Students at Theodore Roosevelt get eclipse safety lesson

BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Students at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary were joined by Cornell Cooperative Extension to learn about the upcoming solar eclipse through crafts.

CCE’s RootEd after school program goes into Binghamton’s elementary schools and teaches STEM.

Today, the program visited Roosevelt and gave a presentation to the students about eclipse safety and history.

That includes how the eclipse affects wildlife, and the history of different cultures reacting to an eclipse.

Nature Educator Cam Winzinger says the kids were creating a paper astronaut helmet that will eventually hold their eclipse glasses in place.

Nature and Rooted Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cam Winzinger says, “The main thing is safety, how to safely view the eclipse, not looking at it with unprotected eyes. We also incorporated a really nice DIY craft. It’s an astronaut helmet that incorporates the sunglasses, so the kids can really get involved in their protection and also learn about the eclipse that they’re going to be seeing.”

Even with the proper glasses, Winzinger says you shouldn’t stare at the eclipse for more than 30 seconds at a time.

You can receive free pairs of eclipse glasses at the Broome County Health Department, the Broome County Public Library, and at the county office building.

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