Year 5 – 6 | Puppet Show

Protecting My Skin full resource download  |  Concept 5: Taking positive action to reduce risk: Promoting and actioning effective sun protection strategies download

Background

In this lesson, students create puppets and develop a SunSmart story that will be presented to younger students. The aim
is to help students understand the importance of sharing the SunSmart message to their younger peers and that being a
positive role model can influence how younger students behave. Students can create characters for their puppets using
SunSmart objects such as Simon Sunscreen and Hattie the Hat or Ronald the Rashie, etc.

Key messages

• Create a culture where sun protection is valued and recognised as part of health and safety
• Younger children look up to their older peers and are easily influenced by them. With older students, role modelling the
  five sun protection practices – Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide – their younger peers are more likely to copy and adopt
  these practices
• UV and heat are not the same thing
• The UV index can be 3 or above when it is cool and cloudy
• Broad-brimmed, legionnaire or bucket hats provide the best sun protection from UV radiation as they cover the face,
  neck, ears, and crown of the head
• Caps are not sun protective because they only protect your scalp and forehead
• SPF50 or SPF50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen offers the best protection because it protects the skin from both UVA and
  UVB radiation. Apply sunscreen generously 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every 2 hours, layer it and do
  not rub it in
• For best protection when the UV index is 3 or above, use all five forms of protection: clothing, sunscreen, a broadbrimmed
  hat, shade, and sunglasses.

Resources

• Recycled materials
• Range of art and craft materials
• SunSmart objects
• Generation SunSmart
• Optional: socks, gloves

Instructions

1. Ask key questions to generate discussion.
2. Organise students into small groups.
3. Brainstorm ideas about how to make their puppets and what the puppet show story could be about. Note: The puppet
   show must incorporate sun safety messages.
4. Plan, design, create and practice performing their puppet show.
5. Perform the puppet show.

Key questions

• What does it mean to be SunSmart?
• Why is it important to share the SunSmart message?