Subject: Government, Health, Geography
Background:
Long before anyone had conceived of globalization, travel by people and the transportation of goods across regions of the world contributed to the spread of infectious diseases. In fact, a great deal of human history has been written by disease. In the second century A.D., measles was spread between Rome and Asia along caravan routes. In the following century, the trade routes were responsible for carrying smallpox, which wiped out as much as one-third of the population in affected areas. Today, of course, with international air travel, an infected person can carry a disease from almost any point of the globe to any other point in less than 36 hours. HIV/AIDS, TB, cholera, and malaria are among the most serious diseases that the world faces, causing millions of illnesses and deaths each year.
Introduction:
Preparation
Assign the students to read Globalization101 Introduction: “How does Globalization Relate to Health?”
http://www.globalization101.org/index.php?file=issue&pass1=subs&id=86
Procedure: Day 1
Introductory discussion: Ask the students to list the ways Globalization affects health. Common answers from the reading will be:
– Increased movement of goods and people increases opportunities for the spread of disease around the world.
– Improved access to the medicines, medical information, and training that can help treat or cure these diseases
Encourage the students to think of examples in the news as well, such as the Avian flu, SARS, advertisements for drugs on television, etc..
Activities
Activity 1:
Explain the scenario to the class: A funding committee whose membership consists of Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, Bono, and a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) has $90 million. The committee will listen to presentations from four groups, each of which will present a case in behalf of funding for efforts to combat a disease afflicting Africans, and then divide the $90 million among the three groups whose presentations were the most persuasive. (The class will act as the committee.)
Divide the class into four groups. Randomly assign each group one of the following diseases: Tuberculosis, HIV/Aids, Cholera, and Malaria.
Hand each group the Globalization 101 handout on their assigned disease.
Explain to the groups that they will have one class or two periods, (depending on the class) to prepare a 10-minute presentation to the funding committee that must include the following components:
1) A description of the disease;
2) The political, economic, social, and other effects of that disease on a given country; and,
3) Their plan of action if they were funded by the committee, i.e., how they would spend the money to treat, cure, or eradicate the disease.
Emphasize to the class that there is only enough money to fund three of the four groups and explain that the three groups to be funded will be chosen on the basis of the quality of their presentations.
Give the groups time to organize and work on their presentations.
Day 2/3
Groups will present their information to and plan of action for their diseases.
(Note: Every member of each group must have a speaking part.)
The class will have the opportunity to pose questions to each group at the end of its presentation.
Using a teacher-developed rubric, the class will assign points to each group based on the completeness, clarity, and persuasiveness of its presentation, including the three required components.
Points will also be awarded for effective use of visual aids and the quality of responses to the questions posed by committee members.
The teacher will then tally the points, announce the top three point recipients, and inform each that its presentation has earned it a $30 million donation.
Individual Evaluation/Assessment:
Each student will prepare as homework a five-paragraph essay entitled:
“Combating (Name of Disease)”
My Personal Choice for $30 Million