Eyes to the sky, first graders experience first eclipse

 

BREMEN, Ind. -- Across Michiana, some schools let students off Monday for the partial solar eclipse, but others, like Bremen Public Schools, stayed open, incorporating the eclipse into their curriculum for the day.

For first graders, like Henry Huff, this is their first time learning about and experiencing an eclipse.

"Very, very, very, very excited," said Huff, who says his favorite subject in school is science.

"It doesn't happen often and it's just so interesting," he said, "and it's just amazing that it can just turn dark in the middle of the day."

While Michiana did not fall in the path of totality, the region still got to view a partial eclipse, which one Bremen first grader said looked like "Pac-Man."

"In our class today, we did a craft, and it just took the three basic parts: the moon, the sun, and the earth, and really focused on how the alignment is so important in the solar eclipse, and how the moon is so close to the earth during this time, and that's kind of how this is able to happen," said Sara Houser, Bremen first grade teacher. "So, I think just taking that large-scale, complex issue and scaling it down to the super basic, super important parts helps a lot with this age group."

But they also needed a warning that without proper eyewear, Monday's eclipse could really hurt their eyes.

"Just really stressing the importance of keeping those glasses on and making sure they're aware that it could have serious damage to their eyes if they take them off," Houser said. "And when we do come outside, just making sure all eyes are everywhere on them."

"The sun could hurt your eyes, with its powerful light," Huff said, "And if we don't wear it, it could damage our eyes permanently."

Bremen Public Schools supplied protective eyeglasses to every student, as classes intermittently took students outside to experience the eclipse.

As it ran its course, school dismissed, ending a day that students surely won't forget.