HIV/AIDS Education - Grade 8

Learning Objectives
Students will identify some of the sensitive issues connected with preventing, acquiring, and coping with HIV/AIDS.

Students will examine personal knowledge in terms of what they already know and what they want to know (CCT).

Instructional Strategies/Methods

Provide students with an overview of what is to be included in this unit of study.

Conduct a brainstorming session as a means of reviewing what students already know about preventing, acquiring, and coping with HIV/AIDS.

Note:

Preventing and acquiring HIV/AIDS was addressed in grade 6. The predictable stages of HIV/AIDS were included in grade 7, so students may have some ideas about coping with the various stages of declining well-being.

Record responses on the chalkboard or a flipchart. Debrief the brainstorming session by having students identify some of the sensitive issues connected with preventing, acquiring, and coping with HIV/AIDS.

Note:

Using a Talking Circle allows one person to speak at a time offering his or her idea of what is considered to be 'sensitive'. Within this particular teaching method, it is acceptable to 'pass'. Not every student will be w illing to verbalize her or his thoughts about sensitive issues.

Instructional
Strategies/Methods

Define the terms 'infect' and 'affect'. When the terms are clarified, elicit responses to questions such as the following:

• What might it be like to be a person living with HIV/AIDS?
• What do you think it is like to be a brother/sister/son/daughter of a person with HIV/AIDS?
• What are some of the worries or fears of a person living with HIV/AIDS?
• Does a family member of a person living with HIV/AIDS experience some of the same worries or fears?
• What kinds of discrimination might be experienced by a person living with HIV/AIDS?
• Does a family member of a person living with HIV/AIDS experience some of the same forms of discrimination?

Show the video All About Eve, the story of a young girl living with AIDS. Have students reflect upon and discuss the video in groups of three. After the small group discussions, facilitate a large group discussion regarding the fears and discrim ination shown in the video.

Work through the next learning objective in combination with the Communication learning objective. Identifying 'loaded' words was a skill taught in the grade 7 HIV/AIDS Education unit; however, the concept of unsubstantiated claims remains to be addres sed at the grade 8 level. The suggested combination of instructional methods indicates the use of multiple resources.

Gather and use multiple sources of information. Have students evaluate the sources of information and then the information itself. A Sample Checklist for Evaluating Health-related Sources of Information (Grade 8) and a Sample Checklist for Evaluating H ealth-related Information (Grade 8) are provided as Appendix 8-A and 8-B. Review how to identify loaded words. Teach the concept of unsubstantiated claims.

One of the foundational objectives of this unit refers to sensitive issues connected with HIV/AIDS. Intravenous drug use, opportunistic infections causing illness and disability, and life and death are addressed in the grades 6 and 7 HIV/AIDS Education units. Homosexuality and homophobia are also among the list of sensitive issues connected with HIV/AIDS. Because HIV was first introduced to North Americans as a virus that was affecting mostly homosexuals, some people still think of it in that way. See the HIV/AIDS Update information in the grade 6 HIV/AIDS Education Unit for current trends. It is important that students possess the skills of accessing and evaluating information in order that they can act as critical consumers of past, present, and futu re HIV/AIDS information.

Several instructional methods are suggested as means for students to learn about and demonstrate respect for persons. The choice of instructional method may depend on the make up of the class. Regardless of the instructional method, students will pract ise evaluating what is read (case studies), heard (concept attainment or talking circle), or viewed (videos used as supporting resources). The purpose is to enable students to counteract discrimination and to demonstrate respect for persons in their day-t o-day lives.

Ways to counter discrimination and demonstrate respect for persons include:

• respecting people living with HIV/AIDS as persons, in day-to-day activities and interactions
• refusing to join in on actions that discriminate such as crude comments or jokes and physical harassment or violence.

Before leaving this grouping of learning objectives, review the idea that HIV/AIDS affects many more people than it infects. Review also the sensitive issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. Students should realize that their day-to-day behaviours and interaction s can either perpetuate or counteract some of the misinformation that surrounds sensitive issues. This can serve as a transition into the next grouping of learning objectives about HIV/AIDS and its effect on families.

