Science Photos

Photos: The Solar Eclipse Is the Ultimate Science Lesson

By Elizabeth Heubeck — April 08, 2024 1 min read
Yurem Rodriquez watches as the moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, on April 8, 2024.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

After days of weather watching, weeks and even months of scouting for solar eclipse-safe glasses, and prepping classes for this natural celestial event that occurs in the same place on the planet only about once every 366 years, it happened.

Countless students across the country experienced the wonder of the total solar eclipse, as the moon slid in front of the sun’s surface and completely blocked it. Eeriness presided over the brief but intense event, ushered in by a strange calming of breezes, followed by an even stranger midday darkness, and lasting less than 5 minutes. Educators, of course, hope the excitement generated by witnessing this once-in-a-lifetime scientific phenomenon will stick with their students for years to come.

Judging by the following images, curated from school and district social media accounts across the country, there’s a pretty strong chance they will. Check them out!

The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, on April 8, 2024.

People watch as the moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, on April 8, 2024.
A research balloon is prepared for launch at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, on April 8, 2024 to study the total eclipse. NearSpace Education launched two high-altitude research balloons carrying cameras, instruments, and experiments designed by blind and visually impaired students.

People watch a total solar eclipse as the sky goes dark in Mazatlan, Mexico, on April 8, 2024.

Students and parents at Becker Elementary School in Austin, Texas, view the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
Sasha Mahler, 8, of Munster, Ind., has her face painted with a sun during a total eclipse viewing event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, on April 8, 2024.
From Buffalo, N.Y., (left and center) to Annandale, Va., (right) people of all ages watch the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
Dan Sharp of Preston, Idaho, drops a pin on a map showing where he is from, at an eclipse watch event in Paris, Texas, on April 8, 2024.
People watch with solar glasses as the moon starts to cross in front of the sun during a total solar eclipse Monday, April 8, 2024, in Carbondale, Ill.
Jordan Elliott smiles as she watches with solar glasses as the moon starts to cross in front of the sun during a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, in Carbondale, Ill.

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Teaching Students to Use Artificial Intelligence Ethically
Ready to embrace AI in your classroom? Join our master class to learn how to use AI as a tool for learning, not a replacement.
Content provided by Solution Tree

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Science One Change That Can Get More Girls, Students of Color Taking Computer Science
Making computer science classes a graduation requirement can be a powerful strategy.
5 min read
Two teen girls, one is a person of color and the other is white, building something in a science robotics class.
iStock/Getty
Science A Marine Science Program in a Surprising Place Shows Students New Career Options
It's hard to find teachers for STEM subjects, but a school system in a landlocked state has found a way to make it work with marine science.
5 min read
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024.
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024. The Iowa school system has had a hands-on program for three decades that has introduced students to career possibilities in aquarium science, marine biology, and related fields.
Rachel Mummey for Education Week
Science The Biggest Barriers to STEM Education, According to Educators
Educators share the challenges schools face in teaching STEM.
1 min read
Photograph of a diverse group of elementary school kids, with a white male teacher, working on a robot design in the classroom
E+
Science The Grades Where Science Scores Have Taken the Biggest Hit
One of the first studies to examine science performance finds that elementary students' scores have rebounded. Not so in middle school.
4 min read
An illustration of a non person of color climbing a large pencil with a safety harness and rope tied around the tip of the pencil while a person of color is in the distance without a safety harness or rope attempting to climb a very large science beaker.
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva