The Truth About Tanning: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Skin Lesson Plan for Grades 10-12 Adaptable for Grades 6-9

Note: This lesson plan is intended to be used as a guide in planning a classroom activity on the risks associated with tanning and UV exposure. This is a supplement to FDA & YOU issue 7, available at http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/fdaandyou.

Goals

The goal of this lesson plan is to help students understand the risks associated with tanning and UV exposure. The lesson will also explain the various tanning products available and the risks associated with each.

Objectives

1. Students will have a better understanding of the risks associated with tanning and tanning products.
2. Students will have a better understanding of illnesses associated with UV exposure.
3. Students will have a better understanding of how to protect their skin from the sun and tanning products.

Prerequisites

• Prior to beginning the lesson students should read FDA & YOU issue 7 on tanning.
• Students should have a basic understanding of tanning and the skin.
• Decide ahead of time which topics you want groups of students to cover for poster presentation project.

Materials

1. FDA & YOU issue 7
2. Poster Project Worksheet
3. Review Worksheets

Lesson Procedure

1. At the end of class the day prior to this lesson, ask students what they know about tanning and skin protection. Make a list of the students’ responses on the chalk board, an overhead, or paper.
2. Pass out the review worksheets.
3. For homework have students read FDA & YOU issue 7 and complete the review worksheets.
4. The next day, return to the list made the previous day about tanning and skin protection. Ask students if there is anything not on the list that they learned from the reading about these topics.
5. Have a general discussion with students regarding the risks associated with tanning. Included in this class discussion should be specific information regarding the skin diseases associated with UV exposure.
6. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 and assign each a different topic related to issue 7 to prepare a 5 minute presentation. Topics could include:
   • Skin Cancer
   • Sunburn
   • Sunscreen
   • Sunless Tanning
   • Tanning Pills
   • Tanning Salons
   • UV Rays
7. Give students specific instructions on how each group should complete the project and your expectations for the final product. You can use the poster project worksheet with this lesson plan if desired.
8. Give students the remainder of the class period to work on their group presentations.
9. Assign the groups to complete their presentations as homework and assign a date for the groups to present. Usually no longer than one week should be required to complete this project.
10. Allow one class period for groups to give a poster presentation on their assigned topic.
11. After all groups have presented, review any material regarding tanning, UV exposure and skin protection that you feel was not covered.

Closure/Conclusion

As a homework assignment have students write a one-page paper on the scenario below. You can also include questions in the next classroom quiz/test that address topics covered in this lesson.

Your sister is getting married next summer. Her friends have told her that her wedding dress will look better on her if she has a tan. Based on your knowledge of tanning and UV exposure, evaluate the pros and cons of her options for receiving a tan for her wedding day.

The Truth About Tanning:
What You Need to Know to Protect Your Skin

Poster Project Worksheet

TOPIC: _______________________________________________

Project Description: With your groups, research your topic based on the questions below. Once you have gathered all your information, create a 5 minute presentation on your topic. Design a poster to accompany your presentation. The poster should be clear, understandable, creative, and include graphics.

1. Description of topic. What is it?

2. Describe the risks and benefits (if any) of this topic.

3. Describe how this topic affects the skin.

4. What can you do to protect yourself?

Review Worksheets

TRUE OR FALSE

Directions: Read each statement below and determine whether it is true of false. If it is false, underline the incorrect part and correct it.

___ 1. A tan is just a healthy glow, and does not cause skin damage.

___ 2. Ultraviolet light, like UVA and UVB, is classified by wavelength.

___ 3. The lower layer of your skin is called the epidermis.

___ 4. The minimum recommended SPF for sunscreen is 2.

___ 5. Erythema is another name for sunburn.

___ 6. You can see sunburn right away, so you’ll always know when it’s time to go inside.

___ 7. Severe sunburn can be treated with cool baths, over-the-counter creams, and aspirin.

___ 8. UV rays cause obvious short-term damage, such as sunburn or a tan, as well as long-term damage that accumulates with each exposure.

___ 9. Wearing sunscreen alone will protect you from skin cancer.

___ 10. Artificial tanning, using tanning lamps and pills, is safer than sitting in the sun.

___ 11. Tanning pills are approved by the FDA.

___ 12. All self tanners have sunscreen in them to give your skin an extra layer of protection.

FILL IN THE BLANK

Directions: Using the words from the word bank, fill in each blank space with the appropriate word. Each word will only be used once.

