Science Year 6 Biology Strand: Human Reproduction & Sexual Health
Session F2
Sexual Health
/ Objectives: To find out about HIV/Aids.Sc2 5f Know that micro-organisms are living organisms that are often too small to be seen, and that they may be beneficial or harmful. 2g Know about the effects on the human body of tobacco, alcohol & other drugs, and how these relate to their personal health.
PSHE 3b Know that bacteria & viruses can affect health & that following simple, safe routines can reduce their spread.
Breadth of study: Sc 2b Recognise that there are hazards in living things, materials & physical processes, and assess risks & take action to reduce risks to themselves & others. PSHE 5d Make real choices & decisions. 5g Consider social & moral dilemmas that they come across in life.
Scientific enquiry /
Sc1 1a Know that science is about thinking creatively to try & explain how living & non-living things work, and to establish links between causes & effects.
Resources needed
/ In the News: HIV & Aids by Andrew Campbell ISBN 0749657863 (optional), access to internet.Whole class teaching: (Links to Sessions 2a & 5, Health Theme, Africa Topic)
One virus that can be caught when people have sexual intercourse with an infected person is HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Chn will almost certainly have heard of this. It can also be caught through other body fluids – e.g. blood & breast milk and so infection can occur when people share needles to inject drugs such as heroin and by babies drinking their mother’s breast milk. In the past many people caught it when they had blood transfusions (before the danger was recognised – all blood has been screened for it since 1985) including haemophiliacs (whose blood does not clot properly). It is important to point out to chn that the HIV virus cannot be caught by sharing e.g. a mug, towel, toilet, with someone who is HIV-positive, nor can it be caught by talking to, touching, playing with, sitting by an HIV-positive person. The virus is mainly passed on through sexual intercourse or shared needles. People who have caught the virus are said to be HIV-positive.
The HIV virus attacks white blood cells, whose function is to protect against diseases. As the number of white blood cells (actually the so-called T-helper cells – one of several types of white blood cells) becomes very low in people who are HIV positive, their body is unable to fight off other infections, such as pneumonia. They may also develop cancer. It is at this stage that they are said to have Aids (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). The illness was first recognised in 1981 & in 1984 HIV was identified as the cause of Aids. Like many other illnesses Aids can be serious if not treated. Some medicinal drugs called anti-retrovirals are available and people taking these regularly can expect a normal full and happy life. However, ARVs are expensive and therefore many people in poorer countries do not receive them. In 2008 nearly three-quarters of all those with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. Why Africa? – Many reasons, often to do with poverty and exploitation forcing the break-up of traditional family structures, and lack of education & awareness (other statistics at ). One statistic is that HIV/AIDS is a ‘disease of young people’ with half of the 5 million new infections each year occurring amongst those aged 15 to 24 – so young people need to be aware of the problem so that they can take action to prevent themselves catching the virus. There are over 900 children under the age of 15 living with HIV in the UK. Chn around the world are affected by Aids in different ways – they lose their parents (and other relatives who could have looked after them in place of their parents) to the illness or catch it themselves– possibly show chn video at They might catch the virus from their mothers before birth or through breast milk. There is an idea that has become popular across Africa – parents dying of Aids are writing ‘memory books’ for their chn.
One of the worst things about having Aids is the stigma attached to the disease – some people have lost their jobs or been refused permission to attend their school or their doctor’s or dental surgery because they have stated that they are HIV-positive. See
Group activities:
Adult-led: Watch the film (with subtitles) of two Dutch chn describing their life with their mother who is HIV-positive found at click on Stories & choose Jansen family. There are many other good clips here – try a few. Ask for chn’s reactions.
Independent: Why is there a stigma against people with HIV-AIDS when they need present no danger to those around them? Chn design a poster which outlines the ways that AIDs cannot be transmitted but are part of common mythology.
Plenary:
Talk about World Aids Day – on December 1st each year (20th year in 2008). Visit the World Aids Day website at and read Why Respect & Protect? and HIV facts & stats sections. Look at Newsround report from 2004 at to see how celebrities get involved.
I can:
1. Explain how people infected with the HIV virus can develop Aids.
2. Explain in simple terms how people can & cannot become HIV-positive.
© Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y6 Biology – Human reproduction & Sexual Health – 14 Sessions With thanks to The Oxford Trust for funding support
We refer you to our warning, at the top of the You Will Need document, about links to other websites