Eclipse newspaper competition for schools

Calling all young people with an interest in astronomy...

On the morning of the 11th August 1999 there will be an eclipse of the Sun.In the south west of England and Alderney it will be a total eclipse and in all other parts of the UK it will be a major partial eclipse.

We invite groups of pupils to produce a newspaper as if written on that momentous day.   Open to groups of pupils in age ranges;

• 7-11
• 11-14
• 14-16
• 16-19 years

Timetable for the Competition:

Summer Term 1999

• Learn how to project an image of the Sun as a safe and effective way to photograph the partial stages of the eclipse.
• Plan what other photographs to take.
• Plan any experiments you want to perform - optional.
• Plan what details to write down.  (e.g. Changes in light and temperature, people's reactions and the reactions of animals and birds.)
• Collect material about previous eclipses and the science of eclipses.

Eclipse Day - 11th August 1999

• Take photographs, perform experiments and make notes as planned.
  Beware!  Observing the Sun is dangerous.  See the Eclipse safety statement.

Autumn Term 1999

• Select material and write up the newspaper.
• Closing date Friday 12th November 1999.

A winning entry is likely to contain:

• A good, relevant, witty headline and lead story.
• A review of previous eclipses and how people reacted to them.
• Photographs of the progress of the eclipse and of people watching it.
• Reports on
          - the day seen as a community event.
          - the reactions of the watchers.
          - how and why an eclipse happens.
          - any experiments that you did on the day.
          - what astronomers can learn from an eclipse.
          - one or two other events that occurred on the day.
• A cartoon about the eclipse.
• An original poem about the eclipse.
• One or two advertisements related to the eclipse (e.g. holidays, safety matters).

For teachers, this project follows on from our successful Sputnik competition and is an excellent opportunity to forge cross-curricular links and a real reason to use the Internet to search for material.  An effective Internet search phrase is 'Solar Eclipse'.  In addition, the Astronomy Now magazine is running a feature every month in the run-up to August 1999.

We suggest that the work is done by groups of pupils rather than by individuals.   We cannot accept more than two entries per class.

Key points to remember:

• Lay out your material in the style of a modern newspaper.
• Each article must have the name of the contributor(s).
• Cover four sides of A4 if desktop published or four sides of A3 if largely hand-written.
• Enclose a large stamped addressed envelope for the return of your work.

On the front page of your newspaper you must include:

• Name, Address, Postcode and Telephone Number of your School.
• Name of your class or group and the Age Range (7-11, 11-14, 14-16 and 16-19 years).
• Full name of your teacher.
• A signed declaration by your teacher that
          - the selection of existing material was done by the group and
          - all original material, design and layout was the work of the group.

There will be a range of superb prizes for the winners of each age group.
There is no entry form.  The decision of the judges is final.  The competition is organised by the Education Committee of the Royal Astronomical Society.  Send your entry to arrive by Friday 12th November 1999 to:

Eclipse Competition,
Royal Astronomical Society,
Burlington House,
Piccadilly,
London,
W1V 0NL.

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