Year 3 – 4 | SunSmart Skip and Spell

Protecting My Skin full resource download  |  Concept 4: Keeping Your Skin Sun Safe download

Background

SunSmart Skip and Spell is a super fun spelling game using words associated with sun protection and ultraviolet (UV)
radiation. The idea behind the activity is to practice spelling a bank of SunSmart words through repetition so that students
can confidently transfer and use these words in their writing, reading and other activities. It is also a great opportunity to
consolidate the meaning behind each term and develop their vocabulary around the sun protection topic.

Key messages

• Best sun protection practices are using a combination of Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide.
• UV can bounce and reflect off surfaces, so using a combination of sun protection measures will provide the best
  protection.
• Skin damage is caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, not temperature.
• A cool or overcast day can have similar UV levels to a warm, sunny day.
• UV and heat are not the same thing, it’s not only when it is hot that we need to use sun protection.

Resources

• Dice
• SunSmart bank of words
• Student spelling or exercise book

Instructions

1. Brainstorm and create a word bank of SunSmart words. See examples below.
2. Select a student to roll the dice, or students can complete this activity independently.
3. Choose one of the SunSmart words from the word bank and write them in a list on the white board.
4. Roll the dice to determine which word you will start with, for example if a number 4 is rolled, start with the fourth word
   on the spelling list (protection) and write that word four times.
5. Roll the dice again to determine the number of repeats and the number of words to skip. For example, if a 3 is rolled, you
   skip the next 3 words on the list to determine the next word, (sunscreen) and write that word 3 times.
6. Repeat rolling the dice, skipping that number of words on the list and then writing that word repeatedly based on the
   number rolled.

Variation

• Student or teacher may use a shuffle app or timer app to control pace and timing or skipping repetition.
• Students who have words with less letters may utilise longer recovery periods or have more repetitions.

Example bank of SunSmart words

• radiation
• ultraviolet
• sun
• protection
• sunburn
• exposure
• sunscreen