Student Assessment Techniques
Students can compose an editorial to demonstrate their understanding of how HIV/AIDS affects people and the impact that education has on eradicating myths. Providing students with a magazine or journal article can be used to assess their ability to id entify persuasion and propaganda techniques. A case study is one way to assess students' abilities to evaluate information and to identify behaviours that demonstrate respect for persons.

Instructional
Strategies/Methods

Use the following questions to facilitate a class discussion to introduce the topic of HIV/AIDS and families:

• How would you feel if a friend's father or mother had AIDS?
• Would you still be friends?
• Would it change the way you think of your friend?
• Would you still go over to your friend's house and spend time there watching TV, shooting baskets, riding your bike, eating snacks or meals?
• What assumptions might you make about your friend's mother or father?
• What assumptions might other people make?

Note:

Dividing the class into discussion groups of 2-4 students increases the likelihood of all students participating in the discussion.

Ask individual students to generate a list of issues a family might have to deal with when a family member has AIDS. Have students move into pairs to compare their lists and add to them. They may list some of the following:

• anger
• discrimination
• embarrassment
• fear
• grief
• increased health care expenses
• loss of some friends
• loss of income.

The novel Earthshine illustrates the role of support persons and support networks which are an integral part of Health Education in grade 8. Earthshine features the impact of AIDS on the family of a twelve-year-old whose father is dying o f AIDS.

Move two pairs of students together to become a small group of four whose task is to discuss and record ways in which family members can help one another cope with some of the issues listed previously. Students may identify such things as:

• show love and support for one another as well as for the person with HIV/AIDS
• help the person with HIV/AIDS as well as one another whenever possible (e.g., babysitting, cleaning the house, helping prepare meals and cleaning up, shopping or running other errands)
• take the time to listen to and talk with everyone in the family, but especially the person with HIV/AIDS.

Bring closure to the co-operative learning group activity by facilitating a sharing of group findings. Connect the work on HIV/AIDS and its effect on families to the next portion of the unit by starting a list of Top Ten Reasons for Families to Talk ab out HIV/AIDS. The following are examples:

• so we all know how to prevent or reduce the risk of acquiring HIV
• so we can clarify our family's standards regarding people living with HIV/AIDS
• so we can share current and accurate information about HIV/AIDS
• so we can share ways to eradicate myths and misinformation
• so we can share ways to demonstrate respect for persons
• so we can share ways to support a family member, friend, or neighbour who has HIV/AIDS.

Have students conduct interviews with several knowledgeable people in the community in order to learn how parents/caregivers and other adults communicate ideas and feelings about HIV/AIDS.

It may be useful, before students set out to conduct their interviews, to clarify whom reliable sources of information might be. As a class, decide upon an appropriate due date, minimum number of interviews, format for presentation of findings, and so on.

When students share their findings, observations are likely to include:

• caregivers communicate ideas and feelings by example
• adults communicate attitudes verbally and nonverbally
• some caregivers purposefully teach decision-making skills and share values
• some people help young people to think of the choices available to them
• some caregivers advise their sons and daughters of the 'best' behaviours as those that match family standards
• caregivers may advise young people of family expectations
• some adults share information through magazine articles, books, television documentaries, and so on.

Ask students, 'Where do young people get most of their information about HIV/AIDS?'. Responses are likely to include:

• family
• friends
• school
• print
• television
• doctor/nurse.

Debrief the discussion by referring to The Canada Youth and AIDS Study (1988). It reports the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of over 38,000 Canadian youth, including those in grades 7, 9, 11; young people who have left school; and college/university students. 'Most respondents in all age groups surveyed cited television as their main source of information about AIDS' (page 53).

Discuss some of the problems that may exist when young people receive most or all of their HIV/AIDS information from television. Ideas presented throughout the discussion may include:

• information may be incomplete
• information may be incorrect
• information may be misleading.

Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group one of three questions to discuss. The questions are listed below with anticipated responses:

• Why do some parents/caregivers talk with their children about HIV/AIDS?
  • want to help their children understand
  • want to help their children make healthy choices
  • want to protect their children from harm.

• Why don't some parents/caregivers talk with their children about HIV/AIDS?
  • may be embarrassed
  • may think they do not know enough about HIV/AIDS
  • may think that their son or daughter does not need the information until he or she is older.

