Safe Fun in the Sun Sun Safety School Health Program Welcome and introductions. School Health Program Ottawa Public Health 2013

I like to ______ in the sun. Prompt notes: Ask students what outdoor activities they like to do.

Too much sun can…. Prompting questions: Ask students if anyone has ever gotten a sunburn after doing any of those activities. What did it look like? (pink, red, blistery) How did it feel? (hot, tight, stinging..) What caused the sunburn? (being out in the sun too long, not enough/any sunscreen) Besides sunburns, how else can the sun hurt you? The sun can: Burn your skin Damage your eyes Cause wrinkles Makes it hard for your body to fight germs that make you sick Cause skin cancer

Be sun smart! Look at this picture. Are these people being sun smart? How do you know? Ask students how they can protect themselves from a sunburn. You must know your ABCs: Avoid the Sun…seek shade Umbrella Trees Sun Shelters Stay indoors Shadow Test (we will talk about this later) Block the rays Use sunscreen of SPF 30 or more (Sun Protection Factor) Put the sunscreen on 20 minutes before going outside Put more sunscreen on every 2 hours, after swimming or sweating 3. Cover up Hats (legionnaire hats, wide brim) Sunglasses Clothing Say something/Tell everyone. Be aware. What are the signs that you or someone else are getting too much sun? *Skin gets hot *Fatigue *Skin gets red *Thirst

Agree/Disagree Activity: Agree/Disagree Activity Question and Answer Sheet Attached This activity can be done with a large or small group of participants. Divide the room into 2 sections (Agree vs. Disagree). Read off statements, and have students move to the appropriate side of the room based on whether they agree or disagree with the statement (if space is limited, have participants stand if they agree and sit if they disagree). There can be a third group for those students who are not sure of the answer. The statements can easily be adapted for other activities with children.

“The Shadow Test” Teach the Shadow Test It is important to stay in the shade or cover up when the sun is directly overhead and its sun rays are strongest. Why? Because when the suns rays are strongest, you are more at risk of getting a sun burn. If your shadow is shorter than you are, it’s time to seek shade, cover up or stay inside. If your shadow is taller than you are, it’s safe to be outside but be sun smart!

UV rays and the UV Index UV Index 0 – 2 Low Not Much Protection Needed 3 – 5 Moderate Be Careful 6 – 7 High Protect Yourself! 8 – 10 Very High Protect Yourself More! 11+ Extreme Do even More to Protect Yourself UV UV stands for ultraviolet. The sun’s UV rays are invisible sun energy that can burn you. UV Index - Let’s talk a little bit about the UV Index. What is the UV Index?? It tells you how much of the sun’s rays are getting to the earth. The more rays that get to the earth, the higher the number of the UV Index and the more things you have to do to be sun safe. When you are older you will learn more about the UV Index. Just now, we will just explain a little bit about it so that you will know what it is when you hear it on the radio or the TV. Sometimes when they give the weather report, they give you the UV Index numbers so you know what things you have to do to be sun safe when you go outside UV Index : Kindergarten to grade 2 (as well as the higher grades) The index numbers go from 1 to 10+. The higher the number is, the more harm can be done to your skin and eyes and the greater the chance of you getting run down and sick too. Grade 3 and up only – go into more detail. LOW 0 to 2 Not much protection needed Means that if you are outside more than an hour, you should wear sunglasses and sunscreen. MODERATE 3 to 5 Be careful! Cover up, wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen if you are outside for more than half an hour. HIGH 6 To 7 Protect yourself! You should do more to protect yourself from sunburn when the index is 6 to 7. Try not to be out in the sun during the time when you can’t see your shadow or between 11 am and 4 pm. Find shade and stay in it. Cover up, wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. VERY HIGH 8 TO 10 Protect yourself more! If you do not protect you skin, it can burn very quickly and it will be damaged. Stay out of the sun from 11 am to 4 pm. EXTREME 11+ Do Even MORE to protect yourself If you don’t protect your skin it can get damaged and burned within minutes, a very short time.

What can we do? Be Sun Smart! Avoid the sun Block the rays Cover Up Say something/ Tell everyone In summary, to be sun safe, we need to adopt these 4 behaviours: Avoid the sun Block the rays Cover up Say something/Tell everyone: Remember, it is important for you to let others in your class, school, family and neighbourhood know what they need to do to be Sun Smart too so that they can protect themselves and stay healthy.

Avoid the sun… Find Shade! Ask students where they can go for shade in the schoolyard? Seek Shade: Try to create and use shade from umbrellas, trees and buildings. Remember the shadow test. Remember the UV sun rays are strongest between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Try to limit your time in the sun during these hours.

Block the Rays Use sunscreen! Put sunscreen on 20 minutes before going out in the sun. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Mom and/or Dad can help Put more on if you have been sweating, swimming or out a long time. Your skin below the water can also get sunburned Wear sunscreen along with clothing, hats, sunglasses etc…not instead of. Remember that sunscreen is not a magic shield. Don’t forget your lips! Lip balm with an SPF of at least 30 should be worn. Put the lip balm on again every hour. Don’t forget you can still get a sunburn on cloudy days and in the winter

Cover Up! What can we wear to cover up? Clothes: Wear tightly woven, loose fitting long pants and long sleeves. * To make sure that the fabric is tightly woven, hold the piece of clothing facing the sun and check if the light gets through it. Be aware there are special swimsuits that cover you better and protect you more from the sun’s rays. Sunglasses: Wear sunglasses that cover the eyes well. Large size lenses, lenses that fit snuggly and wrap around versions work best. Hat: Wear a hat with a wide brim to protect your face, ears and neck. Baseball hats don’t protect your neck. Straw hats need to be tightly woven to protect your head – larger weave allows UV rays through. Make sure the back of the neck is covered (explain legionnaire hats as shown above centre slide).

Say Something/Tell Everyone Remember: It is important to let others know in your class, in your school, your family and your community what they need to do to be safe in the sun so that they can stay healthy. Let others know what they need to do to stay safe in the sun!

Beat the Heat! In General: Do the shadow test. If your shadow is shorter than you are, there is a higher risk of getting a sunburn or a heat stroke. If your shadow is longer than you are, you have less risk of getting a sunburn or heat stroke. Watch for signs of sunburn in yourself and those around you (red, hot skin, tired, thirsty). If someone is burning they should get out of the sun right away. Tell them! The full effects of a sunburn often don’t occur until hours later. i.e. red, hot burning skin Heat Stroke and Dehydration: Be aware of signs and symptoms of Sun/Heat Exhaustion: - Your body is unable to cool itself - Hot, dry, reddish skin with no sweating - Headache, nausea and vomiting Kids don’t sweat like adults so you can easily overheat. Drink lots of water when outside and remind your friends. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. Tan A tan is actually showing you that your skin is damaged.

Spread the Word Have Fun! But Be Sun Safe! We know you can’t be expected to stay indoors, but you can be sun safe and have fun in the sun outside. Remember the ABCs of sun safety:. Avoid the sun …Find the shade! Block the rays…Always wear sunscreen of SPF 30 or more when going out in the sun. And don’t forget to put more on every 2 hours! You should also remember to put sunscreen on again after sweating, swimming and towel drying! Cover up (hat, sunglasses, long sleeve shirts and pants). Say Something/Tell Everyone about what they can do to ensure that they are sun safe!