SunWise with SHADE 2012 Poster Contest SHADE SunWi: vi/ a program that radiates good ideas A Partnership Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/sunwise RESORT ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest 2011 National Poster Contest Winner and Finalists 2011 National Poster Contest Finalists 2011 National Poster Contest Winner (from Michigan) ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest a program that radiatai good ideas A Partnership Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/sunwise Dear Teacher, www.shadefoundation.org You are cordially invited to participate in the SunWise with SHADE 2012 Annual Poster Contest. We are pleased to announce that we will again be partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's SunWise program to provide you with additional educational resources included in this guide. By participating in this contest, your students join the more than 100,000 students who have submitted posters over the past nine years. Plus, 4th-8th grade state winners will receive both individual and school prizes, and will be entered into a national contest for a family trip to Disney World. The top five K-3rd grade entries will also receive prizes. Being sun-safe is important because half of all cancers in the United States are skin cancers, and one in five Americans will develop this disease during their lifetime. By following the SunWise action steps, we can teach children to protect themselves from ultraviolet radiation at a young age, decreasing their chances of developing skin cancer later in life. The activities included in this guide will help you teach your students some basic information about sun safety. Feel free to modify these activities to best suit your classroom. If you like the sample activities and want a FREE SunWise Tool Kit, containing over 50 cross-curricular activities for grades K-8, please sign up at www.epa.gov/sunwise/becoming.html. Finally, remind your students to include at least five of the SunWise action steps listed on page 5 of this guide in their poster and to attach the official entry form. To see winning posters from previous contests, and to learn more about the poster contest and prizes for this year, please visit our website at www.shadefoundation.org/poster-contest.php. Good luck and remember to Limit the Sun, Not the Fun! Shonda Schilling Founder SHADE Foundation of America Sue Gorham Executive Director SHADE Foundation of America The SHADE Foundation logo is a registered trademark of the SHADE Foundation. SunWise is a registered trademark of the U.S. EPA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. By sponsoring this Poster Contest, no company is receiving the endorsement of the SHADE Foundation or the U.S. EPA. ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest SunWise with SHADE 2012 Poster Contest Table of Contents Introduction-The Importance of Being SunWise 5 Poster Contest Information 6 How to Submit a Poster 7 SunWise Classroom Activities Activity (Grades K-2): Speedy Sun Relay Race 9 Activity (Grades 3-5): Measure Your Shadow 10 Activity (Grades 6-8): SunWise Surveyor 11 Additional Classroom Ideas. 12 ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest Introduction - The Importance of Being SunWise While some exposure to sunlight can be enjoyable, too much can be dangerous. Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight can result in a painful sunburn. It can also lead to more serious health effects like skin cancer and cataracts. Children particularly need sun protection education since unprotected exposure to the sun during youth puts them at an increased lifetime risk for skin cancer. Most people are not aware that skin cancer, while largely preventable, is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than two million cases diagnosed annually. By following a number of simple steps, you can still enjoy your time in the sun while protecting yourself from overexposure. SunWise Action Steps: Do Not Burn Avoid Sun Tanning and Tanning Beds Generously Apply Sunscreen SPF 15+ Wear Protective Clothing Such as a Hat, Sunglasses and Full-Length Clothing Seek Shade Use Extra Caution Near Water, Snow and Sand Watch for the UV Index ~ a forecast of UV intensity Get Vitamin D Safely Health Effects of Sun Overexposure: Since the appearance of an "ozone hole" over the Antarctic in the early 1980s, Americans have become aware of the health threats posed by ozone depletion, which decreases the earth's natural protection from the sun's harmful UV rays. Understanding these risks and taking a few sensible precautions will help you enjoy the sun while lowering your chances of sun-related health problems later in life. Some adverse effects of sun overexposure include: Melanoma Skin Cancer Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Premature Aging and Wrinkling of the Skin Cataracts and Other Eye Damage UV Index: The UV Index provides a daily forecast of the expected risk of overexposure to the sun. For more information on the UV Index and the Ozone Layer, please visit EPA's website at www.epa.gov/sunwise. UV Index Exposure Category UVI Range The UV Index was developed by: ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest Create a Poster: SunWise with SHADEฎ 2012 Annual Poster Contest Information Children in kindergarten through 8th grade are eligible to enter the SunWise with SHADEฎ 2012 Annual Poster Contest for great prizes! Entries are categorized by K-3rd grades and 4th-8th grades. Submitted posters must meet the following criteria (or risk disqualification): > Be original and drawn by hand > Paper size must be 8 1A x 11 inches > Posters must include at least five Sun-Safety Action Steps (see page 5) > Attach the official entry form to the back of each poster submitted (see page 7) > Entries must be received no later than April 1, 2012 > Correct spelling and grammar must be used in the 4th-8th grade category Posters will be judged based on: > Ability to SHOW at least five of the SunWise action steps (as opposed to using only words) > Creativity > Originality > Quality of artwork State Prizes are to be determined. Past prizes include digital cameras and scrapbooking kits for students as well as UV Index monitors, UV color-changing beads, UV color-changing frisbees, and sunscreen for the classrooms of winning students. National Prizes: Kindergarten through 3rd grade: > Digital camera for top five entries 4th through 8th grade: > A family trip to Disney World for the national contest winner > A Shade 'N Net shade structure (to the value of $12,000) for the national contest winner's school Certain restrictions apply. Please see the website for more details. Prizes are subject to change. Additional prizes may be offered in specific states. For more information on your specific state's prizes and procedures, please visit the SHADE Foundation website at www.shadefoundation.org/poster-contest.php The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not endorse any of the sponsors or take part in the procurement of prizes. The entrant understands that EPA and/or the SHADE Foundation intend to reproduce -winning posters on the -web and in future promotional materials such as the Poster Contest Guide. By submitting a poster, the entrant gives a perpetual, royalty free license to U.S. EPA and the SHADE Foundation to copy, distribute, make derivative -works, and publicly display the submitted poster. Posters will not be returned. ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest How to Submit a Poster: Teachers: 1. Please complete the upper section of the form and duplicate the form for distribution to your students. 2. Ensure that each student's name, age, gender, and grade level are provided on the bottom section of the form. All information is required. 3. Attach the completed form to the back of each child's poster. 4. DO NOT write any identifying information on the front of the poster. 5. All entries must be received by April 1, 2012. 6. Mail poster entries with completed form attached to the back of each poster to: SunWise with SHADE Poster Contest c/o Linda Rutsch 13502 Round Tree Court Silver Spring, MD 20906 a program that radiates good ideas A Partnership Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/sunwise Teacher's Name: (Mr./Mrs./Ms.) (circle) School Name: Poster Contest Entry Form Email: School Address: City: State: ZIP: School Phone Number: School Fax Number: Did you enter in 2011? YES NO Did you enter in a prior year? YES NO Is your school participating in the SunWise program? YES NO Not Sure How did you hear about the contest? Child's Name: _Age:_ Grade Level: Circle One: Girl Boy ------- This page intentionally left blank. ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest ACTIVITY: Speedy Sun Relay Race (Grades K-2) Estimated Time 30 minutes Supplies One set of the following sun-safe and non-sun-safe clothes and items for each team: > Long-sleeved shirt (preferably with collar) > Long pants (optional) > Hats (wide-brimmed, cowboy) > Sunglasses > Empty bottles of sunscreen, some with SPFs of 15 and higher, some with lower SPFs > Shoes (optional) > Various other articles of clothing that are not sun-safe, like tank tops, t-shirts, shorts, baseball caps, visors, etc. Note: Make sure that the clothes are large enough for each student to put on and take off easily. Learning Objective This activity will challenge students to think quickly about sun-safe behavior by selecting correct sun-safe clothes when presented with several options. Assess whether the students learned how these clothes will help protect them from the sun's harmful UV rays by asking them the following questions: > What are three items that the model is wearing that you would pick to protect yourself? Explain why you chose these three items. > How many of you dress like the model when you play outside? Why do you think dressing like this is safer for you? > Explain why you would take these actions. Directions Organize the class into teams of five or more and line them up at the start of the racecourse. Place the pile of clothes at the other end of the racecourse. Have each team select one student to be the sun-safe model. This student will stay at the starting point of the race, donning sun-safe clothes. The other team members should each take turns running to the pile of clothes, selecting one item, and bringing it back to the model. The first team to have a completely sun-safe model is the winner. The sun-safe models should be wearing a protective hat, long-sleeved shirt, and sunglasses, and be carrying a bottle of sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher. Incorrectly dressed models must decide what they are missing, and the other team members must continue bringing back items until the model is sun-safe. This activity is reprinted from the U.S. EPA's SunWise Tool Kit. To register to receive a free tool kit, visit www.epa.gov/sunwise. ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest ACTIVITY: Measure Your Shadow (Grades 3-5) Estimated Time Two to three 15-minute intervals during one day. Supplies > Chalk (a different color for each trip outside) > Yardstick / meterstick Learning Objective The objective of this activity is to demonstrate to students what causes a shadow, how shadows change from morning to evening, and how they can tell by the length of their shadows what times of day they should seek protection from the sun's harmful UV rays. Directions Instruct the students to make a chart on a piece of paper to record the time they traced the shadows and the size of the shadows. Also, each student should record his/her own height for comparison. The chart will need two columns and three rows. The top of the chart should be labeled "time" and "measurement." The side of the chart should be labeled "first shadow," "second shadow," and "third shadow" (if a third interval is used). Take the students outside two to three times during the day (once around noon). Have students choose a partner. Instruct the students to trace their partner's shadow using a piece of chalk on the cement surface of the schoolyard. They