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D.I.Y to keep the kids eyes more protected during the eclipse 2024!

Here is a little do it yourself you can do with your kids to protect them from having damage to their eyes. 

white solar eclipse viewing glasses with a black nasa insignia in the middle attached to a paper plate and red and blue galaxy background

Overview

This hands-on activity is the construction of an extended coverage area of eclipse glasses to provide extra protection for safely viewing a solar eclipse. This makes it harder to look outside the lenses on the eclipse glasses.

Materials Required

Materials:

  • ISO Approved Solar Eclipse viewing glasses  (ISO requirements: 12312-2)
  • Paper Plates (medium, or large)
  • Scissors
  • Clear Tape
  • Pencil, Pen, or Marker

Procedure

Remember to never look directly at the Sun without proper safety equipment.

Teacher Preparation:

Teachers can prepare the plates for students or have students make them. It is essential that they are checked to make sure there are not gaps that sunlight can get through. The cardboard from the eclipse glasses should completely cover the cut outs in the plates.

  1. Inspect the ISO approved solar eclipse viewing glasses to ensure that the lenses are not scratched or damaged.
  2. Select a paper plate size that will best fit the students.
  3. With the plate resting face up, place the eclipse glasses in the middle of the plate.
  4. Using a marking tool, trace the outline of the eclipse glasses. Hands using a pencil to trace glasses on a paper plate.
  5. Mark the location of the lenses on the plate without touching the lenses on the eclipse glasses.
  6. Mark the edges where the eclipse glass arms connect.
    Hands cutting holes in the paper plate for the lenses.
  7. Cut sections out of the paper plate for the lenses, and then cut slots in the plate for the arms of the eclipse glasses. 
    Hands removing the rectangles cut from the paper plate to reveal holes for the eclipse glasses lenses.
  8. Remove the lens cut outs.
    Image showing hands putting the arms of glasses through a hole on the side of the plate.
  9. Insert the arms of the eclipse glasses through the slots to make sure that the lenses are lined up with the holes.
    Image showing that the edge of the glasses is completely covering the cutout sections.
  10. Make sure that the outside edge of the glasses completely covers all cutout sections.  
  11. Do not tape glasses to the plates if you are planning to decorate them.

Procedure:

  1. Prepare plates as described in the teacher preparation section.
  2. Distribute the plates to the students. 
    Person wearing a decorated paper plate shield with solar eclipse glasses
  3. Optional: Have students decorate the plates. 
  4. Cut out a triangular section for the nose and mouth.  A narrow triangle might work better for smaller children.
    Hands taping glasses to plate making sure there are not gaps.
  5. Tape the glasses to the plate to secure them in place. Make sure that you tape the cardboard and not the lenses. If students do this, the teacher should check each pair of glasses to make sure they were taped properly and will provide the extra protection from paper plate.
  6. Check for proper fit. 

VARIATIONS

For younger children the earpieces might not fit securely. In that case, a string, ribbon, or rubber band can be attached to the sides of the plate so that the child can wear it like a mask.  The string will help hold the protective shield in place.

 

Source: MyNASAdata 

https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/lesson-plans/solar-eclipse-safety-activity