Family History Activity

Eclipse Bird

This activity encourages children to talk to their parents and grandparents (or any other older person) about whether they experienced eclipses in the past.

Supplies:

  • Writing paper and pencil
  • Smartphone or other video camera
  • Parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles

There were major Solar Eclipses in the 20th Century visible throughout South America.

The total Solar Eclipse of May 20, 1947, for example, was visible in several nations including Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. You can ask older adults that you know the following questions:

What year were you born? How old were you in 1947?

Do you remember seeing an eclipse?

What month and year?

Where were you?

What do you remember about how it looked or felt?

Older children can write up the stories they hear and save them as part of their family history. They can also create a video interview. Younger children can draw a picture to illustrate their relative’s story.