InterConnections 21

December 1: World AIDS Day

 

World AIDS Day RibbonWorld AIDS Day is celebrated each year on December 1. The World AIDS Day Unit provides middle and high school teachers with interdisciplinary lesson plans and student materials that can be used in conjunction with World AIDS Day. At the end of this unit, students should be able to meet the following objectives within the following categories:

 

Knowledge

  • Name the region of the world that is most affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic
  • Identify at least three factors that contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS
  • Identify at least three social/economic impacts of HIV/AIDS
  • Explain the link between HIV/AIDS and human rights
  • Describe three impacts that HIV/AIDS has on women
  • Discuss strategies for taking action on the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and express a point of view on them

 

Skills

  • Read a text and extract the main ideas
  • Identify trends using statistics and maps
  • Effectively present information to a group
  • Carry out research using the Internet
  • State a point of view and defend it with evidence

 

Attitudes

  • Listen to others with respect
  • Demonstrate understanding of different points of view
  • Work with a group, as well as independently
  • Show solidarity with, and respect for the rights of people affected by HIV/AIDS
  • Display a commitment to taking action

 

A Note to Teachers

This unit is not intended to be a health education curriculum. The focus of this unit is on the human rights dimensions of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It assumes that students have basic knowledge about the transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS. For students who may not have had exposure to this information in health education classes, teachers may wish to involve the health education teacher in their school, or consult the following sources:

 

 

The unit is comprised of activities aligned with national standards. The national organizations responsible for developing these standards are:

 

Social Studies: National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS).

Standards are described in detail in the NCSS publication "Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: Expectations of Excellence", NCSS Bulletin 89, 1994. Available from the National Council for the Social Studies, 8555 Sixteenth Street, Suite 500, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Order online at www.socialstudies.org.

 

English Language Arts: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

NCTE standards for English Language Arts are available at http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards/110846.htm

 

Mathematics: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

NCTM standards for mathematics are available at http://www.nctm.org/standards/

 

Visual Arts: Consortium of National Arts Education Associations (CNAEA).

The CNAEA has developed National Standards for Arts Education that address standards for dance, music, theater and visual arts. The full text of these standards can be found online at http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teach/standards.cfm