Year 3 – 4 | Power of the Sun Art

Protecting My Skin full resource download  |  Concept 1: The sun and our skin download

Background

Students can create wonderful artwork using the power of the sun, while learning about the harmful effects of ultraviolet
(UV) radiation. The sun produces 3 things; heat you can feel, light you can see and UV that you cannot see or feel. UVB
is known to cause sunburn and contribute to skin cancer risk and UVA penetrates the deeper layers of skin and can also
contribute to skin cancer from DNA damage. This activity demonstrates to students how sunscreen and protective clothing
counteracts or screens the effects of the sun’s UV radiation.

Key messages

• We often check the weather forecast, but it is also important to check the daily UV Index forecast to protect our skin
  from UV radiation.
• When the UV Index is 3 or above, sun protection is required.
• UV radiation is invisible, you cannot see or feel it.
• UV and heat are not the same thing. It is not only when it is hot that we need to use sun protection. The UV Index can be
  3 or above when it is cool and cloudy too.
• UV radiation can bounce and reflect off surfaces, so it is important to use a combination of sun protection strategies:
  Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide.
• When UV levels are at their peak, minimise time outdoors during these times.

Resources

• Sunscreen
• UV photo-sensitive paper (Sunprint Kit-available online)\
• Leaves, flowers or feathers
• Cardboard cut into size (for stability)
• Bowl of water
• Timer

Instructions

1. Place the leaves onto the Sunprint paper and assemble in order: cardboard, Sunprint paper, leaves and then the acrylic
   sheet.
2. Expose to the sun until the paper turns almost white, from 1-5 minutes depending on the sunlight. Be careful not to
   overexpose the paper.
3. Quickly rinse the Sunprint paper with water for about 1 minute and dry flat. The paper may appear very white at first,
   but as the paper dries the blue paper and white print becomes brighter and clearer.
4. Optional – frame the Sunprint artwork using pop sticks glued together along the edges of the paper.

Variation

• Use sunscreen: apply sunscreen onto a plastic sleeve using your finger or cotton tip. Assemble in order: cardboard,
  Sunprint paper, acrylic sheet and sunscreen on the plastic sleeve
• Experiment using a UV torch on the paper, rather than natural sunlight.

Key questions

• What is UV radiation?
• Why do you think the paper changed colour?
• What are some ways we can protect our skin?
• Why is it important to protect our skin?
• What does the UV Index tell us?