Scientists have told us for many years that the sun can harm our health. Researchers have produced many studies that link exposure to the sun to cancer. Doctors continually warn us about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Well, all of this might now change. Doctors and scientists may soon be telling us the opposite. New research suggests that sunshine is necessary for our bodies. Our skin absorbs the UV rays and produces vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin”.

Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard University says that vitamin D contains many anti-cancer benefits. He believes vitamin D might help prevent 30 more deaths than those caused by skin cancer. It might now be time to put the sunscreen away. Doctors may soon recommend we spend fifteen minutes a day in direct sunlight. They say this will allow our skin to produce the vitamin D we need. Researchers highlight the fact that there are fewer people with cancer in sunnier parts of the world.

WARM-UPS

1. HEADLINE: In pairs / groups, make your own news report from the two words “sunshine” and “cancer”. Develop the story, complete with characters and facts, and tell it to another partner / group. Decide whose story is most probable.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics are most interesting and which are most boring.

Sunshine / skin / vitamins / vitamin D / skin cancer / sunscreen / beaches / sunbathing / UV rays / sunny parts of the world

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. SUNSHINE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with sunshine. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

4. SUNSHINE OPINIONS: In pairs / groups, decide which of these opinion you agree with. Discuss how much truth there is in each one.

1. The sun is good for you.
2. You must wear sun block / sunscreen every time you go outside.
3. Being in the sun is bad because it causes wrinkles and makes you look older.
4. Sun tanned skin doesn’t look good.
5. Buying vitamin D supplements is a waste of time. The sun is free.
6. People worry too much about UV rays.
7. Sunshine is dangerous in areas where there is a hole in the ozone layer.
8. People who sunbathe are crazy.
9. Feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
10. Our bodies need sunshine.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Scientists have told us for many years that sunshine is healthy.	T / F
b.	Researchers say there is a link between studying and cancer.	T / F
c.	Doctors and scientists have changed their minds about UV rays.	T / F
d.	Vitamin C is called the “sunshine vitamin”.	T / F
e.	Vitamin D may prevent 30 deaths for each one caused by skin cancer.	T / F
f.	Sunscreen might not be so necessary now.	T / F
g.	Our bodies need five hours a day in direct sunlight.	T / F
h.	There is less cancer in sunnier parts of the world.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	harm	aka
b.	studies	includes
c.	exposure	damage
d.	suggests	urge
e.	also known as	contact
f.	contains	a quarter of an hour
g.	prevent	point out
h.	fifteen minutes	reports
i.	recommend	stop
j.	highlight	indicates

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	Scientists have told us	skin cancer
b.	harm	“sunshine vitamin”
c.	warn us about	benefits
d.	may soon be telling us the	our health
e.	also known as the	opposite
f.	contains many anti-cancer	sunlight
g.	vitamin D might help prevent	of the world
h.	caused by	for many years
i.	direct	the dangers
j.	sunnier parts	30 more deaths

WHILE READING / LISTENING

WORD ORDER: Put the underlined words back in the correct order.

Sunshine may prevent cancer

Scientists have years for us told many that the sun can harm our health. Researchers have produced many studies that link exposure to the sun to cancer. Doctors
about us warn continually the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Well, all of this might now change. Doctors and scientists may soon be telling us the opposite. New research suggests that sunshine bodies is for our necessary. Our skin absorbs the UV rays and produces vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin”.

Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard University says that vitamin D contains many anti-cancer benefits. He believes vitamin D might help prevent 30 more deaths than those caused by skin cancer. It might now put the time to be sunscreen away. Doctors may soon recommend we spend fifteen minutes a day in direct sunlight. They say this will allow our skin to produce the vitamin D we need. Researchers highlight the fact that there are fewer people with cancer in
the world parts of sunnier.

AFTER READING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘sun’ and ‘shine’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. WORD ORDER: In pairs / groups, compare and talk about your answers to this exercise. After you agree, check your answers against the text.

