Year 3 – 4 | The 5 Es of the Sun, Light and Heat

Protecting My Skin full resource download  |  Concept 2: Heat and UV from the sun: What’s the difference? download

Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate

Background

This lesson explores the concepts of the sun, light and heat. It is aimed to activate students’ prior learning about the sun,
recognising the sun as a source of light and provides an opportunity to monitor their comprehension. This strategy can be
used as a whole group, small groups or pair activity.

Key messages

• The sun produces heat that we can feel and light that we can see. It also produces ultraviolet (UV) radiation that we
  cannot see or feel.
• The sun produces UVA (skin damage, skin cancer, aging, wrinkles), UVB (sunburn, skin cancer) and UVC (doesn’t reach
  earth).
• A sunburn is a radiation burn from the sun. The sun produces ultraviolet (UV) radiation that causes damage to the skin.
• When the UV Index is 3 or above, sun protection is required.
• UV and heat are not the same thing. It is not only when it is hot 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.

Resources

• Activity sheet: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate Template
• Types of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
• Light explained 3: Ultraviolet and Infrared
• How the sun sees you

Instructions

1. Arrange students into pairs or small groups and distribute or display 5E’s template.
2. In pairs or small groups students research and complete the 5E’s inquiry questions.
3. Engage: What do students know about the sun, light, UV and heat?
4. Explore: Students explore how the Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes including night and day, and
   recognise the sun as a source of light. Students can create models or simple experiments to further explore this concept.
5. Explain: Students explain using summary points how the sun is a source of light and its dimensions.
6. Elaborate: Students elaborate and expand on sub-concepts and aspects of heat, UV, and the difference between sun
   and UV and sunburn.
7. Evaluate: Students evaluate their own thinking by connecting what they have learned to exploring how heat can be
   produced in many ways and can move from one object to another and the effects.

Key questions

• Why is the sun so important?
• What does the sun provide us?
• What do you know about the sun, light, UV and heat?
• What does the sun produce that is harmful to our skin?
• Why is it important to protect our skin?
• What are some ways we can protect our skin?
• Do you put on sunscreen or wear a hat on when it is cold outside? Why or Why not?
• What do you see and feel from the sun?
• Why can you get sunburnt on cool days?