should begin tracing the shadow from the feet. They should write their names inside their shadows. Students should use the yardstick to measure the length of the shadows each time they trace them. Students should record the measurement and time in their charts. When everyone goes back outside later in the day, have each student stand on the feet of their own shadow and have their partner retrace their new shadow on top of the original. Again, they should record the measurement and time in their charts. Questions and Answers 1 What makes your shadow? The rays of the sun shining on one side of your body generate a shadow that is projected away from your body. 2 Do you always have a measurable shadow? Yes. When the sun is overhead at noon, the projection of the shadow is much shorter than it is during the rest of the day. 3 Is your shadow always the same size? No. Your shadow is long in the early morning and late afternoon and short during midday. 4 How much time passed between your first and last shadow? Students should count the hours and minutes on a watch or clock to find the number. 5 What is the difference between your measurements? Students should subtract to find the answer. 6 What is the shadow rule? "No shadow, seek shade. " This activity is reprinted from the U.S. EPA's SunWise Tool Kit. To register to receive a free tool kit, visit www.epa.gov/sunwise. 10 ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest ACTIVITY: SunWise Surveyor (Grades 6-8) Estimated Time One to two class periods Supplies Clipboards (optional) Measuring tapes, yardsticks or metersticks Learning Objective This activity will raise student awareness of daytime exposure to the sun. Students will focus on the amount of shade provided for their outdoor hours at school, and the impor- tance of providing sun-safe areas on the property. to design a more sun-safe playground (see the " the complete kit). To conduct a comprehensive SHADE Audit, download the CDC*s Shade Planning for America's Schools at < www. epa. gov/sunwise/ educator_resources.html > Assess student comprehension by asking students You Are the Architect'' activity found in Directions Tell your students that they are surveyors who have been assigned to determine the current availability of shade on your school's property in order to help school administrators decide if the grounds are sun-safe. Have the class take a survey of the grounds during a period of time when students are present, such as recess or lunchtime. Have the students begin by drawing a scaled map of the school grounds, observing and marking on the map the most popular places where students congregate and play. These Play Areas can include sports fields, jungle gyms, blacktops, eating areas, and any other places where kids hang out. Now have students survey and mark the parts of the Play Areas that are covered in shade. Have the students measure the dimensions of the Play Areas, record their results, and measure the shade-covered portions of these areas. For circular-shaped areas, such as under a tree, students will measure the diameters and calculate the areas of the shady spot, and write down these results as well. Questions and Answers 1 What is the total area of the Play Areas on your school's grounds? Answers will vary. Students will determine this figure using algebraic formulae to calculate the area of each Play Area, then adding the sums together. A=l*w 2 What is the total area of the portions of those Play Areas covered by shade? Answers will vary. Students will determine this figure using algebraic formulae to calculate the area of each shade-covered area, then add the sums together. 3 What percentage of the Play Area on your school's grounds is sun-safe? This answer will be determined by dividing the total area of shady spots by the total area of the Play Areas. This activity was adapted from the California Department of Health Services School Shade Protocol, Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Section, and is reprinted from the U.S. EPA 's SunWise Tool Kit. To register to receive a free tool kit, visit www. epa. gov/sunwise. 11 ------- SunWise with SHADE* 2012 Poster Contest Use these additional ideas for more fun in the sun! Ideas for Your Classroom and School Students may decide to engage in activities in their individual classrooms or school-wide to promote sun safety awareness. Here are a few ideas to help get started: Classroom may adopt one strategy to protect students from sun (e.g. Sun Safety Day where everyone wears a hat, applies sunscreen before going outside, identifies the daily UV Index, etc.) Plant trees (e.g. start a commemorative program where donations can lead to planting trees on your school grounds, raise funds to purchase shade trees, etc.) Hold a sun safety awareness celebration during National Skin Cancer Prevention month in May Take the Don't Fry Day pledge at http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/dfdpledge.html Create a sun protection bulletin board to display sun safety action steps and related environmental features like the UV Index Coordinate a fundraiser to raise money to buy the school a shade structure for the playground area Organize a shade team to conduct a shade audit of the school grounds and brainstorm ideas of how to increase the amount of shade Coordinate with the school nurse and PTO to organize a school health fair and display information on different health topics, including skin cancer prevention Have your students serve as peer educators and teach younger children about sun safety Use your SunWiseฎ Tool Kit: Make learning about the importance of sun safety fun! If you don't already have one, order your free kit today at www.epa.gov/sunwise/becoming.html. Follow Up: Use the following resources to get facts, tips and other important information on sun exposure and its effects. www. shadefoundation. org www. epa. gov/sunwi se/ www. cancer, org www.cdc.gov/cancer/nscpep/ a program that radiates good ideas A Partnership Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/sunwise 12 ------- |