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT SUNSHINE SURVEY: In pairs / groups write down questions about sunshine.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make a mini-presentation to another group / the class on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

many years link UV opposite necessary also known as

Harvard University benefits deaths direct produce sunnier

 DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What did you think when you saw this headline?
2. Do you often read about health in newspapers?
3. Do you like the sun?
4. Do you like sitting in the sun?
5. Do you think exposure to sunshine is dangerous?
6. Which would you prefer, sun tanned skin or your natural color?
7. Do you try and avid UV rays?
8. Do you take vitamin D supplements? Do you think they work?
9. Do you like the feeling of sunshine on your body?
10. Would you prefer to live in a sunnier part of the world?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading the article?
2. Do you believe the news in this article?
3. Will it make you change your behavior in any way?
4. How often do you use sunscreen / sun blocks?
5. Do you think dark, sun tanned skin looks healthy?
6. Do you like going to the beach?
7. Would you ever go to a tanning center?
8. Are you worried about the sun giving you wrinkles?
9. Are you concerned about the holes in the ozone layer?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
5. What did you like talking about?
6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
7. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

“THE UNIVERSE” ROLE PLAY: This role play is to discuss and decide which is the most important part of the universe. Team up with classmates who have been assigned the same role to develop your roles and discuss ideas and “strategies” before the role play begins.

Introduce yourself to the other role players before the role play begins.

Role A – Sun Some of your benefits: You are the centre of the universe. There can be no life without you. You give warmth, light and energy. Write why you are better than the moon and earth: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Role B – Moon Some of your benefits: You are mysterious. You control the movement of the earth’s oceans. You will not die one day like the sun. After the earth dies, people will live on you. Why you are better than the sun and earth: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Role C – Earth Some of your benefits: You are the most important part of the universe. The most beautiful creatures and things live on you. Without earth there is nothing. Why you are better than the moon and sun: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Change roles and repeat the role play. Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays.

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Sunshine may prevent cancer

Scientists _____ _____ ___ ____ many years that the sun can harm our health. Researchers have produced many studies _____ _____ ________ to the sun to cancer. Doctors continually warn us about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Well, all of this might now change. Doctors and scientists
____ _____ ____ ______ us the opposite. New research suggests that sunshine is necessary for our bodies. Our skin absorbs the UV rays and produces vitamin D, ____ _____ ___ the “sunshine vitamin”.

Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard University says that vitamin D ______ ______ ________ benefits. He believes vitamin D might help prevent 30 more deaths than those caused by skin cancer. It might ___ __ _____ ___ put the sunscreen away. Doctors may soon recommend we spend fifteen minutes a ____ __ _______ _________. They say this will allow our skin to produce the vitamin D we need. Researchers highlight the fact that there are fewer people with cancer __ _______ _____ ___ the world.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find information on sunshine. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. ULTRAVIOLET RAYS: Make an information sheet about the benefits and dangers of UV rays. Show your information sheets to your classmates in the next lesson.

4. LETTER: Write a letter of thanks to the sun. Explain how important you think the sun is and what part it plays in your everyday life. Show your letter to your classmates in the next lesson. Compare the things you wrote about.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. F

c. T

d. F

e. T

f. T

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	harm	damage
b.	studies	reports
c.	exposure	contact
d.	suggests	indicates
e.	also known as	aka
f.	contains	includes
g.	prevent	stop
h.	fifteen minutes	a quarter of an hour
i.	recommend	urge
j.	highlight	point out

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	Scientists have told us	for many years
b.	harm	our health
c.	warn us about	the dangers
d.	may soon be telling us the	opposite
e.	also known as the	“sunshine vitamin”
f.	contains many anti-cancer	benefits
g.	vitamin D might help prevent	30 more deaths
h.	caused by	skin cancer
i.	direct	sunlight
j.	sunnier parts	of the world

WORD ORDER:

Sunshine may prevent cancer

Scientists have told us for many years that the sun can harm our health. Researchers have produced many studies that link exposure to the sun to cancer. Doctors continually warn us about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Well, all of this might now change. Doctors and scientists may soon be telling us the opposite. New research suggests that sunshine is necessary for our bodies. Our skin absorbs the UV rays and produces vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin”.

Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard University says that vitamin D contains many anti-cancer benefits. He believes vitamin D might help prevent 30 more deaths than those caused by skin cancer. It might now be time to put the sunscreen away. Doctors may soon recommend we spend fifteen minutes a day in direct sunlight. They say this will allow our skin to produce the vitamin D we need. Researchers highlight the fact that there are fewer people with cancer in sunnier parts of the world.

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