- Home
- Canvas Guide
Partial Progress - Circles (browser only)
The Sun
Objectives
To describe the Sun as a source of heat and light, and as one of many stars.
Resources
Paper or card to make a poster | sun lotion | sun glasses | sun hat
Vocabulary
sun | heat | light | star | safety
Today's Lesson
What to Get Ready
Ahead of the session, collect some sun lotion, sunglasses and a sun hat.
Introduction
Start the activity with a discussion of what your student already knows about the Sun.
What can you tell me about the Sun?
What do you think it is made of?
Tell your student that the Sun is a star. It is the same as the stars they see in the sky at night, but much, much closer to us.
Explain that all stars are sources of heat and light. Because the Sun is closer to us than the other stars, we can see the light and feel the heat.
Main Activity
Discuss with your student what they know about sun safety. Remind them of the importance of protecting their skin from sun burn and preventing damage to our eyes by never looking directly at the Sun (even if we are wearing sunglasses). Show them the sun safety items we use (sun lotion, sun glasses, sun hat) and discuss why we need these.
Apply
Explain that astronauts on the International Space Station must also protect themselves from the sun just as we do.
Ask your student to create a poster for ‘astronauts in training’ warning of the dangers of the sun and suggesting things they can do to keep safe.
Extra Support
If your student is finding this tricky, discuss all the things they do to keep sun safe. For example, sun screen, sun glasses, sun hats etc.
Extra Challenge
If your student is ready for an extra challenge, they could write a ‘sun safety guide’.