On that day, after a five year war, the ancient Medes and Lydians made peace. They laid down their arms just as they were about to engage in battle, because they took the eclipse as a heavenly sign. Ask if students have read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain. In that novel, a boy who has been transported backwards in time is able to save his life by predicting an eclipse. Web Work 1.
Students often have problems visualizing what is actually taking place during an eclipse.
Students have difficulty understanding where the sun and moon are situated in respect to Earth. Tell your students that to better understand the dynamics of eclipses, they will create a simulation of a solar eclipse and film it. Instruct your students to go to The Sun in Views of the Solar System. To begin, have them watch the animations of the 1994 solar eclipse. Explain that these animations provide models for the short movies they'll be making.