Calling All Sun Safety Ambassadors!
Your skin is your body’s coat. It protects you from cold and heat. It keeps your insides in and the bad stuff—
like germs—out. Did you know that your skin is your largest and fastest-growing organ? It’s important to take
care of your skin by protecting it from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and indoor tanning
beds. Over exposure to UV can cause skin cancer, the most prevalent cancer in America. The Girl Scouts
of Central Indiana is teaming with nonprofit, Outrun the Sun, to bring you a new Sun Safety Patch. You can
earn this special patch by being a sun safety ambassador. Learn ways of protecting your skin and also teach
others through hands-on activities and social media!
Note: Cost of the program includes the patch and a UV wristband that turns color when exposed to sunlight!
Cost: $3/girl $1/adult
Patch Criteria
Daisies/Brownies
1. Scouts read the sun safety materials (or have an adult read them to you).
2. Complete the sun safety activity/quiz .
3. Select one of the activities to complete.
4. Once you have completed steps 1-3, reflect on what you learned:
What did you learn about how to protect your skin from the sun and keep it safe when you are outdoors?
What did you learn about the link between sun exposure and skin cancer?
Will you do anything differently in regard to sun exposure based on what you learned? If so, what?
Juniors/Cadets
1. Read the sun safety materials.
2. Complete the sun safety activity/quiz.
3. Select one of the activities to complete.
4. Once you have completed steps 1-3, reflect on what you learned:
What did you learn about how to protect your skin from the sun and keep it safe when you are outdoors?
What did you learn about the link between sun exposure and skin cancer?
Will you do anything differently in regard to sun exposure based on what you learned? If so, what?
Seniors/Ambassadors
1. Read the sun safety materials.
2. Complete the sun safety activity/quiz.
3. Select one of the activities to complete.
4. Once you have completed steps 1-3, reflect on what you learned:
What did you learn about how to protect your skin from the sun and keep it safe when you are outdoors?
What did you learn about the link between sun exposure and skin cancer?
Will you do anything differently in regard to sun exposure based on what you learned? If so, what?
Activities (Please select one of the following):
These activities may be completed by the individual scout or as a troop.
Choice #1:
-Use your social media! Take a photograph, design a graphic, or film a short video that will help increase
awareness of sun safety and skin cancer prevention. (Be creative! Engage your family or friends.)
-Post your image/video on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or other social media with a sun-safe message. Tag
Outrun the Sun #outrunthesuninc and they may share your posts!
Choice #2:
-Create a poster or flyer or write a poem or jingle about the importance of being sun safe.
-Find an audience and share your work of art! You can share it with your scout troop, at your school, with
your family or even post it on social media. Remember to tag Outrun the Sun #outrunthesuninc and they
may share your posts!
Choice #3:
-Design a new sun-safe product (a hat, umbrella, shirt, whatever!) that can help protect people
from the sun.
-Create the product or draw a detailed sketch of your design.
-Write a detailed explanation of why you think your product will help keep people sun safe.
Choice #4:
Think about what you can do to make the world a more sun safe place.
-Identify a certain group that could benefit from being more sun safe (i.e. swimmers, tennis players, road
crews, etc.) Then, write down your ideas about:
-What needs to change within their environment to be more sun safe?
-What are some processes that could be put in place to support this sun safety initiative?
-Who can make those changes happen?
-Is there anything that you could do to help make those changes happen?
Take action within your own environment!
-Talk with people at your school, local park or at your local swimming pool, tennis club, camp, about
creating a sun safety program.
-Write to your elected officials to express your ideas about increasing sun safety and how they could help
support sun safety.
Choice #5:
Conduct the following experiment to show how damaging the sun’s rays can be when your skin isn’t protected with sunscreen or sun-protective clothing. You’ll need to wait for a sunny day to complete the experiment.
Supplies
Two pieces of black construction paper, sunscreen, a paintbrush or cotton ball, a black pen or marker and
sunlight.
