| 
Grade 5
A Healthy Body
A Sample Unit on HIV/AIDS
Unit Introduction: A Healthy Body
Being sick is a reality in a child's life. Yet sickness can
be quite mysterious to children and is often a source of worry
— even when worrying is unwarranted. It is important for students
to learn how sickness may sometimes be prevented, how we can
control diseases, and how we can cope — or help others cope
— with sickness. The strand A Healthy Body teaches students
how nutrition, physical activity, leisure and good hygiene
practises constitute proper body care, helping to prevent,
fight or control diseases. Activities within this strand,
and integration with other strands, help students develop
an understanding of the roles played by family, friends, members
of the community and health professionals in providing support
and medical care to people who are ill. Teaching these topics
through the Decision-making Process enables students to apply
information in daily life, and to take into account positive
and negative pressures which may affect the ways we take care
of ourselves.
Grade Level Perspective
"Considering the Wellness of Others" is the grade 5 perspective.
The students would make a decision and design an action plan
within this unit if they were personally affected by HIV/AIDS.
The example provided in the sample unit encourages students
to consider various expectations people may have of them when
making a decision related to this topic. The three-level Decision-making
Process is used with that perspective in mind.
HIV/AIDS Education
This sample unit incorporates HIV/AIDS education, a required
part of the Elementary Health Education program. Parents have
the option to withdraw their child from classes which deal
with this component of the program. In this unit, lessons
which incorporate HIV/AIDS education are clearly identified.
Alternate arrangements should be made for students who do
not attend those lessons.
Current Health-related Information
Health-related information changes rapidly and publications
must be updated constantly. For this reason, we do not suggest
specific pamphlets in this unit. Instead, we provide names
and addresses of organizations where accurate, up-to-date
information may be obtained. For information on AIDS and other
infectious and non-infectious diseases, contact the following
organizations and ask for information on specific diseases,
including information on prevention:
| National
AIDS Documentation Centre
1565 Carling Avenue
Suite 400
OTTAWA, ON K1Z 8R1
Fax: (613) 725-9826
|
Health
Canada
Publications Unit
Communications Branch
13th Floor, Section A
Brooke Claxton Building,
Tunney's Pasture
OTTAWA, ON K1A 0K9
|
Posters and pamphlets can also be obtained from Local Health
Districts. Please note that such publications will
provide teachers with up-to-date information. They
should not be used in the classroom unless they match
the age appropriate instruction and objectives of the HIV/AIDS
component in the curriculum.
Gathering Resources
This sample unit also suggests the use of fiction and non-fiction
resources on HIV/AIDS. Specific titles are suggested only
as examples. These and other appropriate titles are listed
in Health Education: An Initial List of Implementation
Materials for the Elementary Level, 1998. Additional instructional
materials to support this curriculum will be listed in Health
Education: A Bibliography for the Elementary Level, scheduled
to be published in the spring of 1999.
Teachers are encouraged to investigate possibilities for
using resources suggested in other lists of materials, such
as the bibliographies accompanying the curriculum guides for
all other areas of study.
In addition to the school's resource centre and the public
library, check the following sources for instructional materials:
- children's magazines
- television and radio programming
- brochures
It is also important to access local human resources such
as health professionals, parents, or Elders. As in all subject
areas, care is required when arranging for guest speakers
and classroom presenters. It is the responsibility of teachers
to clarify with the speaker the content and objectives of
the presentation.
Unit Overview
Students at this grade level should be fairly independent
in using all the steps of the Decision-making Process. The
grade 5 perspective, Considering the Wellness of Others, encourages
the students to take into account expectations of others and
of self in order to establish priorities when making decisions.
| Level |
Steps |
Activities |
| Level A:
Stop! |
1.Think
2.Research |
- Concept web: students make a concept web of diseases
- The life cycle of a virus (for an illness such
as measles; for HIV): classification activity and
dramatized story
- The immune system and immunization: discussion
and lecture
- Acronyms and abbreviations: have students define
the terms HIV and AIDS based on the knowledge they
already possess.
- How is HIV transmitted? Students will:
- prepare a little test on the transmission
of HIV
- conduct research to ensure that the answers
to their test are correct, by examining the
validity of information sources
- give the test to their parents
|
| Level B:
Explore... |
3.Look at options and consequences
4.Choose an option |
- Compile the test results and think about "facts
and rumours" concerning HIV and AIDS, and then set
an objective. In our sample lesson, the students
set themselves the objective of informing the public
about facts and rumours concerning the transmission
of HIV.
- Look for different solutions to meet the goal
of increasing public awareness. Weigh the pros and
cons to decide which is the best solution. In our
sample lesson, the students decide to plan and deliver
a mini-conference in order to inform their parents.
|
| Level C:
Go! |
5.Design and carry out an action plan
6.Examine the results. Revise as needed. |
- Organize a mini-conference (agenda, planning
of workshops, etc.) and invite parents.
- After the mini-conference, analyze the results.
|
Additional Internet Resources:
Taken
from:
Health Education: A Curriculum Guide for the Elementary Level
(Grades 1-5): Sample Units
|
