Data Detectives and the Solar Eclipse

Ringwood Public Library, in northern New Jersey, used the April 8 solar eclipse as a means of engagement for several STEM programming opportunities focused on data literacy and scientific inquiry. Multiple groups of pre-teens, special needs teens, and members of the general public were engaged in approximately 8 weeks of educational activities leading up to the eclipse. Two citizen science projects, GLOBE Observer Eclipse and Eclipse Soundscapes, were used during these events. Participants not only learned about eclipses but also learned to make observations, collect data, analyze data, and communicate findings.