Instructions
1. Fold each piece of construction paper like a book. Open the pieces and lay them flat so you can see the
crease running down the center of each.
2. Squeeze a bit of sunscreen onto a paintbrush or cotton ball. Dab the sunscreen on one half of the paper,
leaving the other half untouched. Leave a few spots without sunscreen.
3. Lay out your second piece of paper. Use a pen or marker to make a small black dot on the top corner
of one section. This section will receive extra sunscreen applications throughout the day. Squeeze a quarter-sized dab of sunscreen on each half and use a paintbrush or cotton ball to completely coat the entire
areas. Add more sunscreen, if needed.
4. Carry the papers outdoors and place them in a sunny area. If it’s windy, place rocks or weights on the corners of the papers. Every hour and a half, reapply sunscreen to the area that you marked with your pen.
After several hours, answer the following questions:
1. Is there a difference between the side with sunscreen and the side without?
2. How is the sunscreen affecting the paper?
3. Were you surprised by the difference between the side with sunscreen and the side without?
4. Did the experiment make you think differently about how the sun affects your skin?
Quiz for Daisies/Brownies:
True or False
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Wearing hats can protect you from the sun’s rays.
You can’t get sunburns if you are swimming in the water.
Playing in the shade will help you protect your skin from the sun.
Anyone with skin can get a sunburn.
Sunscreen can protect your skin from the sun.
(T, F, T, T, T)
-Yes. Hats can protect your scalp. Your hair does not protect your head from the sun.
-Your sunburns can be worse when you are in or near water because the water reflects sun.
-It is a good idea to seek shade when playing outdoors.
-It doesn’t matter what color your skin is---everyone can get a sunburn.
-Sunscreen is a good way to protect your skin. Protective clothing is also a good way.
Quiz for Juniors/Cadets:
True or False
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are the highest in the early morning.
Your hair protects your scalp from the sun’s rays.
You should protect your skin from UV rays.
Tanning beds should be used to help you get a base tan.
Skin cancers do not spread to internal organs.
(F, F, T, F, F)
-The sun’s rays are the highest between 10 am and 4pm.
-The sun’s UV rays penetrate your hair. Wear a hat!
-You should always protect your skin with sunscreen or protective clothing.
-Using tanning beds before age 35 can increase a person’s risk for getting melanoma by as much as 59%.
-Skin cancers, especially melanoma, can spread deep into the skin’s layers and can reach internal organs
through the lymph system.
Quiz for Seniors/Ambassadors:
True or False
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Skin cancer is not a serious cancer.
Getting a base tan protects you from sun damage.
Sunscreen with an SPF of 10 is adequate protection.
Melanoma is the second most common cancer in people ages 15 to 25.
People who use tanning beds have a higher risk of developing melanoma.
(F, F, F, T, T)
-Melanoma, a form of skin cancer, takes the life of one American every hour.
-Any type of tan is a signal of skin damage. Tan skin is damaged skin.
-A broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 is recommended.
-Melanoma is also the most common cancer in people ages 25 to 29.
-Using a tanning bed before age 35 increases a person’s risk for melanoma by 59%. Risk increases with each
use.
Girl Scout Sun Safety Article
Daisies-Brownies
Everyone loves to be outside with their friends. In the summer, it’s fun to play outside and go swimming.
Have you ever had a sunburn? They hurt, and anyone can get a sunburn! Not only do they cause you pain
for a day or two, but they also hurt your skin forever.
Did you know that you can prevent sun burns? It’s true.
You can prevent sunburns by doing these three things.
1. Always wears sunblock. You need to wear sunblock every time you go outside. Doctors recommend
using sunblock of 30SPF or higher.
2. Don’t swim or play outside from 10AM to 2PM. The sun’s rays are the most powerful at that time. If you
are outside during these times, wear sunscreen and play under shade.
3. Cover up your skin. You can wear a hat, a long-sleeve shirt, and sunglasses when you are outside to
protect your skin.
