Epidemic and Leadership

Overview

This 60-minute lesson explores the AIDS epidemic's impact during the Bush Administration (2001-2009), with an emphasis on domestic and global policies. Students will analyze primary and secondary sources to evaluate the administration’s response, viewing the issue through social, political, and ethical lenses.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources related to AIDS policy during the Bush Administration.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2: Determine the central ideas or information of complex texts on AIDS epidemic policy and summarize key support.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8: Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence regarding national and global HIV/AIDS policy responses.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate in a range of collaborative discussions analyzing political and social responses to the AIDS epidemic.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content, citing evidence to support claims about policy effectiveness.

Materials Needed

• Copies of selected excerpts from speeches, legislation summaries, and news articles from the Bush Administration (e.g., PEPFAR initiation).
• Projector or whiteboard for displaying key points.
• Graphic organizer handouts.
• Writing materials or laptops/tablets.

---

Lesson Timeline and Activities

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Engage students by showing contrasting HIV/AIDS infection rate graphs from the 1990s compared to the early 2000s.
• Quick class discussion: "What role do you think government leaders play during health crises?"
• Introduce the Bush Administration’s response focus, especially the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
• Set the purpose: Analyze how leadership affects public health policy and outcomes.

2. Primary Source Analysis (15 minutes)

• Distribute copies of excerpts from:
  • President Bush’s 2003 announcement of PEPFAR.
  • A critical editorial from the period evaluating the response.
• Students work in pairs to use a graphic organizer to:
  • Identify claims/intentions.
  • Note evidence provided.
  • Highlight potential bias or gaps.
• Relate findings to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 and RH.11-12.8 standards.

3. Collaborative Discussion (15 minutes)

• Regroup for a Socratic seminar-style discussion, guided by questions:
  • What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Bush Administration's AIDS policies?
  • How did political, social, and ethical considerations influence policy decisions?
  • How do government responses to epidemics reflect broader values?
• Encourage evidence-based contributions (SL.11-12.1).

4. Writing Activity (15 minutes)

• Prompt: Write a brief argument supporting or critiquing the Bush Administration’s AIDS policy using evidence from the primary texts and discussion.
• Reinforce focus on argument structure, evidence use, and clarity (WHST.11-12.1).
• Collect writings for formative assessment.

5. Closing and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Quick round: Each student shares one new insight or lingering question.
• Summarize key lessons: Leadership relevance, importance of policy in public health, and critical source evaluation.

---

Assessment

• Formative: Participation in source analysis and discussion.
• Written: Argumentative summary evaluated on clarity, evidence-based reasoning, and depth of understanding.
• Aligns with Common Core writing and speaking standards.

---

Differentiation and Extensions

• Support: Provide a structured notes template or sentence starters for writing.
• Advanced: Assign additional reading about the global impact of PEPFAR or compare with other administrations’ approaches.
• Extension: Students research current HIV/AIDS policies and prepare presentations on ongoing challenges.

---

This lesson plan provides a deep dive into a pivotal historical period, combining critical reading, discussion, and writing aligned with Common Core standards, geared to challenge and engage 12th graders meaningfully.