The Skin Cancer Foundation has developed the FREE Sun Smart U program to help educators expose students to the importance of sun protection and give them the tools they need to prevent skin cancer. Sun Smart U features video stories of young adults living with melanoma and their advice for teens. The program aims to make sun safety behaviors like wearing sun-protective clothing and sunscreen automatic and easy for students. The curriculum also emphasizes the importance of early detection with information about the warning signs of skin cancer. Teachers may select one of three formats for their classrooms: a SMART or Promethean interactive whiteboard, or PowerPoint. Through classroom instruction and activities, these lessons are a fun and easy way to teach students lifelong sun safety habits. In the Rays Awareness lesson, students learn about ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and tanning beds, how it affects the skin, and why protecting themselves from UV exposure is critical to preventing skin cancer. The lesson includes a Sun Smart Steps animated segment, a Skin Type Quiz, and a Celeb Skin Twin activity. An interactive True or False activity gauges students’ prior knowledge of skin cancer, while video segments relay true stories from young adults who have had melanoma. The instructional component consists of vivid images to help students develop an understanding of different skin cancers and to recognize their warning signs.Free Sun Safety Education Program
Lesson: Rays Awareness
Teacher Resources
