HIV/AIDS

What is it?
Kids Health
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=288&id=1503
Who's it for?
Kinders-8th grade
Why bother?
This site is very kid friendly in both presentation and language. The content is broken up into sub-headings that are easily accessible from the side-bar, the wording and sentence structure are developmentally appropriate for upper elementary students, and children's art is showcased throughout the site to help explain concepts and make the site more of a kid venue. The portions of Kids Health most directly linked to HIV/AIDS prevention are "your body," "your health," your safety," and "nearly teens." There is information about why blood is important, how to provide first aid while also staying safe, appropriate touching, finding a safe place/adult, and sexuality.If you have ideas about how to make the site better, there is a place to leave feedback.
But...
Kids Health would be an ever stronger resource if it provided more information about HIV/AIDS as a disease. The site provides information on an array of common diseases and conditions, but that is not one of them.

What is it?
Girls Health
http://www.girlshealth.gov/
Who's it for?
5th-9th grade with an emphasis on girls
Why bother?
Girls Health provides a wealth of information about how to stay safe and healthy. The site uses a kid friendly format is divided into the following categories: body, fitness, nutrition, safety, illness and disability, drugs alcohol and smoking, your feelings, relationships, bullying, and your future. The 'body' tab provides answers about common questions about sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS as well as applicable symptoms and treatment for each. The 'drugs alcohol and smoking' tab provides information about how stay clear of club drugs and about possible HIV/AIDS risks. The 'relationships' section of the website provides concrete information about what to do in the case of rape and on fostering healthy relationships.
But...
Girls Health is definitely pushing an agenda so it would be important to teach about critically evaluating web sources and ideas before inviting students to explore this site on their own. For instance, it blatantly advocates for abstinence-only sex education and uses scare tactics such as "drugs make you look ugly!" If children are taught to accept information like some of what is provided on this site as given, they loose the opportunity to develop responsible decision-making skills of their own.

What is it?
The Aids Handbook
http://www.eastchester.k12.ny.us/schools/ms/AIDS/AIDS1.html
Who's it for?
6th-10th grade
Why bother?
The AIDS Handbook is an online manual written by 8th graders at Eastchester Middle school for peers. The manual contains information about prevention, transmission, symptoms, treatment, and a pictorial diagram of how the immune system fights disease. The information is divided into manageable chunks based on topic and is concise. The site also provides links to other useful online sites and contains no advertisements.
But...
The AIDS Handbook does not link AIDS to the experiences of real people, it presents information about the disease in a very matter of fact fashion. In addition, the site is not very large- it only contains the handbook.

What is it?
Kids Health from Nemours
http://kidshealth.org/kid/
Who's it for?
2nd-12th
Why Bother?
Kids Health from Nemours provides information about health for kids and teens in a user friendly format with a lot of tabs in the sidebar for easy navigation of this rather large site. The site is available in both Spanish and English and is divided into a kids section and a section for teens. There is information on feelings to how the body works to people and places that help in the kid's section. The teen portion uses the same format with an increased emphasis on drugs and alcohol, infections, and sexual health including HIV/AIDS.
But...
The teen portion of the site is full of informative articles, but does not provide many other modes to learn the material such as images, videos, or games.

What is it?
BAM! Body and Mind
http://www.bam.gov/sub_yourlife/index.html
Who's it for?
2nd-8th grade
Why Bother?
BAM! explains to kids and teens how to take care of their bodies and stay healthy. The site is divided into the following six topics: disease, food and nutrition, physical activity, your safety, your life, your body. Casual kid-friendly language is used throughout and the children depicted on the site represent a variety of racial backgrounds. There are several interactive games on the site to help users internalize the information such as an interactive "Bully Round-Up" boardgame and "Choices and Consequences" jeopardy.
But...
The site is very interactive and there are a lot of icons on each page to choose from. Such a large assortment of options may make it difficult for some children to concentrate while using this site.

Lesson Plan Idea:

Blood!

We are practicing how to best help someone who is bleeding and what to do if we are around someone else’s blood.

Grade Level: 2^nd

Time: 60 min

Objective:

SWBAT model what to do when they are around someone else’s blood.

SWBAT articulate why it is important to be careful around blood.

Standards:

2.1.1 Understands dimensions and indicators of health.

2.3.1 Understands how to prevent or reduce the risk of contracting a communicable disease.

3.5.1 Demonstrates decision making skills.

Materials:

-The heart: Our circulatory system by Seymour Simon

-AIDS & HIV: The facts for kids by Rae Simon

-Role play scenarios

Procedure:

-Introduce lesson by asking an authentic real-world question that relates to current events. For instance, “We’ve been talking about the earthquake in Haiti a lot lately and about how lots of people were hurt in it. When people get hurt, they sometimes have cuts and are bleeding. But, what should we do if we find someone who is bleeding. (2 min)

-Children pair-share what they would do then report out to the whole group. I will record responses for a visual representation of students’ ideas and pre-assessment. (10 min)

- Frame by telling students that sometimes people’s blood has diseases in it and that AIDS/HIV is an example of a disease that is in blood. Ask if anyone has heard of AID/HIV to gauge prior knowledge before reading to the children about it. Read portions of AIDS & HIV: The facts for kids by Rae Simon to stretch students’ ideas about what they would or should do. (15 min)

- Provide space for children to ask questions about AIDS/HIV (5 min)

-Ask how to be careful around blood and why it’s important. While still at circle for the reading, have children write their ideas about how to be careful around blood and why. Invite children to share their ideas if they choose. Discuss what makes safe choices safe. (10 min).

-Tell children that they have the opportunity today to practice their ideas. Children go back to table spots. Pass out a differentiated set of scenarios and have children work in mixed readiness trios to model their scenario. Invite groups who would like to share to perform in front of the class. (15 min + 5 for performances)

Scenario for groups 1 and 2- A child is lying on the ground hurt because they were injured in an earthquake. A second child notices that the first is hurt. There is one adult in the room, but the adult does not know the child is hurt.

Scenario for groups 2 and 3- One child is sucking blood out of a cut and asks a friend for a band-aid, but the friend does not have one. The nearest adult is the school nurse.

Scenario for groups 4 and 5- One child fell on the playground and their knee is bleeding. The child wipes the blood of with their hand and walks over to the monkey bars to play there. Two other children notice.

Scenario for groups 6 and 7- One child is in the restroom with a cut hand that is bleeding all over the sink. There is an adult down the hall and one other child in the restroom.

-Closing debrief guiding question- What did you learn about blood or AIDS today?

-Ticket out the door-“Tell me in two written sentences why it is important to be careful around blood.”

Assessment:

Pre- recorded ideas from group brainstorm

Formative- role plays

Summative- ticket out the door “Tell me in two written sentences why it is important to be careful around blood.”

Article with curriculum connections-

"Children with HIV and AIDS" By UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_introduction.php

• This article is useful for educators because it helps them inform themselves about how AIDS and HIV affect children and having that knowledge will help educators make HIV/AIDS education relevant to students. It will also help teachers be sensitive to students who have HIV or AIDS.
  
• The statistics provided on the site offer opportunities to link health and math by having students analyze or categorize the information.
  
• This comprehensive article provides important background on HIV/AIDS for educators and contextualizes the epidemic globally.
• Information is provided on who is most affected in terms of population and country, how to prevent infection amongst young people, supporting children who are affected, and what UNICEF is doing around the world to make a difference.
• The "headlines around the web" portion of the article makes it easy for educators to link current events to education about HIV and AIDS.
  

Space Science

What is it?
Kid’s Astronomy
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/
Who’s it for?
Kinders- 5th graders
Why bother?
This site is part of the kids-know-it network and is useful because it provides a lot of information about space in kid friendly language. There are a lot of games appropriate for K-2 students but none have very much science content built in. They do however provide engaging ways for children to build fine motor skills, familiarity with basic computer functions, and develop curiosity about space science processes. The site is extremely interactive and provides up to date information about Pluto. The “make-a-solar-system” application allows users to put the solar system together one planet at a time and really see how it works.
But…
The Google ads are distracting and the games are fun activities, but do not help children learn about scientific concepts.

What is it?
Space.com
Who’s it for?
This is primarily a teacher resource. The information on the site could be presented in a developmentally appropriate way to students of any age.
Why bother?
Space.com offers a wealth of information on space in the news and artistic representations of space structures such as planets and black holes. Linking the study of space to current events and real life questions about space funding are potential avenues for increasing students’ engagement and creating problem-based lessons
But…
I would not recommend this site for independent use by elementary school children. The articles were written with an adult audience in mind and would not be accessible for most K-8 readers. The site also has advertisements for television programs that may be inappropriate for school viewing such as an ad for a show sponsored by National Geographic about military weapons. In the ad, men are shown shooting large guns and doing target practice.

What is it?
Star Child
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html
Who’s it for?
Kinders-8th
Why bother?
Star Child is a great resource for elementary school children of all ages because there are two levels within the site. Level one is appropriate for K-4 students and level two is aimed at 5th-8th grade students. The reading level of the level one portion is likely above the reading level of most early elementary students, but audio recordings are available to go along with the text. The audio recordings may also be useful for some learning disabilities. Each level includes facts, questions, and activities. The site is currently available in German, Italian and Portuguese, and Spanish is in the works.
But…
Star Child is not a very big website. The information it does have is accurate, but each category only has a couple paragraphs of text and thus could serve as a good springboard for further research.

What is it?
Stanford Solar Center
http://solar-center.stanford.edu/
Who’s it for?
4th-8th grade students (could be used with younger students if scaffolded well)
Why bother?
The Stanford Solar Center website is a resource for upper elementary children and teachers to learn about the sun with the support of images, audio recordings, text, models, videos, and activities. There is information about folklore regarding the sun, music and literature about the sun, and lots of real images of the sun. The models are particularly useful because they link the science of the sun to concrete things that many children will relate to. For instance, simply stating that the surface of the sun is 5,800 K may not have very much meaning for students. This site goes above and beyond by stating that 5,800 K is approximately 16 times as hot as boiling water. Wow!
But…
This site is very user friendly and provides a lot of information. The downside is that some children may become easily distracted because of the breadth of information on each page and the sheer size of the site.

What is it?

The Nine (eight) Planets for Kids

http://kids.nineplanets.org/earth.htm

Who’s it for?

4^th-6^th graders

Why bother?

This site is a kid friendly version of The Nine Planets and provides up to date information about space with descriptive text and images. This site is particularly valuable because it works to make connections between space and children’s everyday experiences. For instance, rather than simply state that the gas planets are made of primarily hydrogen and helium, the site explains that these planets are light for the same reasons that an air balloon is light to help connect the concept to something kids will likely have schema for. The site also does a great job of comparing and contrasting the planets and defining key terms.

But…

The site does not provide any information about space in general, the whole site is devoted to sharing facts about specific planets and how they compare to one another. This site would be strengthened if it viewed science as an interconnected system rather than explaining the planets in isolation.

Lesson Plan Idea:

The Sun and the Moon have patterns of movement that can be observed and recorded.

Procedure:

1. Science journal-

a. Draw a picture of the sun

b. Use words or pictures to show what know about the sun

2. Students share-compare the picture they drew with a partner

3. Whole group share of pictures in circle.

4. Ask children if the sun matters to them and why. Use as a springboard for filling out the “W” portion of a K-W chart.

5. Pre-reading discussion. Compare the image of the sun on the cover of The Sun to a picture of the sun on the cover of another children’s book where the sun is smiling and has rays coming out from it.

i. Ask whole group-What do you notice about what is the same and what is different between these two pictures of the sun? Students point out observations and notice similarities and differences. Once children have had time to really notice some of the differences ask if both images are pictures of the sun. If students agree that both images are pictures of the sun, ask why the pictures look so different. If they do not agree that both are pictures of the sun ask why and which is the sun.

ii. Use the comparison of the suns as a springboard for talking about reading the world critically by asking children if everything they read or are told is completely accurate. Reflect as a group about what we can do if we are not sure if something is true or not and list students’ ideas.

6. Stretch break

7. Read The Sun by Seymour Simon (or another developmentally appropriate book about the sun)

8. Fill in the K portion of the K-W chart

9. Science journal-

a. Draw a picture of the sun if you idea about what is looks like changed

b. Use words or pictures to show what know about the sun

10. Closing debrief- What did you learn about the sun today?

Rubric-

2 (exceeding) - child drew a scientifically accurate representation of the sun in the pre-assessment and the list of what they know about the sun shows growth in their thinking (additional items listed).

1 (meeting)- child’s post-assessment drawing showed growth in their thinking when compared to pre-assessment meaning that the second drawing was more scientifically accurate. Child also added at least one thing they learned about the sun that was not on the pre-assessment

0 (beginning)- child’s pre and post assessments both show that the child is not yet thinking about the sun in scientific terms. For example, the sun may have eyes and a smile in both the pre and post.

Article with Curriculum Connections

Article with curriculum connections:

Astronomy with a Stick. By: Sylvia Shugrue

http://0-web.ebscohost.com.cals.evergreen.edu/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=11&sid=052d59ed-ff69-4ea1-b53b-063d544f1ff0%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=9605080201

· This article details a yearlong curriculum sequence of three units aimed at a 5^th and 6^th grade audience that addresses the question: "Why do daylight hours vary in length where we live?"

· This is an important theme because many children graduate from school without a basic understanding of the relationship between the earth, moon, and sun.

· The activities in this unit integrate critical thinking, math, science, and language.

· The activities are particularly useful for educators because they link all of the concepts to real life experiences and provide full lesson plans. Of course, lesson plans are never one-size-fits-all and teachers will need to modify the plans to fit the needs of their particular students, but the plans provide a strong base.

· The lesson plans include ideas for discussion though it is unlikely that one will get through all of them. In addition, all of the lessons are fairly hands-on and problem-based. However, assessment ideas are not included.