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Chemistry and Children's Literature: Sun Up, Sun Down

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Patricia B. McKean

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, CT 06831

J. Chem. Educ., 2008, 85 (5), p 622

DOI: 10.1021/ed085p622

Publication Date (Web): May 1, 2008

Abstract

The imagination of adults and children of all ages is captured by changing colors. Everyone needs to apply sunscreen in certain situations. How do we use this fascination with color as a "hook" for the necessity to use sunscreen for skin protection? This article describes a simple hands-on activity that connects the two. The first part of the activity illustrates why we need to wear sunscreen, showing younger children how to use a familiar material—newspaper—to see the strength of the sun. The second part reinforces the first by using ultraviolet (UV) detecting beads to show children as young as preschoolers when they need to use sunscreen. If the UV bead on the child's ring changes color, then it is time to "slip on a shirt, slap on a hat, and slop on some sunscreen". The article also describes a children's picture book Sun Up, Sun Down that can be used along with the activity, and shares additional resources for combining children's literature with science.

Keywords (Audience):

Elementary / Middle School Science

Keywords (Domain):

Chemical Education Research

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Analogies / Transfer

Keywords (Subject):

Applications of Chemistry

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