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FOR HEALTH EDUCATORS
The SkinCheck® Class for High Schools and Middle Schools
Alternative High School & Middle School Resources
Elementary Schools
Colleges and Universities
Order a Tan to Die For Poster or a Knowing Your Skin Could Save Your Life Poster
The SkinCheck® Class for High Schools and Middle Schools
Background: Most high school and middle school students are not well-informed about melanoma. A 1996 CDC survey found that 74% of adolescents and young adults had little or no knowledge of melanoma. Nearly 50% of the general public shared this lack of knowledge. While most students realize that their skin cancer risk is increased by overexposure to sun the impression many have is that skin cancer is "no big deal." Many students also believe they will not develop skin cancer if they change their habits to limit sun exposure and that indoor UV tanning is a safe way to tan. A 1999 nationwide survey of nurses' children found that 7% of 14 year old females and 35% of 17 year old females used UV tanning beds regularly. Our experience is that health teachers are generally not well-informed about melanoma and often do not include the subject in their health courses.
Reality is that melanoma is common, causes the majority of skin cancer deaths, and the most damaging sun exposure has already occurred, and cannot be reversed, by age 18. In addition, at least 30% of melanomas are believed to be unrelated to sun exposure. Sun-protection is ineffective when used as the primary basis of skin cancer education for high school and middle school students!
The SkinCheck® Class is a single-session class on early detection and prevention of melanoma for students. It is easy for educators to learn and easy to teach.
SkinCheck® Lesson Summary
1. Brief discussion with class to see what students know about melanoma.
2. Show student video (different videos for middle and high school).
3. Brief post-video discussion with class to assess knowledge/attitude changes.
4. Distribute student melanoma bookmarks and go over them with students.
5. Assign students to take bookmarks home and teach their parents about melanoma.
Health educators who watch a 45 minute teacher-training video receive a lesson plan, student-video, teacher-resource CD, and student hand-outs that are replenished each year. Over 800 schools have adopted the teacher-friendly class. The teacher-training video and classroom supplies are free for grade 6 - 12 wellness educators in the following areas:
All New England States
Nevada
New York Counties of Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates.
The training video and classroom materials are free for high school wellness educators in:
Arizona Grades (9 - 12)
Washington State (Grades 9 - 12)
Other States - High Schools (Grades 9 - 12) by Invitation or Request
Services and Materials Provided:
- Melanoma teacher-training DVD with 45 minute narrated Powerpoint presentation for health educators. The DVD has been designated as a 2010 Gold Triangle Award winner by the American Academy of Dermatology
- Detailed one-session classroom lesson plan for health educators.
- "Should've, Could've, Would've,” a new (2008) DVD video about melanoma produced for middle school students by the Melanoma Education Foundation. Three young melanoma survivors share their experiences, educating viewers about the mistakes that nearly cost them their lives. The video received a 2009 Gold Triangel Award from the American Academy of Dermatology.
- "My Melanoma Vlog," a new (2008) DVD video on melanoma produced for high school students by the Melanoma Education Foundation is about a student who attends a high school health fair, becomes concerned about skin cancer, searches the internet for more information, and shares what she learns via the popular medium of video blogging. The video received a 2009 Gold Triangle Award from the American Academy of Dermatology.
- “See Spot” bookmarks for all health class (or related course) students each year. The bookmarks, produced by MEF, complement the videos and focus on early detection of melanoma. Bookmark size is 3.5 " x 8.5".
- Quiz / homework exercises, questions and answers.
- A teacher-resource CD with PowerPoint images from the teacher-training presentation, printable classroom documents, and supplementary information.
Teacher-Training Video
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"Teaching the SkinCheck Class" is a 45 minute narrated PowerPoint presentation that wellness teachers watch as a prerequisite for receiving free classroom materials. The DVD video was selected as a 2010 Gold Triangle Award winner by the American Academy of Dermatology. |
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Should've, Could've, |
My Melanoma Vlog Video (DVD) |
"See Spot" Bookmark (Side 1) |
Student Videos
Two student videos produced by the Melanoma Education Foundation were completed in September, 2008. Extensive student focus group input was utilized at every step of the video development process. Middle school and high school students were asked what they liked and disliked about other health videos and then they evaluated alternative approaches to health-related message delivery for maximum impact and credibility. In the middle school video, "Should've, Could've, Would've," three young melanoma survivors and their families share their experiences, educating viewers on how to avoid mistakes that nearly cost the survivors their lives. "My Melanoma Vlog," the high school video, is about a student who attends a high school health fair and becomes concerned after learning about melanoma and the danger of tanning beds at a skin cancer exhibit. After searching the internet for more information she shares what she has learned with friends through the popular medium of vlogging (video-blogging). The videos received a 2009 Gold Triangle Award from the American Academy of Dermatology. A preview of "My Melanoma Vlog" is available. "Should've, Could've, Would've" may be watched on-line. Scroll about one third of the way down the page. |
Teacher Comments About the Lesson
"I cannot remember a time when one program has had such a positive impact on the health of my students."
M'Lena Gandolfi, Physical Education/Health Teacer, Manchester-Essex Regional High School, MA.
"This material has been excellent. The students really respond to the bookmarks and the videos."
Diana Walker, Physical Education & Health Department Chair, Sanford High School, ME.
"The melaoma video "My Melanoma Vlog" is very powerful. Students watch it intensely and refer back to it in the follow-up discussion. Most high chool students have the false universal understanding "it will never happen to me."We feel this curriculum has an invaluable effect in that it changes their false understanding."
Lise Nielsen, Helath & Physical Education Department Head, Nauset Regional High School, MA.
"I recently taught skin cancer to my upperclassman and your materials are great. The VLOG is most effective.... the students really stay engaged throughout the whole video. Last class someone cancelled their tanning appointment. I can't thank you enough for providing us with materials that are easy to use and so effective.
Tory Sullivan, Chairperson, Physical Education & health, Brien McMahon High School, CT.
"I must say that I was so impressed by the teaching CD and personally learned quite a bit that I didn't know. I have for many years taught kids about the "general" danger of sun damage, but nothing like the extent to which your material offers. Living here in AZ, where the weather makes it all too easy to tan, I feel that we have a huge responsiblity to educate our students to the many dangers of melanoma."
Nick Cornell, Physical Education Department Chair, Campo Verde High School, AZ.
"A former student came up to me recently and said that the bookmark he showed his mother, saved her life. She noticed a similar mole and it was successfully removed."
Patricia Dodge, Health Teacher, Essex Middle School, VT.
"I talked about melanoma and showed the high school dvd today. Students were very receptive....I suggested several students see a dermatologist to check spots that they showed me today. Several students told me that they are not getting another tanning package again. The video and discussion session was very sucessful! I definitely recommend this for all health teachers!"
Linda Conti, Health teacher, Grove City High School, OH.
"I just used your Melanoma DVD and instructional program today and found it extremely valuable. I teach 5 Health classes comprised of about 30 Sophomore students in each class. Approximately 90% of each class told me that they had no idea that melanoma was such a serious health threat and they intended to change their behaviors immediately."
Lani Worthington, Health Teacher, McCutcheon High School, IN.
How to Order SkinCheck Materials
If you teach in an area eligible for free materials (see above) you may submit an on-line request for the free 45 minute teacher-training video or click here to download a mail/fax request form. The video will be accompanied by a form and instructions for ordering free classroom materials by mail or on-line.
For high schools and middle schools in other areas teacher-training packages containing the components itemized above and 100 "See Spot" bookmarks may be purchased.
Click here to order educational materials on-line.
Click here to download an order form to mail or fax.
| The next page lists schools utilizing the SkinCheck® program. |
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Copyright © 2005 Melanoma Education Foundation. All rights reserved.
The 11" x 17" poster warns about the dangers of
tanning beds; posters are shipped first-class in stay-flat mailers.
"KNOWING YOUR SKIN COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE" POSTER
Copyright © 2009 Melanoma Education Foundation. All rights reserved.
The 11' x 17' poster shows normal and atypical moles, illustrates the dangerous
vertical growth phase of melanomas and explains with photos how to recognize
different types of melanoma; posters are shipped first-class in stay-flat mailers.
Click here to order posters on-line.
Click here to download an order form to mail or fax.
Alternative High School & Middle School Resources
A lesson plan for a one and a half class unit to teach high school and middle school students about skin cancer utilizes a Jeopardy® TV show format and is based on this web site. Click here to download it as a pdf file.
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Project SAFETY has produced outstanding sets of materials for educating students in high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools about skin cancer and sun safety. The sets, available on CD ROM, consist of videos, still images, teacher guides, handout masters, and test questions. The video, "SunSpots" (produced in 1993) features a teen and young adults who developed melanoma. SunSpots may be purchased separately as a 16 minute VHS tape; for ordering information send an e-mail message to smadigan@mdanderson.org.
The Mollie Biggane Foundation has a DVD video, "Dark Side of the Sun." that may be downloaded at http://www.molliesfund.org/eduMaterials_DVD.htm.
Unlike high schools and middle schools, sun protection and awareness of UV radiation damage should be the predominant theme in educating elementary school students about skin cancer. Although MEF does not provide direct services to elementary schools there are some excellent resources available. A combination of the 10 minute video, "Gear Up for Summer ," produced by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Project Safety, and EPA SunWise programming materials is highly recommended.
The video may be ordered for $5.00 (including shipping) using an order form that may be printed from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Project Safety web site.
EPA SunWise programming materials include grade-appropriate classroom lessons and activities and is free for participating elementary schools. Complete information and the SunWise School Program Guide is available at http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/.
There are several other organizations and foundations that provide excellent elementary school skin cancer support services. Among them:
The Sun Safety web site of the Environmental Health Center of the National Safety Council
includes a downloadable Sun Safety Activity Guide with activities suitable for grades K-6
The SunSmart web site, operated by the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (Australia),
includes downloadable teaching materials for primary, middle, and high schools.
Children's Melanoma Prevention Foundation (Massachusetts)
The SHADE Foundation (Arizona and other states)
Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation (Florida)
The Coalition for Skin Cancer Prevention in Maryland has a well-organized educational site with
free
downloadable curriculum materials for Maryland elementary school teachers and students.
Download "The ABCs of Sun Protection for Children," an outstanding article
published in the December, 2005 issue of Dermatology Nursing.
L'Oreal Sunshine is an exceptionally good web site for children (and adults) to learn about the
effects of sun exposure, skin types, the body's natural defenses, and protective measures.
During college-age years vulnerability to melanoma increases dramatically but the majority of college students know little or nothing about melanoma and their susceptibility to it. Like high school students, many college students realize that too much sun causes skin cancer but most do not realize that the type of skin cancer most likely to strike them is common - and deadly if not caught early. Many colleges and universities include skin cancer education as part of annual health fairs but the focus is often on sun avoidance and fails to effectively warn students about their risk of melanoma and the need to check their skin regularly.
Improving Melanoma Education in Colleges & Universities
1. Redundancy is essential. No single method of communication is likely to be entirely effective by itself; try at least two ways of reaching students each academic year. If skin cancer is part of a Spring health fair, consider a Fall e-mail message or article in the campus newspaper urging readers to visit www.skincheck.org.
2. Avoid focusing only on sun protection; aim for balance by first creating an awareness of melanoma and the need for regular self-skin examination, then discussing sun-protection. Otherwise students will ignore sun safety warnings because they don't fully appreciate the consequences. And, although sun protection will reduce additional risk, most melanomas in college-age individuals develop because of past exposure or hereditary factors.
3. If e-mail or other suitable means of communication are available include faculty, staff, parents, and alumni in the distribution of melanoma information. Nearly half of the members of these populations also have little or no knowledge of melanoma.
4. Health information in academic web sites is not likely to be read by a significant fraction of the academic community unless members are driven to the site by independent means of communication such as e-mail or articles in college newsletters or student newspapers. Phrasing of the message is of critical importance because readers will tend to visit the site only if they perceive the reason applies to them individually. If the message only mentions "skin cancer" and/or "sun protection" it may be perceived by readers as non-essential because of previous misconceptions.
5. For community colleges and other commuter campuses in which students lack e-mail access, consider including information in a regularly scheduled mailing. Posters placed in stalls of campus rest rooms also draw attention.
6. Avoid scheduling outdoor athletic events between peak sunlight hours of 10 am and 3 pm. Be especially vigilant in promoting melanoma awareness and prevention to outdoor athletic team members.
Rcommendation for Melanoma Presentation at Colleges and Universities
Melanoma survivor Meghan Rothschild is available for student awareness presentations on college and university campuses. She is a skilled speaker and is passionate about the cause.
She was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma at age of 20. After 2 ½ years of baking herself in indoor tanning beds, she discovered a dark, itchy mole on her stomach. She thought nothing of the spot, but had it removed anyways. A week later her doctor called her back into the office to remove stitches. It was here that she first heard the "C" word. She spent her sophomore year in college battling cancer.
Since her diagnosis, Meghan has spent the last 6 years spreading the word about this deadly disease. She became a National Spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology in May of 2008. She has been featured on national news programs such as World News with Charles Gibson, The Mike and Juliet Show, and Inside Edition. She has posed for Fitness Magazine, WebMD, Marie Claire, and is being honored by Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Contact her at MRothschild@SurvivingSkin.org or visit www.SurvivingSkin.org for more information.