At ISDIN, we are committed to preventing sun damage and skin cancer. Exposure to ultraviolet rays and burns at an early age are a major risk factor for the development of skin cancer in the future. That is why teaching children to protect themselves from the sun has become one of the most effective strategies.
The School Project for Sun Protection aims to raise awareness about the importance of proper protection from the sun. In this way, we join schools to raise awareness among parents and pupils about the effectiveness of proper sun protection.
Set up in 1995, the School Project for Sun Protection has consolidated itself as one of the most important awareness-raising campaigns in Spain.
The general objectives for this stage are as follows:
- To improve or change sun protection attitudes and habits.
- To acquire basic knowledge about the skin.
- To reflect on the benefits of the sun for life on Earth.
- To raise awareness about the risks of the sun for our skin and the consequences of unprotected exposure to the sun’s rays.
- To establish connections between geological, geographical and atmospheric knowledge (the Earth’s orbits and rotation, impacts of the sun’s rays on different surfaces, climates, seasons, ozone layer) and sun protection habits.
- Raise awareness about sustainability and recycling.
Therefore, ISDIN is using this campaign to pass on its experience in the field of sun protection and to emphasise the importance of having healthy sun habits, always from a preventive and awareness-raising perspective. It carries out its work through two dimensions:
• Informing: researching and experimenting
• Internalising: habits and attitudes
In this project we will work on the areas of knowledge regarding the natural, social and cultural environment.
Learning how to live together and inhabit the world implies, among others:
• Using scientific knowledge to understand future situations related to environmental issues, health conservation or the use of technological objects, thus making coherent decisions based on this knowledge.
Contributions of the subject to basic skills:
Communication skills
· Expressing ideas and organising information about geographical, historical, social, natural and technological spaces, facts, problems and phenomena in an efficient and understandable way.
· Communicating ideas and information orally, in writing, visually and through ICTs to inform, convince and discuss.
· Identifying relevant data related to the subject in texts from various origins that use different communication channels.
· Asking questions that can be researched.
· Using work planning skills.
· Using skills for gathering and processing information.
· Using critical and creative thinking for information analysis, problem solving and decision making.
· Sharing knowledge and skills with family and friends.
· Designing and implementing individual and group projects in a responsible and creative way.
Content about the natural environment stems from various scientific disciplines such as biology, physics, geology, chemistry and technology. This knowledge should enable primary school pupils to ask themselves questions about phenomena in the natural world and the effects of human activity on the environment, and to develop rational explanations that take into account the observations and guide their actions.
· Knowledge about:
· Living things: what characterises them and how they interrelate with each other and with the environment. In this way, it will be possible to understand the need to preserve their diversity and different habitats and the need for people to adopt lifestyles that make it possible to maintain their own and collective health.
· Skills and strategies to look for answers or solutions to scientific or technological problems by posing researchable questions and hypotheses; to design, as a team, processes to answer them; to collect data and organise them; to identify patterns and draw conclusions based on the evidence obtained; to build models or prototypes; and to describe and justify (orally, graphically and in writing) the process carried out and the results obtained. In short, the scientific and technological knowledge that must be acquired during Primary Education should allow pupils to start looking for possible answers to problems or questions related to their environment that are socially relevant, making it possible to give meaning to their actions. At the same time, children should begin to appreciate the enjoyment in finding rational explanations for the facts and the usefulness of applying scientific procedures and attitudes.
· Using different communication systems to express and communicate the contents of the subject in a personal and creative way; selecting and interpreting data expressed through different codes (linguistic, numerical and graphic); and reflecting on the learning process itself.
· Acting in accordance with health and personal hygiene habits stemming from the knowledge of the human body, and showing an attitude of critical acceptance and respect for individual differences (age, gender, physical features and personality).
· Actively participating in group work; adopting a responsible, supportive, cooperative and responsive attitude; arguing one’s own opinions and comparing them with those of others; respecting the basic principles of democratic functioning.
· Using language as a tool to build knowledge and share it with others, always based on the development of the skills related to the subject (description, explanation, justification, interpretation and reasoning).
· Appreciating the enjoyment of finding rational explanations for facts and problems identified in our environment and valuing the usefulness of applying scientific procedures and attitudes.