• Why don't some young people talk with their parents/caregivers about HIV/AIDS?
  • may think that parents do not have adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS
  • may have experienced negative or harmful reactions/behaviours and do not feel safe in discussing sensitive issues
  • may not think of their parents/caregivers as appropriate role models (e.g., if these adults inject drugs or have multiple partners).

Ensure that each small group has a recorder and a reporter. Arrange for each group reporter to share group highlights with the large group.

Ask students to generate ways in which young people can begin a conversation with their parents/caregivers about HIV/AIDS. They may suggest such things as:

• ask parent/caregiver to watch an upcoming television show or documentary with you
• ask for their opinion(s) about something you have learned at school about HIV/AIDS
• have a friend come over and ask your parent(s) for advice or an opinion
• tell parent/caregiver about something you have heard about HIV/AIDS and ask for clarification
• use an article from the newspaper or a magazine and ask for caregiver's opinion.

When students have a few ideas about how to initiate a discussion with parents/caregivers, they may need some pointers on how to keep the conversation going.

Do Say:

'Tell me more about that.'
'Keep talking.'
'I don't think I understand.'
'I'm not sure about ...'

Rephrase what parent(s) said: 'So, you're saying that ...'

Do Not Say:
'That is pretty old-fashioned.'
'That's kind of dumb/stupid.'
'You can't be serious!'

Divide the class into pairs. Within each pair, one student plays the role of the youth and the other plays the role of a parent/caregiver. Each pair is to create a role play that demonstrates ways in which youth can communicate about HIV/AIDS with pare nts/caregivers. Allow time for pairs of students to create their role plays and then to perform them for the rest of the class.

Involve students in establishing the criteria that will be used to assess their role plays. The role plays should show students' knowledge of:

• how to initiate a conversation
• how to keep the conversation going
• how to talk about HIV/AIDS in a way that shows respect for persons.

Student Assessment Techniques
A number of techniques can be used to assess the degree to which students can 'describe' the effect of HIV/AIDS on families and how parents/caregivers communicate ideas and feelings about HIV/AIDS. Students might create a collage, an oral news story f or radio or television, a print news story, a poem, a concept web, or a cartoon strip. Establish the criteria to be used in assessment and then allow the students to select the activity.

Students' abilities to seek out information from knowledgeable people can be assessed by having them list who they approached and why they sought information from those particular people. Look for evidence of criteria such as expertise, education, and experience. Look beyond criteria such as available, approachable, and convenient.

A class-developed rating scale is an ideal way to assess the students' role plays. A sample rating scale, Assessing Role Plays to Demonstrate Ways to Communicate about HIV/AIDS with Parents/Caregivers (Grade 8), is provided as Appendix 8-R. It can be adapted as needed.

Student Evaluation Techniques for Level A of the Decision-making Process
Each student's portfolio contains an editorial, an assessment of the students' identification of propaganda and persuasion, a case study assessment of respectful behaviours and evaluating information, and two of the following: collage, radio or TV new s story, newspaper article, poem, concept web, or cartoon strip. Portfolios also include a list of criteria to use in selecting people as reliable sources of information and a rating scale to assess role plays.

All of these assessment data reflect the degree to which a student has achieved the learning objectives in Level A - Extend Knowledge Base. A student's mark for the HIV/AIDS Education Unit consists of one third for extending knowledge, one third for ma king a decision, and one third for designing and carrying out an action plan. Take the assessment data gathered throughout Level A and assign a mark to it that will constitute one-third of the student's overall HIV/AIDS Education Unit mark.

Learning Objectives
Students will identify a challenge connected to supporting a peer who is talking to his or her parents/caregivers about HIV/AIDS.

Students will list ways to support peers as they demonstrate effective communication skills with parents/ caregivers.

Students will explore the consequences of various support strategies.

Students will establish a goal to talk to parents about HIV/AIDS and support a peer who is doing the same.

Instructional
Strategies/Methods

In a mini-lecture, clarify expectations for Level B - Make an Informed Decision. In the remainder of the unit, each student is to demonstrate effective communication skills in talking to his or her parents/caregivers about HIV/AIDS. Each student is to support a peer who is doing the same. Also, each student is to arrange for a peer to support him or her.

