Year 3 – 4 | UV Across the Seasons

Protecting My Skin full resource download  |  Concept 3: Our seasons download

Background

This lesson will enable students to demonstrate that it’s not only summer that we need sun protection, but also during
other seasons. It is the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun that causes skin damage not heat. The UV Averages Across
Australian Seasons resource is a visual stimulus that provides students with the opportunity to analyse, interpret and
compare UV levels across the seasons throughout Australia.

Key messages

• The angle of the earth to the sun creates the seasons. The intensity of the sun changes due to this angle. UV levels
  remain fairly constant from day to day despite changes in local weather.
• The UV Index is an open-ended numerical scale that measures the amount of UV radiation reaching the earth’s surface.
• Checking the UV Index forecast helps us determine when the UV Index is 3 or above and sun protection is required.
• UV and heat are not the same thing, it’s not only when it’s hot that we need to use sun protection.
• The UV Index can be 3 or above when it is cool and cloudy too.
• 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.
• The free SunSmart Global UV app tells you when sun protection is recommended for your location using live and or
  forecast UV data.
• We often check the weather forecast, but it is also important to check the daily UV Index to protect our skin from UV
  radiation.

Resources

• Resource sheets: UV Averages Across Australian Seasons
• Activity sheet: Comparing UV Averages Across Australian Seasons
• SunSmart Global UV app
• How to read the daily UV forecast
• Bureau of Meteorology

Instructions

1. Visit the Bureau of Meteorology website and average UV Index maps.
2. Explore the average UV Index in summer, autumn, winter and spring. The maps show the average annual, monthly and
   seasonal values of the UV Index across Australia.
3. Students locate and discuss the area they live in and the UV Index for that time of the year.
4. Interpret what the different colours indicate and use the ‘How to read the daily UV forecast’ poster to assist.
5. Use the UV averages across Australian season maps to complete the activity sheet.

Key questions

• What did you notice about the four different maps of Australia at different times of the year?
• Which season has the lowest UV Index?
• Do you need sun protection in winter? Why? How do you know?
• Which month do you think the UV Index will be at its lowest for your area?