Question Sheet: Sun Screen

By Science News Explores

SCIENCE

Before reading:

  1. How careful are you about protecting your skin when you go outdoors? 

  2. Do you think that you are at risk for skin cancer? Why or why not?

During reading:

  1. What is the most rapidly growing cause of cancer death in the United States?

    Why? 

  2. How do ultraviolet rays affect skin? 

  3. What is a tumor? 

  4. What is the difference between melanoma and a nonmelanoma tumor? 

  5. Describe several ways in which scientists are working to prevent skin

    cancer. 

  6. What recommendations does the American Academy of Dermatology have for

    preventing skin cancer?

After reading:

  1. Did this article make you more or less concerned about getting skin cancer?

    Why? 

  2. What is the American Academy of Dermatology? Why does this group create

    recommendations for preventing skin cancer? See www.aad.org/(American Academy of Dermatology). 

  3. Do you think that people nowadays spend more or less time in the sun than

    they did when your parents were kids? Why? 

  4. What is Earth’s ozone layer? How might the hole in the ozone layer above

    polar regions affect skin cancer rates? See www.epa.gov/Ozone/science/sc_fact.html and www.epa.gov/ozone/science/effects.html(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 

  5. Why is skin considered an organ of the body? Would thinking of skin as an

    organ affect the way that you treat your skin? See kidshealth.org/kid/body/skin_noSW.html(KidsHealth for Kids). 

  6. Why do you think many doctors don’t warn kids about the dangers of tanning?

SOCIAL STUDIES

Worldwide, the highest rates of skin cancer are found in South Africa and Australia. Why would these countries have particularly high rates? See www.coolnurse.com/skin_cancer.htm(Cool Nurse).

LANGUAGE ARTS

  1. Create a radio or TV commercial for suntan lotion based on the dangers of

    getting skin cancer. 

  2. The title of this article is “Sun Screen.” Come up with a better title and

    summary. What would you emphasize?

MATHEMATICS

Earth is about 1.49 x 108 kilometers from the sun and about 3.84 x 105 kilometers from the

moon. How many times greater is the distance from Earth to the sun than is the distance from Earth to the moon?