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.