Educator Resources & Curriculum
We know that educators already have a lot on their plates, so we’ve made it easier to add sun safety into your lesson plans. Each of our selected curricula and resources is:
- Free
- Evidence-based
- Easy to use and teach
- Meets Common Core requirements
Sun Smart Schools Program Toolkit
This toolkit is a great place to start for school administrators and educators who want to build, maintain, or increase the sun safety strategies in their schools and classrooms. Sun safety in school-based settings is a multifaceted initiative, requiring collaboration across the entire education community. Read more about how you can get started with sun safety and get tools and resources to help you along the way.
Additional Resources
Scholastic "Be Sunbeatable" Family Resource Sheet, Grades 3-5 (PDF)
Facts About Indoor Tanning Infographic (2022), Middle and High School (PDF)
The Truth About Tanning Infographic, Middle and High School (PDF)
Social Media Graphics, Bilingual, K-12 (download from Google Drive)
Curricula
Ray and the Sunbeatables ®: A Sun Safety Curriculum for Preschoolers and K-1
Developed by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and distributed by CATCH Global Foundation, the Sunbeatables program features five superhero characters to teach and engage children about sun safety. The preschool program includes 5 units with 20 activities and the K-1 curriculum includes 10 lessons.
Access the Sunbeatables Program here
Be Sunbeatable™, Grades 2-5
This sun safety program from Scholastic and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will help encourage students and families to be sun safe every day and everywhere.
SunAWARE For Life Program, Grades K-12
Trained foundation educators provide a fun, informative and interactive program customized to the individual needs of the school, organization, or venue. The five easy action steps incorporated into the SunAWARE acronym are interwoven into all lessons. The SunAWARE curriculum was rewritten in 2020 to align with the National Health Education Standards.
SunWise, Grades K-8
Launched in 2000 by the EPA, SunWise is currently used at 40,000 schools and educational organizations nationwide. It's the most widely used health and environmental education program for sun safety with demonstrated success in raising awareness and changing behaviors. Materials facilitate cross-curricular learning about sun safety, UV radiation, and ozone science.
Register for K-8 SunWise Resources | SunWise Toolkit
Sun Smart U, Grades 7-12
Developed by the Skin Cancer Foundation, Sun Smart U is consistent with the CDC’s National Health Education Standards for middle and high school students. The interactive lesson plan features true stories from young skin cancer survivors, medically reviewed Prevention Guidelines, handouts and activities, and can be taught in one or two class periods.
Register for 7-12 Sun Smart U Resources | Sun Smart U High School Presentation
Melanoma Education Foundation, Grades 7-12
Lessons and tools from Melanoma Education Foundation are great for health educators to inform students about the dangers and realities of melanoma and the importance of early detection. Materials include lesson plans, videos, and classroom tools.
Register for Melanoma Education Foundation Resources
Sunwise Tool Kit
The SunWise Program helps educators raise sun safety awareness and foster behavior
change. The program, designed to meet the diverse needs of schools and communities nationwide, helps students learn about the science of the sun, the risks of overexposure to the sun, and what can be done to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Sun Smart High School Curriculum
Developed by SkinCancer.org