) or A Porcupine Named Fluffy – Helen Lester (Older: porcupine named Fluffy feels better after meeting a rhino named Hippo -- self-acceptance)

Flannel/Song: BINGO (ECRR2 “singing/playing” + numeracy —game: each time through removed a letter and asked what letter it was, replaced the missing letter in the song with a clap—kids remembering/counting out how many claps needed each time through)

Book: Silly Sally -- Audrey Wood (wkrm) (Can act this out as it is being read) or for
Older groups: Tikki Tikki Tembo – Arlene Mosel (classic Japanese folk tale) or Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge – Mem Fox (beautiful book about how a young boy helps an older woman recover her past memories – one of those books once read, never forgotten) or Matthew A.B.C.-- Peter Catalanatto (class chock full of Matthews introduces interesting vocabulary e.g. "affectionate," "incognito," and "perpetually perplexed!") or In the Fiddle is a Song – Durga Bernhard (lift-the-flap book about hidden potential)

Song: John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith (ECRR2 “singing/playing – replace a line of the song with claps (humming it for rhythm on each iteration, great game for listening skills, rhythm play.)

http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/johnjacob.html

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,
His name is my name too.
Whenever we go out,
The people always shout,
There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.
Dah dah dah dah, dah dah dah (repeat song 5 times)


Action Chant “Everyone has a name” (movement activity -- use whenever everyone needs to get up and move a little)

Everyone who has a name, stand up.
Everyone who has a name, sit down.
Everyone who has a name, stand up.
Everyone who has a name, turn around.
Everyone who has a name, stretch up high.
Everyone who has a name, stretch down low.
Everyone who has a name, roll your hands fast.
Everyone who has a name, roll your hands slow.
Everyone who has a name, turn around.
Everyone who has a name, sit back down.

Optional Book/Song: There Once Was a Man Named Michael Finnegan – Mary Ann Hoberman (kids chime out “begin-agin”at the end of each verse – listening skills.)

Elephant Puppet/Song: Willoughby Wallaby Woo (from Raffi’s Singable Songs collection, track 15) http://www.metrolyrics.com/willoughby-wallaby-woo-lyrics-raffi.html (rhyming game, substituting “w” for first letter of each child’s name before elephant puppet “sits” on child.)

Shakey Eggs/Movement song: “Name Game” and “Purple People Eater” (tracks 9 &10 from “A Child’s Celebration of Rock & Roll”)

Hand Stamping Song: “The Name Song” from Ralph’s World.

Optional DVDs: Chyrsanthemum on “Back to School Stories”(nice but LONG story of overcoming peer name-calling, bullying) or Tikki Tikki Tembo – (classic Japanese folk tale)only with a 4+ group, younger kids lose interest.

Other possibilities: Mary Wore a Red Dress – Peek (wkrm), Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarden; Flannel: Aikendrum
9.10, 9.12, 12.13

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Celebrate The Great American Eclipse 2017

Program plan:

Books on the sun, solar system, and eclipses available to browse as kids arriving (523.7’s, 520.78’s, Molly Bang “Sunlight” series. Showed some of the youtube videos (below).

Opened by asking what is happening next Monday? Eclipse...mentioned only partial here but still exciting -- announced we’d be doing stories and activities

Read: (Ages 3-6:): The Sun is Always Shining Somewhere by Allan Fowler
(K-4th): Why Do Elephants Need the Sun by Robert E. Wells (midway demo - gave each kid a penny, told to hold in front of their face at arms-length - obscures friend’s nose -- now bring closer to eye, see how more of the face, even body of friend is hidden, same as airplane in sky far away looks small. Mentioned sun 400x larger than moon, but 400x further away -- so moon can obscure sun in eclipse if lined up properly) Good alternate title: The Sun: Our Nearest Star by Franklin Branley.

Demo (both groups) : Solar Pizza https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/NASA_Eclipse_Activity_Guide.pdf #7 -- had teen walk to the very back of the program room to show how long 65 feet was.

