Students Gearing Up For Solar Eclipse In Rancho Cordova

RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13) — Students at Riverview STEM Academy are about to get a first-hand look at the solar eclipse on Monday.

Over the past week, they have been learning about the rare event to prepare themselves for the big day.

One teacher even constructed a model to explain how the eclipse works.

Word about the upcoming solar-eclipse is heating up at Riverview STEM Academy.

Siya Mishra is one of the fifth-graders who have been teaching other students at her school about the rare event.

"I'm very excited since it's a once in a lifetime opportunity," says Mishra.

Mishra says she's counting down to Monday when she gets to see the eclipse.

"This is the perfect opportunity because not only are they studying about it, they are making models," said Valerie Lanich.

Lanich has been teaching her fifth graders everything about a solar eclipse.

"I explained to them that on Monday, the sun, the moon, and the Earth were going to be in perfect alignment and that some parts of the U.S. are gonna be in the path," Lanich added.

Because this eclipse is such a rare event, Lanich says she doesn't want to pass up the opportunity to have her students experience a part of history.

"These glasses have a special lens on them that has been certified, and they are safe for a person to wear and look at the sun without damaging their eyes."

Lanich is supplying the eclipse shades to every student in her class -- and the school.

Preparations are underway for the highly-anticipated eclipse, and one student sums up the way the whole school is feeling:

"I'm very psyched, very."

Lanich says one of the fears adults have about the eclipse is they believe that the sun is more intense; she says that's not the case, in fact, the moon is blocking part of the sun -- which means there will be less light.