· Identifying and justifying habits related to hygiene, rest, physical exercise and a varied and balanced diet for a healthy life. Identifying messages and practices that are not conducive to good personal and health development.
Evaluation criteria:
· To positively value the practice of certain habits associated with hygiene, food, physical exercise and rest that it is advisable to maintain and, at the same time, to discern the activities that are harmful to health.
Connections to other areas:
· Understanding and producing oral, written and audio-visual messages.
· Adopting health and hygiene habits.
The specific material developed by ISDIN for the higher level (pupils between 9 and 11 years old) consists of the following elements:
- An introductory video summarising the main contents of the project:
- The sun
- The sun and its benefits
- The sun and its risks
- The skin
- Skin and sun exposure: consequences
- Essential sun protection measures
Two activities for each year linked to the video, by means of which we seek to reinforce and cement the knowledge acquired in the video using a very visual language.
- For pupils in 4th year, the material includes the group experiment “Skin has a memory” and the online game “True or False?”
- For pupils in 5th year, the material includes the group activity “The impact of radiation” and the online game “Complete the sentences”
- For pupils in 6th year, the material includes the Kahoot! “Sun, skin and sun protection” activity and the activity “What do we know about Sun protection?”, which aims to group and display all the knowledge acquired throughout the sun protection project during the 3rd year of ECE to the 6th year of PE.
To start these activities, you have this teacher’s guide, which includes the necessary guidelines and suggestions. The pupils have a researcher’s notebook in which they will find the tasks required to carry out all the activities (it can be downloaded in PDF format at www.isdinsunlab.com).
Once all the activities have been completed, we suggest that each pupil takes home the sun protection certificate. The aim of this is to involve their family so that they undertake the commitment to follow healthy habits in the future.
It is suggested that they hang the certificate in a visible place in the house (e.g. fridge, front door, etc.). The certificate can be found in the private area of www.isdinsunlab.com
To finish up and ensure that the concepts are absorbed and that learning about sun protection continues, we propose that you encourage the pupils to try the games on www.isdinsunlab.com. In doing so, they will learn while they have fun.
The activities have been designed for pupils in 4th, 5th and 6th year of primary education. All three years share the video resource. Based on this, two activities are planned for each year: one on paper and the other on the digital whiteboard or touch screen.
The activities of each course are scheduled to take place in two sessions of about forty minutes.
With the activities that we will carry out in the three years at this level, we want to encourage the pupil to reflect, critically analyse and search for solutions, and promote the acquisition of healthy habits using a fun and stimulating approach.
The experiment requires several worksheets to be completed, which the pupils can find in the researcher’s notebook, in which:
• They will start by using their own knowledge, relating it to future learning (worksheet 1);
• They will describe their hypotheses and plan their learning (worksheet 2);
• They will conduct the experiment through a series of steps and reflect on the new content (worksheet 3);
• Finally, they will evaluate their own learning process (worksheet 4); Furthermore, it is important to note that the transfer and association of knowledge to other contexts facilitates their learning and assimilation in the long term.
At the end of the activities, the pupils will be able to:
(a) Correctly follow the instructions to carry out the activity;
(b) Establish hypotheses to try to answer the questions posed;
(c) Use the results obtained for their arguments and hypothesis testing;
(d) Understand the importance of variables such as the impact of the sun on the Earth’s surface or the importance of protecting the skin from the sun’s rays;
(e) List sun protection habits;
(f) Know what is the most suitable sunscreen for each of them.
Once worksheet 1 has been completed, it is time to tell the pupils what the experiment detailed in this guide will consist of.
On this worksheet, they will have to answer a question, anticipating what they are going to learn in this activity.
With this worksheet, we want the pupils to begin creating their own working hypothesis, encouraging reflection prior to performing the activity, thus facilitating autonomous learning. This way of working is part of the “Learning to Learn” skill, since the pupils will start becoming aware of their own abilities when tackling the task at hand.
For this activity, the following items are needed:
- Plasticine
- A sponge or foam rubber
“Skin has a memory” activity
Worksheet 1: Activate what you know
To begin the activity, worksheet 1 “Activate what you know” must be completed. The pupils will start by using their previous knowledge, being able to deepen and expand it.