It’s easy as 1-2-3 to be sun safe!!
Girl Scout Sun Safety Patch Article
Juniors
Have you ever heard of a dermatologist? A dermatologist is a skin doctor. A dermatologist treats skin problems like acne and diseases like skin cancer. I know you are thinking that you are just a kid and that your
skin looks pretty good right now, and it’s true! Most kiddos don’t need to worry about having skin problems
or skin cancer at your age, but what if I told you that practicing healthy skin habits right now can keep your
skin always looking its best.
Have you ever looked at someone and thought that she looked really old? Maybe that person had HUGE
wrinkles. Do you know why that person looked so old? They spent too much time in the sun without practicing sun safety when she was your age. Not only does the sun cause wrinkles, it causes skin cancer.
Tanning beds are bad and sure never be used to help give you color or to get base tan. Using tanning beds
can increase your chance of getting melanoma by over 50%. Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin
cancer because it can spread beneath your skin and into your internal organs and lymph system.
To be sun safe is easy! You just need to remember this: Sunscreen Covers Me!
Sunscreen is the first step to being sun safe. You need to wear sunscreen every time you go outside to
play, to swim, or to attend an outdoor event- even when it’s cloudy. You can get a sunburn when it’s cloudy,
so sunscreen is always important.
Here are three things to remember about sunscreen.
1. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
2. Apply twenty minutes before going outside.
3. Reapply every two hours.
Covers is the next step in being sun safe. The sun is the most powerful during 10AM and 4PM. This is when
the sun’s UV rays are the highest and can lead to a sunburn. During these hours, you need to take cover to
protect your skin-even your scalp because the sun can penetrate through your hair. That can mean staying
inside or covering yourself with sunscreen, a hat, long-sleeve shirt, and sunglasses.
Me is the last step of sun safety. As a Girl Scout, your job is to respect and to take care of yourself. You also
have a job to make the world a better place. You can achieve both goals by practicing sun safety.
There isn’t a test to determine if you might get skin cancer or wrinkles, but now you have all the answers
needed to be sun safe today and forever. Just remember SUNCREEN COVERS ME!
Girl Scout Sun Safety Patch Article
Cadets
As a Girl Scout, you have a responsibility to respect and to take care of yourself. You also have a responsibility to make the world a better place. Did you know you can achieve both goals by practicing sun safety? It’s
true. What better way to display your Girls Scout pledge than by respecting your body’s largest organ: your
skin.
Doesn’t it sound odd that your skin is an organ? Did you know that it is an organ? In fact, the average person has twenty, yes, twenty square feet of skin on his/ her body. Your skin keeps the icky elements out of
your body and helps to regulate your body temperature. Having healthy skin is a big deal, and being healthy
starts now.
Did you know that one bad sunburn as a child can raise your chances of skin cancer by 50%? Wow, is right!
People think getting a tan makes them look healthy, but it only damages the skin. If you have a tan, it signals
skin damage. And, don’t EVEN think of using a tanning bed. They are bad news, too. Tanning beds can significantly increase your chances of developing skin cancer, especially melanoma which is the most deadly
form of skin cancer. Melanoma is the second most common type of cancer in ages 15 to 25.
Being prepared and letting your natural beauty shine is the best two ways of being sun safe. Equipping
yourself with knowledge is the first step to being sun safe. You need to apply sunscreen every time you
head outside to play, to swim, or to attend an outdoor event- even when it’s cloudy. You can get a sunburn
when it’s cloudy, so sunscreen is always a must.
Here are three things to remember about sunscreen.
1. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
2. Apply twenty minutes before going outside.
3. Reapply every two hours.
Have you heard about UV Index? It is a rating scale that measures the harmful rays from the sun, so you be
prepared to know what to layer over your sunscreen. You can find the daily UV index for your neighborhood
on the local news or on www.weather.com.
UV Index Number
Exposure Level
0-2
3 to 5
Low
Moderate
6 to 7
High
8 to 10
Very High
11+
Extreme
Precautions
Wear sunscreen and sunglasses.
