Fun lunar eclipse lesson plans and activities for science learning (including a FREE eclipse printable). Eclipses are fun events to add to your STEM studies. This is a Comprehensive Guide to Lunar Eclipse Learning resources!
BEST LUNAR ECLIPSE LESSON PLANS, SCIENCE PRINTABLES AND STEM KIDS ACTIVITIES
Learn all about moon eclipse science and how eclipses work (including solar eclipse activities for kids). We have lunar fun facts for kids and creative eclipse unit study ideas to go with them!
How do you explain an eclipse to a child?
- Learn about eclipses and seasons
- Make a glow in the dark eclipse t-shirt
- Do a phases of the moon lesson
- Create a solar system with online gaming tools
- Print a moon phases mini book
- Make a 3D light up moon
- Learn the different vocabulary of solar and lunar eclipses with a song
- Paint a moon
- Do a solar system lesson plan
- Make an Oreo cookie moon phase chart
Get the full list of lunar eclipse lesson plans and eclipse kids activities with links to the science resources below. Don’t forget about your free eclipse printable after the science ideas and teaching resources.
LEARNING ABOUT LUNAR ECLIPSE VS SOLAR ECLIPSE
What is the difference between a solar and lunar eclipse?
The major difference in a solar eclipse versus a lunar eclipse is that a solar eclipse happens during the day with the blocking of the sun and a lunar eclipse happens at night with the blocking of the moon. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks all or part of the sun when it passes between the sun and the earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when all or part of the moon is obstructed by the earth’s shadow.
Lunar Eclipse Definition: What is a Total Lunar Eclipse? [Video]
Like we discussed earlier, with a lunar eclipse, the Earth’s shadow blocks all or part the sun’s light.
There are three types of lunar eclipses: total, partial, and penumbral.
FUN FACT: A lunar eclipse can only occur when there’s a full moon!
A total lunar eclipse happens when the sun, moon, and earth are all lined up.
With a total lunar eclipse, the moon moves behind the earth and blocks the sun’s light from reflecting onto the moon and the earth.
WATCH A VIDEO ABOUT HOW LUNAR ECLIPSES WORK
Don’t miss your free BONUS lunar eclipse FREE PRINTABLE for kids at the end of this post!
According to Space.com:
“Here’s how it works: Earth casts two shadows that fall on the moon during a lunar eclipse: The umbra is a full, dark shadow. The penumbra is a partial outer shadow. The moon passes through these shadows in stages. The initial and final stages — when the moon is in the penumbral shadow — are not so noticeable, so the best part of an eclipse is during the middle of the event, when the moon is in the umbral shadow.”
Types of Lunar Eclipse
There are three different types of lunar eclipses:
1. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
The Moon passes through Earth’s penumbral shadow.
Penumbral is the lighter “shadow” around the Umbra.
Umbra is the dark center of an eclipse shadow during a total eclipse.
2. Partial Lunar Eclipse
A portion of the Moon passes through Earth’s umbral shadow.
3. Total Lunar Eclipse
The entire Moon passes through Earth’s umbral shadow and the moon appears to be red in color during totality, or the total eclipse phase.
The earth casts a shadow onto the moon with a red color. That’s why a total lunar eclipse moon is also called the “Blood Moon.”
Space.com explains this:
“The red moon is possible because while the moon is in total shadow, some light from the sun passes through Earth’s atmosphere and is bent toward the moon. While other colors in the spectrum are blocked and scattered by Earth’s atmosphere, red light tends to make it through easier. The effect is to cast all the planet’s sunrises and sunsets on the moon.”
Blood Moon versus Blue Moon versus Super Moon
In rare cases, there is a Blood Moon total lunar eclipse that is also a Blue Moon.
(Pssst: A Blue Moon isn’t actually blue, by the way. Confusing, I know.)
A Blue Moon is the second full moon of a calendar month.
There is also a Supermoon, or a “full moon that’s closer to Earth than usual and can appear slightly brighter and larger than normal.”
When this kind of event happens, it is called a Super Blue Blood Moon.
CHECK OUT THIS RELATED SCIENCE TOPIC NEXT:
SOLAR ECLIPSE HOMESCHOOL IDEAS
Who Can See the Total Lunar Eclipse?
Viewing a lunar eclipse will depend on when it happens and where you are in the world.
Also, even if you are in an area where the eclipse is visible, the weather will have an impact on whether you can see it or not!
(Bummer, I know…)
Eclipse Map: When Is the Next Lunar Eclipse?
You can see a cool lunar and solar eclipse map by clicking here.
It covers eclipses for the next 10 years!
On the map you can see locations, times, paths, and visibility, so start planning!
Watching a Total Lunar Eclipse
How do you view a lunar eclipse?
For a total lunar eclipse, you don’t need any special gear or glasses to protect your eyes (like you needed for the total solar eclipse viewers).
You can view the lunar eclipse directly and safely just by looking up in the sky.
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19+ FREE Lunar Eclipse and Moon Lesson Plans, Activities, Worksheets, and Crafts
You can have so much fun with this topic and it goes well beyond just completing a solar and lunar eclipses worksheet and lunar eclipse lesson plans!
For example, we had a ton of fun making that glow in the dark eclipse t-shirt! (So don’t miss that one!)
Check out any of these other projects and activities to add to your eclipses studies!
(This is a GREAT unit study topic, by the way!)
Learn about eclipses and seasons
Make a glow in the dark eclipse t-shirt
Do a phases of the moon lesson
Create a solar system with online gaming tools
Learn the different vocabulary of solar and lunar eclipses with a song
Paint a moon(NOTE: We had fun when we did this, but it’s probably better for older kids.)
Make an Oreo cookie moon phase chart
Draw and explain a lunar eclipse diagram
Complete a moon phases observation worksheet observational journal
Do some lunar eclipse projects
Create eclipses in your classroom
Learn about phases of the moon with a moon song / moon rap
Print a phases of the moon game
Learn how to do foldable phases of the moon
Children’s Eclipse Books + Books About the Moon
Sky Gazing: A Guide to the Moon, Sun, Planets, Stars, Eclipses, and Constellations
I Am the Moon: A Book About the Moon for Kids (I Am Learning: Educational Series for Kids)
GET YOUR FREE LUNAR ECLIPSE WORKSHEET PRINTOUT!
We’ve created an awesome FREE handy eclipse “cheatsheet” printout that you can use during your eclipse studies.
Just click here to get the printout or on the image below.
ALSO CHECK OUT THIS STEM RESOURCE: Big List Of Galaxy Lesson Plan Ideas For Science Unit Studies
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE FUN LUNAR ECLIPSE LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES FOR A LUNAR OR SOLAR ECLIPSE!
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