Below, we provide you with the solutions to activity 5 on this worksheet:
Question 1 - The altitude is... Solution B
Question 2 - The Earth’s orbit causes... Solution B
Question 3 - If the sun shines on the Earth... Solution C
Question 4 - The sun... Solution B
Question 5 - The skin is made up of... Solution C
Pupils must place their fingers in the plasticine and in the foam rubber or sponge; in this way, and by means of a comparison with the plasticine as the protagonist, the pupils will understand that the skin has a memory, so the damage and risks to which our skin cells are exposed leave a mark, making it more vulnerable to diseases and damage. For this reason, it is important to be properly protected from the sun from infancy.
Below, we provide you with the solutions to activity 1 on worksheet 2: 1. The sponge recovers its shape, but the plasticine does not as my fingers are imprinted on the surface.
Worksheet 4: Conclusions
Once the learning process has been completed, they will be able to provide their conclusions on worksheet 4 and evaluate the learning process and outcomes.
Solutions
Below, we provide you with the answers to the game’s questions:
- Apply sunscreen at home, just before you leave - FALSE
- Apply a small amount all over your body - FALSE
- Don’t forget ears, hands and feet and especially sensitive areas such as the nose, lips and insteps - TRUE
- One application protects you all day long - FALSE
- If it is cloudy, you do not need to protect your skin from the sun - FALSE
- Be especially careful when you are in the mountains, when there is snow or when you are at the beach or the swimming pool - TRUE
- Try to expose yourself to the sun between 12 noon and 4 pm as the solar radiation hits Earth more vertically and is more intense - FALSE
- If it’s hot, drink water often - TRUE
- Wear sunscreen every day of the year - TRUE
- There are five things you should always have to protect yourself from the sun: hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, t-shirt and water - TRUE
- After being exposed to the sun, your skin is very dry. Rehydrate it well with after-sun, which will also help to refresh it - TRUE
- Skin rejuvenates with the sun - FALSE
“The impact of radiation” activity
Worksheet 1: Activate what you know
To begin the activity, the group should complete worksheet 1 called “Activate what you know”. The pupils will start by using their previous knowledge, being able to deepen and expand it.
The questions on worksheet 1 are designed not only to activate the contents learnt in other years, but also to present new contents that are necessary for the development of the experiment.
Below, we provide you with the solutions for this worksheet:
Day - Night
Rotation - Orbit
Sun - Solar radiation
Skin - Dermis, epidermis, hypodermis
Chlorophyll - Photosynthesis
North - South
Melanin - Tan
Sunscreen - Sunblock
Phototype - Skin tone
Latitude - Altitude
Worksheet 2: Hypothesis
On this worksheet, they will have to answer a question, anticipating what they are going to learn in this activity.
With this worksheet, we want the pupils to begin creating their own working hypothesis, encouraging reflection prior to performing the activity, thus facilitating autonomous learning. This way of working is part of the “Learning to Learn” skill, since the pupils will start becoming aware of their own abilities when tackling the task at hand.
For this activity, the following items are needed:
- A torch
- A sheet of paper
- A pencil
On this worksheet, pupils will check which of their hypotheses stated at the end of sheet 1 is true. To do this, they must shine a torch on a sheet of paper vertically from a distance of 30 cm and draw the outline of the torch light on the sheet. Keeping the same distance, the effect of the torch on the sheet should be varied; tilt it, and redraw the outline.
Both surfaces will be compared and the question will be answered that leads them to conclude that the surface is larger for the rays that beam down in a more diagonal direction; consequently, by having to heat a larger surface, the heat is dispersed and a lower temperature is reached.
“Complete the sentence” activity
Solutions
Below, we provide you with the answers to the game’s questions: Apply sunscreen at home – to dry skin, 30 minutes before leaving. Apply a sufficient amount - all over your body.
Remember that just one application - does not protect you all day. Wear sunscreen - every day of the year.
Be especially careful - when you are in the mountains, in the snow and at the beach or pool. Try to avoid exposure to the sun - between 12 noon and 4 pm
If it is hot - drink water often
There are five things you should always have to protect yourself from the sun: hat, sunglasses, t-shirt, water and sunscreen.
After being exposed to the sun - rehydrate your skin with after-sun.
Below you will find the solutions for this worksheet: When shining vertically, the sun’s rays heat a smaller surface and so this surface reaches a higher temperature.
