CBC Archives

Ask students to describe what they know about AIDS and HIV. List their responses on the board under the categories description, transmission, detection, and treatment. Keep these results available to compare with the results of students’ research. If students have completed the activity Understanding the AIDS crisis, they can refer to the brainstorming chart they created in Before Exploring.

Have students explore the primary and secondary clips on the Early Years of the AIDS Crisis topic on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Students should look for specific information on AIDS and HIV regarding symptoms, transmission, detection, and treatment, and make detailed notes.

Using the information they have gathered, students will create a fold-out brochure designed to educate the public about the disease.

Post students' pamphlets in the classroom and give students time to read one another’s work. Then gather as a group and revisit the brainstorming chart created during Before Exploring. What misconceptions did they have? What information do they have now? Why do they think brochures such as the ones they created are useful?

Students can gather brochures about AIDS from health centers, AIDS organizations, doctor’s offices, and the Internet. Have them compare the information in the professional brochures to the information prepared by their classmates. How do the professional brochures differ from one another? From the students’ brochures? Why might a range of brochures be useful?