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| |  | SCI-LIT LINKS QUICKPLAN
SUN PICTURES
(QuickPlan developed by Dorothy Kerfai, ACST, Tunis, Tunisia)
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OVERVIEW: Students learn how chemicals in skin and in paper react to sunlight through discussing the book All the Colors We Are/Todos los Colores de Nuestra Piel and then experimenting with photosensitive paper to create "sun pictures".
BOOKLINK: All the Colors We Are by Katie Kissinger, Redleaf Press, 1994. ISBN 0-934140-80-4
SCIENCE ACTIVITY LINK: After reading the book, students will observe and discuss their various skin shades, recall episodes of sun exposure that led to tanned, burned, or freckled skin, and then experiment with photosensitive paper to produce "sun pictures".
OBJECTIVE: Students will infer that skin contains melanin, which reacts to the sun and causes the different shades of skin, and investigate the reactions of chemicals in paper (photosensitive paper) that can respond to sunlight in a similar fashion.
SCIENCE PROCESSES AND CONTENT: Processes-Students will observe skin shades, infer their causes, classify themselves by skin shade, recall skin reactions to sun exposure, and experiment with photosensitive paper. Content-melanin in the skin, photosensitivity in skin and paper, serial ordering, effects of light, and shadow making.
NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS: Unifying Concepts and Processes, (1) Science as Inquiry, (2) Physical Science, (3) Life Science, (6) Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
MATERIALS: All the Colors We Are/Todos los Colores de Nuestra Piel by Katie Kissinger
- a sunny day
-package of photosensitive paper, with enough for at least one sheet per student (I use NaturePrint paper, available from School Specialty)
-clipboards, one per student
-sheets of black construction paper the same size as the clipboards, one sheet per student
-sheets of drawing paper the size of the photosensitive paper, one sheet per student
-scissors, one pair per student
-pencils, one per student (optional)
PROCEDURE:
1. After reading and discussing the book, have the students observe the skin shades of all the people in the classroom. Students should note that skin shades range from dark to light brown. Students could even arrange themselves in a serial order line-up based on skin shade.
2. Display the cover of the package for the NaturePrint paper and explain that the paper will react to the sun as skin does because of the chemicals in it that are like melanin.
3. Have the students cut out shapes from the drawing paper that will be laid on the NaturePrint paper. Explain to the students that only the "shadow" of the shape will appear on the NaturePrint paper, so that they concentrate on making interesting shapes rather than interesting drawings. If you want, students' shapes can be related to a particular unit you are studying.
4. Students should place one sheet of NaturePrint paper on their clipboards and then quickly lay their cut-out shape and then the black sheet of paper on top. Explain that the paper will react as soon as it is exposed to light, so they must keep it covered by the black paper until they are in full sunlight and ready to expose the paper. (This is the same concept as a photographic dark room.)
5. Once students are in the sun they should quickly uncover, arrange, and then firmly hold down their shape on the photosensitive paper. They should try to keep their hands and fingers high so that they do not cast a strong shadow on the paper. Also, if the shape moves around on the NaturePrint paper, the resulting image will not be as clear. Students could experiment with moving the shape to try to create lighter "shadows" of the main image.
6. Students should observe that the exposed paper changes color. Two minutes of exposure in full sunlight is usually long enough to cause a a clear image to form under the shape. (Note the directions on the package of photosensitive paper for more specific guidelines.)
7. Once in class, the exposed sheets of NaturePrint paper must be immersed in plain water for about one minute. (Again, note the directions on the package.) Remove the papers when the images are clear and dry the papers on a flat surface.
8. The dry pictures can be signed by the students at the bottom if they are to be displayed. The pictures can be dramatically displayed by stapling them onto larger sheets of black or other colored paper before fastening them to a wall or bulletin board. (I have my students write titles for their pictures, as in a museum.)
9. The students enjoy discussing their shapes, their amazement at the chemical changes in the color of the paper, and the way their own skin reacts to the sun.
RELATED BOOKS:
The Young Scientist Investigates Light and Color by Terry Jennings, Childrens Press, Chicago, 1982. ISBN 0-516-48440-0
All About Light by Melvin Berger, Scholastic, Inc., New York, 1995. ISBN 0-590-48076-6
My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Putnam & Grosset Group, New York, 1990. ISBN 0-698-11365-9
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