AIDS Awareness Lesson Plan
Description
This lesson plan explores the global issue of HIV/AIDS and AIDS orphans for use with this website, AIDS Orphans: A Lost Generation. It includes an Introduction, which provides a basic overview of these crises; Research and Discussion activities which compare and contrast the crises in different regions of the world; a Media Presentation which shows photographs of those involved in the crises, and ideas for individual Written Reflection.
Age Group
This activity is recommended for students 13 years old and older. HIV/AIDS deals with sexual topics like rape, condom use, and homosexuality.
Duration
This activity will probably last 1 hour and 30 minutes (90 minutes); although, the teacher may adjust the suggested time to make the lesson longer or shorter.
Materials
- Computer with video/computer projector
- AIDS Orphans: A Lost Generation PowerPoint presentation
- Printed information from the regional profiles from AIDS Orphans: A Lost Generation
- Video interview with Irma Hinkle from ACCESS
Suggested Activities
Introduction (about 10 minutes)
Present the AIDS Orphans: A Lost Generation slideshow by projecting it from a computer onto the wall. It can be downloaded from the Current Efforts: Our Efforts section of our website as well as the Get Involved: Lesson Plan. The PowerPoint presentation is a basic overview of HIV/AIDS and AIDS orphans.
Group Research (about 25 minutes)
Break students into groups to study the different affected regions of the world: Africa, Asia, The Caribbean, and Latin America. Ensure that each group has access to information about their region, either through a computer or a computer printout. Then have students present what they’ve learned including: the number of those with HIV/AIDS and AIDS orphans, the lives of AIDS orphans (paraphrase a testimony), and information on HIV/AIDS in the region.
Class Discussion(about 15 minutes)
After the class has presented information from their regions have them discuss some of the following questions:
- Are there any similarities between the lives of AIDS orphans and the HIV/AIDS outbreaks in different world region?
- What are the unique characteristics of the crises in different parts of the world? Why are things different?
- What can be done to solve some the problems just discussed?
- How do the worldwide crises of HIV/AIDS and AIDS orphans affect us and our country?
Media Presentation (about 10 minutes)
Go to the Photo Gallery found in the Media & Interaction section of AIDS Orphans: A Lost Generation and show a variety of photographs to put faces to the issues which were discussed earlier. If there is time, also present the video interview with Irma Hinkle, Program Director of AIDS Care Center for Education & Support Service (ACCESS) in Norfolk, Virginia. The interview can be downloaded from Media & Interaction: Video Interview.
Written Reflection (about 15 minutes)
Give students any of the following writing prompts to individually reflect upon.
- How do the HIV/AIDS and AIDS orphan crises affect me?
- What can I personally do to increase awareness for AIDS orphans?
- Using the guidelines from the Get Involved: Write a Letter section of our website, write a letter to a political representative urging them to take action to help AIDS orphans.