Ultraviolet
Light: Personal Protection
Subject
Area
This activity is designed for use in the Grade 11 History, Society:
Challenge and Change program and the Grade 12 Environmental Studies/Science
program (Geography/Science). This activity also has application
within health and lifestyle issues discussed in Family Studies
and Physical Education programs.
Subject
Application
This activity can be used in the Changing Environments Unit of
the Change and Choice Section of the Environmental Studies Program
(Grade 12 Geography). It is also applicable to the Coping With
Change Unit of the Society: Challenge and Change program (Grade
11 History). Students should be familiar with the causes and physical/chemical
processes of ozone depletion. This exercise deals mainly with
awareness of ultraviolet radiation protection options and personal
protection choices.
Learning
Outcomes
Teaching,
learning and evaluation will focus on the students ability
to:
- Assess
the level of risk from ultraviolet radiation and their personal
state of preparedness;
- Appreciate
the effects of human intervention in ecosystems;
- Investigate
and choose appropriate strategies to limit their personal exposure
and that of others to ultraviolet radiation;
- Interpret
information from data charts/tables.
Classroom
Development
- Review
with students the causes and physical/chemical processes of
atmospheric ozone depletion. Students should begin to monitor
and record daily UV radiation levels in their local area, or
the area closest to where they live for which UV radiation levels
are posted. This information is printed in the daily newspapers
(e.g. Toronto Star) or can be obtained from regional Environment
Canada weather offices recorded phone message from late
Spring to early Fall ( in Toronto: Tel. 416 661-0123). Note:
if your school has access to SchoolNet, or you can access one
of the many Freenets (See the appendix on Computer Mediated
Communication.), atmospheric information is readily and easily
available from the Environment Canada Gopher. Also consider
The Weather Network on cable TV as an information resource
- Students
read the article Sun Facts for information on the effects of
ultraviolet radiation and strategies to limit exposure to this
type of light.
- Provide
students with the accompanying Ultraviolet Protection Question
Sheet to guide their reading.
- Address
students responses to the questions and discuss effective
overall strategies for protection.
- As an
extension, you may choose to contact the Canadian Educational
Ultraviolet Network (CANEDUV Network) to monitor and exchange
information on UV levels with other teachers, students or schools.
Contact information for this network is provided in the Resources
section.
Background
Information
The
State Of Canadas Environment (1991), and Ozone
Alert, Canadian Geographic. May/June 1992. Easily understandable
background information on the causes, processes of ozone depletion,
and specifically, the current conditions and responses in Canada
can be found in: Chapter 24, Stratospheric Ozone: Wearing
Thin.
William
A. Andrews. Protecting the Ozone Layer. Toronto: D.C. Heath
Canada Ltd., 1994.
Timing
This activity will take 1-2 periods depending on the time for
discussion, or if some of the work is assigned as an out-of-class
assignment.
Resources
- Andrews, William
A. Protecting the Ozone Layer. Toronto: Heath Canada
Ltd., 1994.
- Canadian
Dermatology Association. Sun Facts. Montreal: Canadian Dermatology
Association. 1992.
- Canadian
Educational Ultraviolet Network (CANEDUV)
c/o Vital Technologies Corporation, 680 Hardwick Road, Bolton,
ON, L7E 5R4, (416) 951-1219.
- Clugston,
Micheal., Ozone Alert: Canadians Focus On The Thinning
Ozone Layer, Canadian Geographic. May/June 1992, pp. 78-81.
- Environment
Canada. State Of Canadas Environment. Ottawa: Environment
Canada. 1991.
- Daily
UV Ratings. Check local newspapers for this information. Also
Available from regional Environment Canada weather offices during
late Spring to Early Fall (In Toronto: Tel. 416 661-0123)
- The Weather
Network cable TV channel.
Cross-disciplinary
Links
Physical Education and Family Studies programs can incorporate
this activity in studies of health and lifestyle issues. If monitoring
activities are undertaken they would apply to data collection
(Science) and information management (Computers/Business).
Student
Materials
Student reading:
Sun Facts
Ultraviolet
Radiation Protection
Student Questions
- Describe
each of the six risk factors involved in developing skin cancer.
- What
are the best ways to protect yourself from the sun?
- What
type of sunscreen should people use and how should they use
it?
- Describe
the process of photoaging.
- Because
sun-induced damage to our skin is cumulative, children are especially
vulnerable. Based on the information in the article devise a
strategy to protect a child from unnecessary exposure to UV
radiation.
- Determine
todays UV level from the newspaper or Environment Canada.
How many minutes can you safely be exposed to the sun before
burning and damaging your skin?
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