Flannel/Song: Aikendrum (younger group only)

Book (both groups): Eclipse: Darkness in Daytime by Franklyn M. Branley (when it talked about the dragon eating sun, had kids make noises to “scare” dragon -- mentioned we have a coloring sheet later)

Song: Mr. Sun (variation on Raffi - hiding behind the moon, these little children are asking you…) (younger group only)

Described stations:

Total Solar Eclipse 2017/Total Solar Eclipse/Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Video (musical -played while arriving, repeated later) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6AakZ2gwzs

Stations:

“Planetarium” on stage behind video screen -- teen volunteer with lamp, flashlight, earth & moon balls, yardstick with earth & moon, demonstrated solar/lunar eclipse, moon phases -- experiments 8 & 10 in Far-Out Science Projects About Earth’s Sun and Moon by Robert Gardner, yardstick eclipse #11 from https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/NASA_Eclipse_Activity_Guide.pdf
Video Theater -- before/during program:
Younger audience:
Total Solar Eclipse Explained for Kids! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_ATuYNxutY
Solar Eclipse | The Dr. Binocs Show | Educational Videos For Kids
Total Solar Eclipse 2017/Total Solar Eclipse/Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Video (musical -played while arriving) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6AakZ2gwzs
K-4:
What is a Solar Eclipse? Understanding Solar Eclipse: Astronomy and Space For Kids – FreeSchool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is8OLhGgLAE
How to Prepare for the Great American Eclipse: August 21, 2017 - FreeSchool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PuThBtrE94
Older: Crash Course: Eclipses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Map Card solar projectors (I printed the 2D images on colored card stock) https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/2d3d-printable-pinhole-projectors

Handout mentioned different ways to see the eclipse (pinhole camera, making a small opening with fingers, using the speckled light from leafy tree, colander), back side had suggestions for a time capsule to open at the next eclipse in 7 years April 8, 2024 (below).
Eclipse Dragon Coloring Sheet
https://sunearthday.gsfc.nasa.gov/2008eclipse/materials/Coloring_Dragon.pdf
Corona Art (These were beautiful & a huge hit, we used pastel chalk and black construction paper and they worked fine.)
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/NASA_Eclipse_Activity_Guide.pdf #14
Flip Book depicting our partial eclipse https://sunearthday.gsfc.nasa.gov/2008eclipse/maketake.php (image references https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/morristown)
Game: Match the images of the sun https://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/classroom/matching_activity.html
Solar Clock https://sunearthday.gsfc.nasa.gov/2008eclipse/materials/Solar_Clock.pdf

More details & handout info:

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/2d3d-printable-pinhole-projectors

State or USA Map Eclipse Projector instructions:

Cut out the map then use a hole punch to punch out the circle shape. Carefully punch a pinhole in the star with a thumbtack. A larger hole will give a bigger but less-focussed image. Or make another hole punch, tape foil on backl and poke a pinhole as described below - the foil sharpens the edge.
With your back to the sun, hold your pinhole projector 2-3 feet above the ground.
Capture the Moment: Ask a friend to take a picture of your shadow while holding your state’s pinhole projector. The resulting image will be a once in a lifetime picture of your shadow, the shadow of your selected state and a projected image of the partial eclipse marking your location!
Share the Moment: Don’t forget to share your best images with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and/or on our Solar Eclipse Flickr Group. Use #EclipseSelfie. Leave a 1-2 sentence description of you image/idea.

More easy ways to watch the Sun:

https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how-to-view-eclipse

Use two pieces of cardboard. In one, cut a one-inch hole, then tape a piece of foil over the hole. Now make a pinhole in the middle of the foil. Use the other piece of cardboard (which should be white for best viewing) as a screen. With the Sun behind you, hold the pinhole cardboard as far from your screen as you can. The farther the pinhole is from the screen, the bigger your image will be.

Use your hands. Hold up both hands with your fingers overlapping at right angles. The holes between your fingers make pinholes.

Use a tree. If you have some shade trees in your location, try looking at the images of the Sun coming through the holes formed by the leaves. Use a piece of white cardboard to capture the images for a great viewing session! (A colander also makes multiple images.) www.eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Do-It-Yourself Time Capsules!

