Whew! The Sun Is Hot! Lesson Plan

What We Are Learning

sun

melting, panting

sun safety

beginning consonants

Read The Sun Is My Favorite Star by Frank Asch. When you’re done, ask children what their favorite thing about the sun is. Then read the issue to learn more about the hot, powerful sun. paired text

Safety: Paper Plate Sun Visors

Materials: paper plates, art materials, string, scissors

These sun visors are fun to make and handy for outdoor time.
To prepare, draw a crescent moon on each paper plate. Cut it out with scissors.
Have children decorate their visors using art materials. Then make small holes at the points using scissors. Thread the string through the holes so it sticks out of each end. Use child’s head to measure the appropriate length of string. Then knot the ends. Have children wear their sun visors when they go outside to play! art

Materials: sunscreen, plate, black construction paper, paintbrushes, rocks or other heavy items

This experiment shows children the power of the sun and why sunscreen is so important.
Tell children that wearing sunscreen helps protect their skin from the sun’s powerful rays. It helps prevent them from getting painful sunburns.
Give each child a piece of black construction paper, a paint brush, and some sunscreen on a plate. Then have them paint using sunscreen. (Make sure they leave some space unpainted.) When they’re done, put the papers outside in direct sunlight. Weight them down with rocks to keep them from blowing away.
Leave the paper in the sun for a few hours. Then bring them back in to examine. The parts that had sunscreen should have stayed dark, while the parts that did not should have faded. Ask children to look at their pictures. Why are some parts faded and some not? The sunscreen protected the paper, just like it protects skin! experiment