Health Quests

Safe in the Sun

Do you enjoy spending time outdoors? Perhaps you like to hike or swim in the summer and skate or snowboard in the winter. Outdoor activities can be a great deal of fun and an excellent way to stay physically active. Did you know, however, that you could be putting your health at risk simply by being outdoors? The sun's ultraviolet rays can cause serious health problems anytime you are outside-even in the winter. Overexposure to the sun can cause premature wrinkles, eye damage, and skin cancer.

You can stay safe and prevent these health problems by following sun safety guidelines. This activity will show you how to use the Internet to find valuable information about the sun and its harmful effects on health. It will also show you how following sun safety guidelines can allow you to have fun outdoors while still protecting yourself.

After exploring these sites and completing the questions, you will be able to

• identify the risks of sun exposure.
• provide tips for staying safe from the sun's rays.
• use your knowledge to create an informative public service announcement.

	Use information from the Web sites to create a public service announcement about the importance of sun safety. Your public service announcement should be aimed at parents of young children and should be in the style of a radio or television broadcast. Be sure to discuss the dangers of sun exposure and provide tips for staying safe in the sun.
	Health Links
	Risky Business Ultraviolet Rays At this Web site, you will learn about the sun's ultraviolet rays and how they affect your skin. What are the three types of ultraviolet rays? What are three factors that affect your exposure to ultraviolet rays? http://www.melanoma.com/prevent/sunsafety.htm http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/stress.html Other Risks from the Sun Sunburn isn't the only harmful effect of spending time in the sun. Visit this Web site to learn about other health risks associated with the sun. What are the symptoms of heat illness? How can you avoid becoming dehydrated when working outdoors in the sunshine? http://www.yourfamilyshealth.com/kids_health/fun_in_sun/ The Sun's Effects on Health At this Web site, you will find out how the sun's rays affect health. What are three harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation on health? Name the three major types of skin cancer. http://www.nsc.org/library/facts/sunsafet.htm Protecting Yourself Protection from the Sun's Rays Visit these Web sites to learn how to protect yourself from the sun. What are four tips for keeping safe from the sun's harmful rays? What are three guidelines to follow when choosing sunscreen? http://www.aad.org/Kids/sunsafety.html http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/actionsteps.html UV Index One way to protect yourself from the sun is to understand the UV Index. Visit this Web site to learn about the UV Index and how you can use it as a guide to your sun behavior. What is the UV Index? What does a UV Index reading of 7 to 9 mean? What actions should you take to protect yourself during a day when the UV Index is 7 to 9? http://www.nsc.org/ehc/sunwise/UV.htm

Once you have explored these links and answered the questions, you are ready to create your public service announcement. Your public service announcement should

• include accurate information about the harmful effects of the sun.
• provide helpful guidelines for staying safe from the sun's rays.
• have a clear theme appropriate for parents of young children.
• incorporate information from the Web sites in a creative and interesting way.