There are several challenges for students to consider when supporting peers. Some of them are:

• How can I demonstrate support for a peer who is talking to his or her parents or caregivers about HIV/AIDS?
• What kind of support do I want as I talk to my own parent(s) or caregiver(s) about HIV/AIDS?
• How do I figure out whom to request as my support person?

Chapter 4 of Creating your own Support System includes information to assist students in deciding upon the type of support that they may need and who might provide such support.

Ask students individually to begin a list of responses to the first question above. Then, have students move into pairs to compare their ideas and add to the list. They may suggest ways of supporting peers such as the following:

• helping my peer select a video, newspaper article, or magazine article to use in initiating a conversation with his or her parent(s)
• being with my peer when he or she is talking with parents/caregivers about HIV/AIDS
• helping my peer develop a script of what he or she intends to say to parent(s)
• helping my peer by playing the role of parent/caregiver as we rehearse the conversation ahead of time.

When students have exhausted their list of support strategies, ask the pair of students to compare what kind of support they each would appreciate as they both plan to communicate about HIV/AIDS with parents/caregivers.

Have pairs of students join to become small groups of four. Encourage students to compare the kind(s) of support they want and/or need. Some will want support in the planning stage while others will want support to carry out the actual communication se ssion. Still others will request support throughout the entire process.

Also, ask students to list criteria that they might use in deciding upon whom to approach to act as their support person. They may list criteria such as:

• dependable
• punctual
• good communicator
• comfortable with youth and adults.

To encourage students to think further about selecting a support person, assign questions similar to the following as homework:

1. What are the consequences of each of the support strategies you identified as a pair? Consider the consequences for you as you talk with your parents/caregivers. Consider the consequences for you as you assume the role of support person for a peer. C onsider the consequences for the classmate acting as your support person.
2. Based upon the above, what type of support do you feel most comfortable offering to a peer?
3. Based upon the above, what type of support will you request of a peer?
4. Considering the criteria for selecting a good support person, who will you approach to act as your support person? Why?

Inform students, from the outset, that responses to these questions are being used in Level B assessment. Establish a due date and appropriate format for responses.

Student Assessment Techniques
Throughout Level B, students work individually, in pairs, and in small groups of four. They experience a combination of direct and interactive instruction along with an opportunity for independent study. It is important to assess students in ways that reflect how they spend their time in the classroom working toward the achievement of specific learning objectives. Assessing each pair's list of support strategies is appropriate as long as students are informed of that intention ahead of time. Likewise, each small group's listing of criteria to use in selecting a support person is data that can be used in assessment. Lastly, students' responses to the assigned questions can be used as assessment data.

Student Evaluation Techniques for Level B of the Decision-making Process
Gather the Level B assessment data located in each student's portfolio and use them in making an evaluation of her or his Level B progress. Each student's portfolio may contain a list of support strategies, a list of criteria to use in selecting a sup port person, and the responses to assigned questions.

Instructional Strategies/Methods

Students can use an action plan outline similar to that used in grade 7 as they plan to communicate with their parents/caregivers about HIV/AIDS. Their plan identifies a support person. It also includes check-in dates or pre-arranged times to meet and decide whether the plan is on track.

Students may find it helpful to refer to an outline such as the Sample Action Plan for the HIV/AIDS Unit (Grade 8: Support Peers) provided in Appendix 8-S.

The student, teacher, and support person(s) sign the action plan at the time of design. The action plan is assessed at the time of design. A check-in date is agreed upon. A conclusion date is also determined. The parties meet at an agreed-to time and p lace on the completion date to evaluate the plan. Revision is considered and agreed to, if necessary, to help the student meet the specified goal.

Student Assessment Techniques
To assess the action plan, teachers may use Part A (1-6) and Part B (1-4) of the Rating Scale for Assessment and Evaluation of Action Plans found in the Templates for Assessment and Evaluation section of this curriculum guide. At the time of the plan' s completion, Part A (7) and Part B (5-8) of the same rating scale can be used to assess the degree to which the plan was successful.

Student Evaluation Techniques
When the design phase and the action phase of the action plan have been assessed, it is time to make a judgement. One way to evaluate or assign a mark is to compile the assessment data as submitted by the teacher, the student, and the support person(s ) on their copies of the Rating Scale for Assessment and Evaluation of Action Plans.