To let my children go to school late so they can watch the eclipse tomorrow?

[DragonmotherKhaleesi]

I have 3dc.
I home educate one of them and the others attend school. I have purchased some glasses and planned to do our work around the eclipse tomorrow.
My other children have asked if they can stay home to watch it, and take them school at lunch when it's over.

My 14 year old DS had a week off last month due to surgery so I'm a little worried about his attendance.

AIBU to let them have the morning off?

I'm still counting on it clearing up! Last time I forgot to prepare anything and rushed out with a colander, which did give good results. This time I am more ambitious and we are going to try this mirror technique: www.popastro.com/main_spa1/blog/2021/06/02/get-ready-for-the-eclipse-of-the-year/ Needs a lot of space though.

@Sunbelievable

Their education is your responsibility not school, but you know that anyway 😉

I do! Cloud has spoilt it for all 3 dc now unfortunately, I'm sorry it's spoilt it for you too. So much learning to come from it, even if it's the live stream today!

For the 2016 one, our school put us down as educated off site and a load of parents and kids watched in the park, taking responsibility for our own kids. It was brilliant, they remember it so fondly. They don't happen very often so if your child is genuinely interested I think its worth keeping them off.

@Saracen

I'm still counting on it clearing up! Last time I forgot to prepare anything and rushed out with a colander, which did give good results. This time I am more ambitious and we are going to try this mirror technique: www.popastro.com/main_spa1/blog/2021/06/02/get-ready-for-the-eclipse-of-the-year/ Needs a lot of space though.

Fingers crossed it clears !! That looks great!

@PleaseReferToMeAsBritneySpears

How the fuck did I not know about this? I even checked to see if it was a zombie thread 😂

I kept DS (8 at the time) off for the 2015 one. DD (18 at the time) went to school thinking they'd be allowed out and they weren't so she was really pissed off.

Thanks for the heads up!

I hope the cloud isn't too bad where you are.

@MoiraNotRuby

For the 2016 one, our school put us down as educated off site and a load of parents and kids watched in the park, taking responsibility for our own kids. It was brilliant, they remember it so fondly. They don't happen very often so if your child is genuinely interested I think its worth keeping them off.

Thanks think the cloud will be too thick unfortunately.

we are looking at doing astronomy as a GCSE.

That's a nice idea doing a GCSE together

@PixieLaLa

we are looking at doing astronomy as a GCSE.

That's a nice idea doing a GCSE together

I won't take the exam but I'll enjoy learning the course content along side my son very much.

I wish I'd had the chance to do an Astronomy GCSE.

On astronomy, my eldest did it as a GCSE, mostly self taught. She really enjoyed it.

It's quite hard to get an 8 or 9 as numbers taking it are quite low but not low enough to warrant their own special grading curve (like Greek has!) so some friends studied the course with her then dropped it before the exam. But she didn't (and got an 8!) and she said she loved the whole experience.

The other night, she just started naming things and explaining the night sky 😊 I am really pleased she did it.

@Sunbelievable

On astronomy, my eldest did it as a GCSE, mostly self taught. She really enjoyed it.

It's quite hard to get an 8 or 9 as numbers taking it are quite low but not low enough to warrant their own special grading curve (like Greek has!) so some friends studied the course with her then dropped it before the exam. But she didn't (and got an 8!) and she said she loved the whole experience.

The other night, she just started naming things and explaining the night sky 😊 I am really pleased she did it.

Well done her! That's great. Who did she do the course with or was it through school?

I have happy memories of the 1999 one- I was 17 and looking at it when waiting at the bus stop to go to my part time job at chiquitos. Don't know why that stuck with me.

I’d definitely let them have it off to watch this if they had a particular interest in this kind of thing.

The OU has some great free astronomy courses:

www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/science/physics-and-astronomy/astronomy?media_filter%5B%5D=702&level_filter=&duration_filter=&sort_by=date&per_page=10&hs=1#toggle_filter_options

I'm really sad now because I don't remember the 1999 one at all! Mind you, I did almost die in the July so probably had other things on my mind in August...

@DragonmotherKhaleesi can I PM you re astronomy later?

[quote Sunbelievable]@DragonmotherKhaleesi can I PM you re astronomy later?[/quote]
Of course

Couple of local photos of the event.

Nice images..thanks for posting those.

I almost kept DS odd for the 2015 one but instead emailed school who confirmed the children would be watching (safely).

You can make something with a cereal box to view it. Can’t remember how but it should come up if you google,

You can make something with a cereal box to view it. Can’t remember how but it should come up if you google,

Probably something like this:

www.childrensmuseum.org/blog/saturday-science-camera-obscura