Interactive Models
Learning from Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map
Overview
In this story map lesson students will learn how living with a star can teach us about our universe. Through a series of learning activities, students will examine the benefits and hazards of living with a star, describe and/or demonstrate how we use eclipses to study the Sun and its features, and investigate how our Sun may be used to learn about other stars and our universe.
This story map is intended to be used with students who have access to a computing device in a 1:1 or 1:2 setting.
Materials Required
Resources Needed Per Student:
- Student Data Sheet
- Computer/Tablet
- Internet Access
- Link to Learning From Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map
Directions
Remember to never look directly at the Sun without proper safety equipment.
- Using an internet accessible device, students open the link to the Learning From Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map to begin their exploration of this phenomenon.
- Distribute the Learning From Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map Student Sheet. Have students navigate on their own through the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate tabs of the story map to answer the questions and complete the activities on their student sheet.
Teacher Note
Teachers who are interested in receiving the answer key, please complete the Teacher Key Request and Verification Form. We verify that requestors are teachers prior to sending access to the answer keys as we’ve had many students try to pass as teachers to gain access.

Supported NGSS Performance Expectations
- Students will describe the life cycle of a star.
- Students will examine the benefits and hazards of living with a star.
- Students will describe and/or demonstrate how we use eclipses to study the Sun and its features
- Students will investigate how our Sun may be used to learn about other stars and our universe.
- What does living with a star teach us about the universe?
- How do we study the Sun?
- What does the Sun teach us about other stars?
- Internet Required
- One-to-One (tablet, laptop, or CPU)