Wide Angle. Global Classroom. Lesson Plans

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Inside this section:
Prep for Teachers | Introductory Activity | Learning Activities
Culminating Activity | Cross Curricular Extensions | Community Connections

Prep for Teachers

Prior to teaching, bookmark all of the Web sites used in the lesson and create a Microsoft Word document with all of the Web sites as hyperlinks for the students to access the sites. Make sure that your computer and the computer the students will be using have the necessary media players to play any video clips, which are Shockwave, Real Video, and Quicktime. CUE any videotapes to the segment(s) you plan on using to support your lesson.

When using media, provide students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity

What is "conflict" and how does conflict play a role in a country's economics and its public health?

Step 1
Explain to your students that you will be examining the role of economics in the context of conflict, and that they will also be examining the issue of public health and conflict. Ask your students to brainstorm a definition for the term conflict, as well as to create a short list of conflicts of which they are currently aware. Have them record their ideas individually or in small groups or teams. Then have the students share their definitions and list of conflicts during an open classroom discussion. Write the students' responses on your blackboard, whiteboard, or poster paper. Make sure that your discussion addresses some of these questions:

What is conflict?
Is conflict ever positive?
What types of conflict are there? (War, arguments, physical fights, discussion, debate, etc.)
What other factors influence or change a conflict? (money, power, gender, age, etc.)

Using the information gathered above as a class develop your own definition of the word conflict with examples of any current or past conflicts.

Suggested Web site: http://www.icspress.com/

Step 2
Now that the students have formed a "common" definition for the word conflict as well as developed a list of current and past conflicts, have them share any information or facts that they have regarding each of the conflicts. Make sure that your students have a basic understanding of the difference between an international conflict, such as the war in Iraq, versus an internal conflict or civil war. Have them focus on the economics of the conflicts. To help them start thinking about the economics involved in conflict, use the questions below:

How much government support was needed for the conflict? (Have them estimate a percentage: do they think a government should spend 50% of their budget on military support, 30%, etc.)
How important a role do they think money plays in the conflict?
How important is money on the effect or outcome of a conflict?

Step 3
Create the same type of brainstorming activity and discussion in class based on the term "public health." Make sure the students think about the type of role that a government plays in the health and welfare of its people and how public health and economics can and do play a role in a conflict situation. (*Make sure that they focus on war as a type of conflict, but it is important for them to understand that economics and health can also play a role in many different types of conflict, such as domestic issues surrounding welfare, housing, or even personal arguments you may have within your own family.)

Learning Activities
Explain to the students that you are going to study and explore a current economic/conflict situation by learning more about the country of Angola.

Step 1
To insure that all of your students have a basic concept of where Angola is located, give them opportunities to look up Angola on a world map or have them use maps that are located on the Internet.

Internet maps and general country information on Angola can be found at:

http://www.africaguide.com/popups/mailpop.htm http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/CIA_Maps/Angola_19838.gif

Step 2
Now that your students have created a definition for the term "conflict," as well as the term "public health," explain to them that you will be moving your focus onto a current international health, conflict, and economic crisis: HIV/AIDS in the country of Angola following their civil war. (NOTE: Wide Angle will be airing a program on Angola in the fall of 2003.)

To begin ask your students:

What do you think is the largest killer of human beings: Conflict or Disease?
How much money do you think is spent on conflict? (This includes military preparation and actual combat.)
How much money do you think is spent on public health?
How much of a role do money and economics play in conflict?
How much of a role does poverty play in public health?
How does public health affect conflict?

Step 3
Distribute the Triangle Worksheet.
Have the students complete the worksheet and then as a class discuss their work.
Share with the class the "Teachers" copy of the worksheet.
Remember that this is an estimation worksheet: the actual figures are not documented exactly, so we are not able to create triangles that are 100% accurate.

Step 4
Distribute the Facts about Angola hand-out.
Have the students research more information about the current situation in Angola. Be sure to give them a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION before they begin their research, such as, "What are some of the economic and health issues as a result of the 27 year civil war in Angola?"

Some questions you may want to start them thinking about are:

What is the current mortality rate in Angola?
Of that number, how many people die from AIDS in Angola?
How much money is spent on public health in Angola?
How much money is spent on defense in Angola?
How is the military affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis in Angola?

Suggested Web sites:

Culminating Activity (compare and contrast with the United States)

Step 1
As a class, review the definition and discussion of conflict that you had at the beginning of this lesson as well as the information that the class has been gathering regarding the country of Angola. This is a great opportunity to post the lists that you developed or to re-write them on the blackboard for the students to review.

Step 2
You are now going to have the students do an exercise to compare and contrast information that they have gathered regarding economics, public health and conflict in Angola with the current situation in the United States.

Distribute the Facts about the United States hand-out.

Have the students research and gather more information about the current situation in the United States. Make sure to give them a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION before they begin their research, such as, "What are some of the economic and health issues (HIV/AIDS related) in the United States?" and "How is the US dividing its budget between defense/military costs and public health costs?"

Some questions you may want to use to start them thinking are:

What is the current mortality rate in the United States?
Of that number how many people die from AIDS in the United States?
How much money is spent on public health in the United States?
How much money is spent on defense in the United States?
How is the military affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the United States?

Suggested Web Sites:

Step 3
As a class, review the information that the students have gathered and researched regarding conflict, economics, and public health in reference to Angola and the United States.

Pull out the original lists that the students created along with any new resources that have been developed and open up the class to discussion. Re-address the Focus for Media Interaction questions you gave your students throughout this lesson. Ask them to discuss how their opinions regarding conflict and economics may have been changed. Do they have new ideas about how governmental money should be spent on conflict versus health issues? How would they create their triangle worksheet now that they have a better understanding of how at least two countries budget for conflict?

Cross Curricular Extensions

Social Studies/Current Events
Examine other international events where public health, conflict, and economics have played a major role (such as the U.S. war with Iraq or the genocide in Rwanda). How do those events compare with or contrast to what the students found out about Angola or the United States? As a homework assignment, have the students come to class with an example of how a current conflict is affected by the country's economics.

Government/US History
Investigate how different countries' governments react to a public health crisis such as HIV and AIDS. Using the Internet and any video resources you may have, ask the students to compare and contrast various countries' policies and world health positions.

Economics/Mathematics
How does economics play a role in public health? When researching the issues of public health and conflict, what role did economics play? Using the articles and information the students have already gathered, make a chart of some of the economic information gathered by the United Nations, the World Bank, as well as various country governments regarding economics, public health, and conflict.

Community Connections

Identify a local community site to visit that will encourage a discussion regarding public health and world health issues. Some possibilities are: AIDS clinics, governmental offices that deal with public health, health clinics in local hospitals.

Contact local organizations that are involved in changing local and country-specific public health and conflict policies. A number of national organizations, such as Amnesty International and UNA-USA, have activities specifically designed for students to take an active role in changing country policies.