Since the beginning of written human history, people have created tablets, monuments and other permanent records that send messages into the future. Often when a new building is dedicated, a stash of documents is hidden inside a foundation stone. This idea of communicating with future descendants eventually turned into specific messages placed into specially-designed to be open at some specific future date. The oldest time capsule opened recently was placed into a building cornerstone in 1795 by Paul Revere in Boston. It was opened in 2015 and the coins and newspapers it contained were donated to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. In 1940 a time capsule was buried at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. It is not to be opened until the year 8113 AD. It contains classic works of film and literature, as well as cultural odds and ends such as a typewriter.

You, too, can create your own time capsule to commemorate the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse from wherever you happen to be. When might you want it opened? Perhaps on April 8, 2024 when the next total solar eclipse crosses the continental United States! How old will you be then? What do you think you would like your younger self to have sent to you across 7 years of time?

As you prepare the contents for your time capsule, think about how your letters and photos will be read by future technology. Printed materials are best, but electronic files require some special planning!

What would you include?

How about writing a letter to yourself describing what your dreams might be for the year 2024, or beyond?
How about a few digital photos or video clips on a thumb drive. Do you think they will have readers for thumb drives in 2024 or later?
Try your hand at drawing what your city or town might look like when the time capsule is opened.
Personal comments about who you are and what you think your future self might wonder about would be very exciting to receive many years after you have forgotten what your younger self was thinking about.
What current events are the most exciting to you, or the most troubling, and why.
Of course a current newspaper sealed in a plastic bag to avoid moisture and rotting would be exciting to receive many years later.
Try not to send food unless you really want to conduct a potentially smelly experiment!

Where should I put it?

The basic idea is that you want to put your time capsule in some place where you will not be tempted to keep opening it up to take a peek or adding new things to it. You want it to be a glimpse of life at the time it was sealed up and not opened again until the To Be Opened date arrives.

Put it in your parents safe deposit box at the bank
Bury it in your backyard with a stone marker.
If you think you may be moving, bury it in a special spot out in Nature by a favorite mountain and make sure you note its GPS coordinates so you can find it again.

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/do-it-yourself-time-capsules

Project the Sun

Never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection. You can seriously hurt your eyes and even go blind.

Projecting the Sun through a box projector, or using binoculars or telescope, or simply 2 pieces of card is a safe and easy way to view a solar eclipse.

DIY: Simple Card Projector

The simplest and quickest way to safely project the Sun is with a projector made from only 2 pieces of card or paper.

You Need:

2 pieces of stiff white cardboard, e.g. 2 paper plates
alternatively, 2 sheets of plain white paper
a thumbtack, a sharp pin, or a needle

What to Do:

To make a quick version of the pinhole projector, take a sheet of paper and make a tiny hole in the middle of it using a pin or a thumbtack. Make sure that the hole is round and smooth.
With your back towards the Sun, hold 1 piece of paper above your shoulder allowing the Sun to shine on the paper.
The 2nd sheet of paper will act as a screen. Hold it at a distance, and you will see an inverted image of the Sun projected on the paper screen through the pinhole.
To make the image of the Sun larger, hold the screen paper further away from the paper with the pinhole.

www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/make-pinhole-projector.html

Predict the Corona - Art Project

What do you predict that the corona will look like for the August 21, 2017 eclipse?

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse. Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse.

To prepare for the big event, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like! Create a drawing, add a brief description and share it with us via www.flickr.com/groups/nasa-eclipse2017/ After the eclipse, compare your image to actual coronal images that will be uploaded there. Or Instagram using #Eclipse2017Corona.

For ideas on how to create your own coronal drawing, download the Eclipse Activity Guide (https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/NASA_Eclipse_Activity_G...) Activity 14: ECLIPSE CHALK ART.

ECLIPSE CHALK ART 1 ECLIPSE CHALK ART 2

Background:

Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried very hard to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses, but little was known in the 1800’s about its shape and extent or how these changed with time. Here are some of the sketches that were made of the solar corona during the 1800’s, and it is pretty easy to see that the shapes are complicated and change from eclipse to eclipse.

May, 1878. Corona near sunspot minimum Corona near sunspot maximum
May, 1878. Corona near sunspot minimum