Integrating World AIDS Day into the Classroom
A multidisciplinary approach
Art - students can design panels, murals, installations or sculptures inspired by HIV topics or for people who are HIV+ or have died of HIV/AIDS. Tech savvy students can create digital projects using computers and other equipment.
Foreign Language - students can translate into English a Spanish comic book about AIDS provided by the Red Cross. Students can also write poems about AIDS in French.
Home Economics – the class can learn how to sew panels for the AIDS Memorial Quilt based on the official specifications provided by the NAMES Project Foundation.
Journalism - The class can write an article or essay describing their feelings to a film or an online video of HIV+ speakers talking about their experiences of what is like living with HIV or a video about the global HIV pandemic.
Nutrition - students can research information on diet for HIV/AIDS patients and create meal plans for a potluck based on what they learn. The potluck can be an opportunity for students to sample various food supplements (i.e. Ensure) that a patient might use in real life.
Performing Arts - the class can sing songs, choreograph interpretive dances and act out skits about HIV/AIDS in society (think Rent meets High School Musical). If students prepare ahead of time the class can charge for admission to the performance then donate the proceeds to a local agency that serves people affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.
Social Studies/Geography - students could study HIV/AIDS distribution maps and talk about the needs of people with HIV/AIDS in rural vs. urban settings or in other countries in the world.
These tips are brought to you in collaboration with National University students and Operation Samahan’s Youth 2 Youth Center; Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/y2ycenter/ or Twitter at Y2Y_Center