The sun's effects

Globule wonders...

What happens if we stay in the sun for a long period of time?

Experiment: The sun's effects

Hypotheses: Ask children what would happen if they stayed in the sun for a long period of time without protection. Invite them to describe a personal experience they had involving the sun. Have they ever gotten sunburned? Who is most prone to sunburns? As the discussion progresses, help children identify what they like about the sun (its warmth, its light, the vitamins it provides, etc.) and what they dislike (sunburn, heat strokes, thirst, diseases it can cause, etc.)

Material:

• A banana
• 2 small plates

Manipulations:

1. Peel the banana and slice it.
2. Place a few banana slices in each plate.
3. Deposit the first plate outdoors, right in the sun.
4. Leave the second plate in the shade, within the daycare.
5. Wait approximately two hours then compare the banana pieces in the two plates. What happened? Did the sun have an effect on the banana?

Explanation: After spending approximately two hours out in the sun, the banana pieces turned black. However, indoors, the banana pieces were practically unchanged. The sun damaged the banana pieces the same way it damages your skin. The sun's invisible rays burn your skin. They are called ultraviolet rays or UV rays. It is very important that you always protect your skin from these rays. Can you name a few ways you can protect your skin from these harmful rays? Here are a few: wear clothing to cover your skin, wear sunscreen, play in shady areas, wear a wide brim hat or a baseball cap, wear sunglasses which are designed especially for children, etc. Beware of clouds! In fact, clouds let approximately 80% of UV rays travel through! You must therefore protect yourself just as much under a cloudy sky as under a clear blue sky!

Angélique Boissonneault

has a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Science. She has worked in a laboratory and tested her knowledge. She has taught Math, Chemistry, and Physics. She has also developed a simplistic and innovative approach designed to introduce young children to scientific experiments, old and new. She created her friend Globule. This character is sometimes red, and sometimes white. He guides little ones through their scientific experiments and discoveries. It is clear to see Angélique is passionate about children and science. Globule's Approach.