“Kahoot!” activity
Click on the following link: https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/2db52626-200a-4d32-b412-582c6e48d7bf
If you have a Kahoot! account, log in with your username and password.
If you do not have an account, you can participate anyway. You do not need to have a Kahoot! account to take part.
Kahoot! is a free learning platform that uses games so that pupils learn in an appealing, entertaining and inclusive way.
It is a platform that allows you to create questionnaires in a test format, which the pupils have to answer in teams through their own device within a set time.
How do you play?
Kahoot! uses two profiles: the teacher’s profile and that of the pupils.
The teacher controls their profile from their computer or tablet and acts as coordinator. The pupils act as participants grouped in teams. Each team needs a computer or tablet to participate.
Mechanics
By clicking the link, you can choose between “Classic” or “Team mode”. To play in a group with the pupils, we will choose “Team mode”. A six-digit numerical code will then appear on the screen.
Pupils must access www.kahoot.com from their computers or tablets and enter the code. They will have to enter a name for their team. The groups will appear on the coordinator’s screen as they are registered.
Once all the teams have registered, the teacher can start the questionnaire. The teacher’s computer will display the questions, each with four possible answers. The teacher’s screen will be shared through a projector or a digital whiteboard.
Pupils can manage their profile from their computers or tablets. On their profile, they will see four icons representing the four answers by means of a colour code.
Pupils must read and choose an answer within a maximum of 20 seconds. At the end of the questionnaire, we will see the results of the teams in the form of a ranking.
Solutions
1 - Why do we need the sun? Solution B
2 -The body makes vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun. What is vitamin D for? Solution C
3 -How far away from the Earth is the sun? Solution D
4 -Plants absorb solar energy and carry out photosynthesis. Is this process necessary? Solution C
5 - How many types of ultraviolet rays are there? Solution B
6 -What kind of ultraviolet radiation reaches the Earth? Solution D
7 -What are the layers of the skin? Solution B
8 -What is the name of our body’s natural protection against solar radiation? Solution A
9 -What is responsible for sunburn and lowered defences? Solution B
10 -What is responsible for skin aging and sun allergies? Solution A
11 -What is a phototype? Solution D
12 - How many phototypes are there? Solution D
13 - There are places where the intensity of the sun increases. Where should we be especially careful? Solution C
14 - At what times should we avoid the sun since (because) the radiation is more intense? Solution A
15 - What is sunscreen? Solution A
16 - Do we have to protect ourselves from the sun every day of the year? Solution D
17 - Which areas of the body are particularly sensitive? Solution C
18 - How can we help our skin avoid sunburn? Solution B
The objective of this activity is to create a poster containing all that has been learnt about the sun, skin and sun protection.
The different posters will be used to convey the knowledge acquired throughout the years of training.
The activity can be carried out in groups. First, the topics that will be dealt with must be decided in class. Once all the topics have been listed, a topic will be assigned to each group in order to achieve a linear presentation of all that has been learnt and to ensure that all the concepts are covered.
The presentation can be used to explain the topic to other classmates, to school staff who have not received the training or to the younger children in the school.
It is just as important to learn to protect yourself adequately from the sun, as to be aware of the need for responsible management of empty sunscreen containers.
The project adds sustainability criteria, incorporating the responsibility of recycling. Remind your students that recycling correctly helps reduce the impact on the environment and turn waste into new resources.
The following table provides the tools to evaluate the pupils according to the project objectives. The indicators provided will allow you to assess the level of achievement of the different objectives.
To improve or change sun protection attitudes and habits
To acquire basic knowledge about the skin
To reflect on the benefits of the sun for life on Earth
To raise awareness about the risks of the sun for our skin and the consequences of unprotected exposure to the sun’s rays
To establish connections between geological, geographical and atmospheric knowledge and sun protection habits
Indicators
The pupil understands and knows the habits and behaviours for responsible sun protection.
The pupil knows the structure of the skin and the effects of solar radiation on it.
The pupil can identify the main benefits and dangers of the sun and understands the importance of the sun.
The pupil understands and can identify the dangers of unprotected sun exposure.
The pupil understands the impact of solar radiation depending on the time, surfaces and geographical location and has assimilated the importance of sun protection habits.