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, cover up, seek shade near
midday hours.
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, cover up, and reduce time in
sun between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, cover up, and reduce time in
sun between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Take extra precautions, unprotected skin will be damaged and can burn quickly.
Extreme high risk of harm. Take all precautions.
Unprotected skin can burn in minutes.
Girl Scout Sun Safety Patch Article
Cadets Continued
Did you know that you don’t need a tan to let your natural beauty shine? According to celebrity make-up artist,
Brandie Price, “Natural skin is in!” Brandie encourages women to wear sunscreen on a daily basis to protect their
skin from damaging rays that can turn healthy skin into aged and wrinkled skin or lead to skin cancer. Brandie
thinks girls and women of all ages “can feel beautiful in the skin they are in” by wearing their favorite clothing
item, adding a bright color, or a swipe of lip gloss.
People diet and exercise to stay healthy, but they forget about their largest organ, their skin. Please practice and
share your new knowledge to help make your family and community more conscious about sun safety.
Girl Scout Sun Safety Article
Seniors and Ambassadors
As a Girl Scout, you have a responsibility to respect and to take care of yourself. You also have a responsibility
to make the world a better place. Did you know you can achieve both goals by practicing sun safety? It’s true.
What better way to display your Girls Scout pledge than by respecting your body’s largest organ: your skin. You
can also teach others to protect their skin.
Doesn’t it sound odd that your skin is an organ? Did you know that it is an organ? In fact, the average person
has twenty, yes, twenty square feet of skin on his/ her body. Your skin keeps the icky elements out of your body
and helps to regulate your body temperature. Having healthy skin is a big deal, and being healthy starts now.
Did you know that one bad sunburn as a child can raise your chances of getting skin cancer by 50%? Wow,
is right! People think getting a tan makes them look healthy, but it only damages the skin. If you have a tan, it
signals skin damage. And, don’t EVEN think of using a tanning bed. They are bad news, too. Tanning beds can
significantly increase your chances of developing skin cancer, especially melanoma, which is the most deadly
form of skin cancer. Melanoma is the second most common type of cancer in people ages 15 to 25.
Being prepared and letting your natural beauty shine are the best two ways of being sun safe. Equipping yourself
with knowledge is the first step to being sun safe. You need to apply sunscreen every time you head outside to
play, to swim, or to attend an outdoor event- even when it’s cloudy. You can get a sunburn when it’s cloudy, so
sunscreen is always a must.
Here are three things to remember about sunscreen.
1. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
2. Apply twenty minutes before going outside.
3. Reapply every two hours.
Have you heard about the UV Index? It is a rating scale that measures the harmful rays from the sun, so you can
be prepared to know what to layer over your sunscreen. You can find the daily UV index for your neighborhood
on the local news or on www.weather.com.
UV Index Number
Exposure Level
0-2
3 to 5
Low
Moderate
6 to 7
High
8 to 10
Very High
11+
Extreme
Precautions
Wear sunscreen and sunglasses.
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, cover up, seek shade near
midday hours.
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, cover up, and reduce time in
sun between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, cover up, and reduce time in
sun between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Take extra precautions,
unprotected skin will be damaged and can burn quickly.
Extreme high risk of harm. Take all precautions.
Unprotected skin can burn in minutes.
Did you know that you don’t need a tan to let your natural beauty shine? According to celebrity make-up artist,
Brandie Price, “Natural skin is in!” Brandie encourages women to wear sunscreen on a daily basis to protect their
skin from damaging rays that can turn healthy skin into aged and wrinkled skin or lead to skin cancer. Brandie
thinks girls and women of all ages “can feel beautiful in the skin they are in.” We were all born with a certain color
of skin and that’s the color it should stay for the rest of our lives. No need to change it!
People diet and exercise to stay healthy, but they forget about their largest organ, their skin. Please practice sun
safety and share your new knowledge to help make your family and community more aware about ways to be
sun safe.