TULSA, Okla. — The Mayo Demonstration School held a Day of Space to celebrate the 2024 solar eclipse.
For most of the school's students, it was the first time they had seen an eclipse. Many were enamored by the crescent shape it created.
"It was really cool because it kind of turned the sun into a sliver that moon would normally look like," said one student.
The school decided to use the eclipse as a STEM learning opportunity. Focusing on space, the students made bubble moon art, tried to build Legos with gloves similar to those an astronaut would wear and created paper rockets.
Mason Jones is a fifth grader at the school and he said it was challenging building with the gloves.
"We have done the one with the, over there, where we have like astronaut gloves. And then we have a glove inside of it. And then how you are supposed to like build with it. Because astronauts do that inside of their spacecraft," said Jones.
A part of the teacher's lessons included sun safety. They said because of the space between the top of the eclipse glasses and the kids faces additional protections were added.
They used paper plates to further shield the sun from the kids eyes.
- ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: ECLIPSE EXPERIENCES: How Green Country gathered for the total eclipse
The kids decorated their masks to make them fashionable while functional.
During the day, the students learned about the eclipse. Some even talked about the path of totality. Tulsa was just out of the path, as it dipped only in the southeast corner of Oklahoma.
However, students appreciated the full experience provided by the teachers.
"But we’re still pretty lucky to be able to see it at school," said one student.
Staff a the Mayo Demonstration School said this is a full circle moment for some of the fifth graders. Back in 2017 the day the now fifth graders started Pre-K was the last viewable solar eclipse in Tulsa.
The STEM school said they love taking real events and turning them into learning opportunities.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