1. UVB rays have a short wavelength that reaches the __________, or outer layer of skin.
2. _________ is a number from 1-11 that indicates the amount of skin-damaging UV rays reaching the earth’s surface at any point in time.
3. The process of removing damaged cells can cause the skin to ________ and _______.
4. __________ is the least-common, but most dangerous form of skin cancer.
5. Everyone, no matter their __________________ is at risk of skin damage.
6. ___________ or __________ that change shape, color, or texture could be a sign of skin cancer.
7. The suns rays are strongest from _____________ a.m. until ___________ p.m.
8. All sunscreens are labeled with an SPF, or ________ __________ __________.
9. Protective ___________, specifically designed for tanning booths should always be worn when tanning at a salon.
10. __________ should not be inhaled, ingested, of used in such a way that the eyes and eye area are exposed to it because the risks, if any, are unknown.

WORD FIND

Directions: Find the words hidden in the word find, circle your answer.

The Truth About Tanning:
What You Need to Know to Protect Your Skin

Answer Key

TRUE OR FALSE

1. A tan is just a healthy glow, and does not cause skin damage.
A: FALSE. A tan is NOT a healthy glow, and DOES cause skin damage.

2. Ultraviolet light, like UVA and UVB, is classified by wavelength.
A: TRUE.

3. The lower layer of your skin is called the epidermis.
A: FALSE. The lower layer of your skin is called the DERMIS

4. The minimum recommended SPF for sunscreen is 2.
A: FALSE. The recommended SPF for sunscreen is 15.

5. Erythema is another name for sunburn.
A: TRUE.

6. You can see sunburn right away, so you’ll always know when it’s time to go inside.
A: FALSE. You can NOT see sunburn UNTIL SEVERAL HOURS AFTER EXPOSURE.

7. Severe sunburn can be treated with cool baths, over-the-counter creams, and aspirin.
A: FALSE. MILD sunburn can be treated with cool baths, over-the counter creams, and aspirin.
Or
A: Severe sunburn must be treated by a doctor.

8. UV rays cause obvious short-term damage, such as sunburn or a tan, as well as long-term damage that accumulates with each exposure.
A: TRUE.

9. Wearing sunscreen alone will protect you from skin cancer.
A: FALSE. Wearing sunscreen alone WILL NOT protect you from skin cancer. Using sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, and avoiding peak sun hours can help decrease your risk for skin cancer.

10. Artificial tanning, by using tanning lamps or pills, is safer than sitting in the sun.
A: FALSE. Artificial tanning is NOT safer than sitting in the sun.

11. Tanning pills are approved by the FDA.
A: FALSE. Tanning pills ARE NOT approved by the FDA.

12. All Self tanners have sunscreen in them to give your skin an extra layer of protection.
A: FALSE. MANY Self tanners DO NOT have sunscreen in them, and do not protect against UV rays.

FILL IN THE BLANK

1. epidermis
2. UVI
3. itch and peel or peel and itch
4. melanoma
5. skin tone
6. moles and freckles or freckles and moles
7. ten, four
8. sun protection factor
9. goggles
10. DHA

WORD FIND

Artificial tan is at row 7, column 1, reading horizontally to the right.
Cancer is at row 6, column 1, reading diagonally up and right.
Epidermis is at row 8, column 9, reading horizontally to the left.
Goggles is at row 14, column 1, reading vertically up.
Keratosis is at row 14, column 4, reading horizontally to the right.
Melanoma is at row 8, column 3, reading vertically down.
Pills is at row 10, column 4, reading horizontally to the right.
Self tanner is at row 6, column 14, reading vertically down.
Skin is at row 1, column 1, reading diagonally down and right.
Sun is at row 9, column 11, reading vertically down.
Sunburn is at row 13, column 13, reading horizontally to the left.
Sunglasses is at row 2, column 4, reading diagonally down and right.
Sunscreen is at row 13, column 15, reading vertically up.
Tan is at row 15, column 13, reading horizontally to the left.
Tanning bed is at row 6, column 13, reading diagonally down and left.
UVA is at row 10, column 2, reading vertically down.
UVB is at row 2, column 7, reading diagonally down and left.