Hershey Kisses and a Lesson! Yes, chocolate and learning... all you have to say is the word Hershey's to your class, and you will have captured most of your students’ attention and have them in “eyes on you” mode in an about an instant.
I have already shared with you the DNA candy models lesson in a previous post. Here is another candy inspired lesson I want to share with you. In this whole class participation game kids get to eat Hershey chocolate kisses (at the end of the activity) while learning about an important health topic-the transmission of STD’s, or STI’s, as they are sometimes called now. This HIV Transmission Game focuses on HIV transmission but can easily apply to the spread of other STD’s, too. I found it online years ago and have used it and loved doing it with my classes ever since! It can fit right in during the STD lessons in a health class or during lessons on viruses and HIV in a biology class. If you try this game for your classes, I think you will be pleasantly pleased with it! But be sure to read through the game very well the first time, as it can be a little confusing to run it smoothly the first time you lead the game with your students.
PREPARE for the LESSON AHEAD of TIME:
The day before you plan to do this with your classes, buy the enough index cards and paper sacks for each student to get one of each, and enough Hershey kisses for each student to receive 4 chocolate kisses. Then the day or morning before class, fill each brown lunch sack with four chocolates (using the instructions in the HIV Transmission Game). You will need regular milk chocolate kisses and almond kisses (or any other besides milk chocolate).
I really like this game because students get to interact with one another, strengthening their social skills and building peer relationships- which you know is something I am all about. Some students are very shy and maybe would like to talk to others, but on their own will not initiate conversations. This games gets everyone out of their seats and ensures they get a chance to interact with classmates.
I also like that this lesson sheds a light on just how easy it is to spread STD’s in real life when safe practices/right choices are not in place. In the end, students will see that everyone and anyone can contract an STI easily if there is no thinking or plan in place to prevent them. The game’s conclusion emphasizes that abstinence is always the best and safest choice to remain STD free (not to mention no pregnancies-although unplanned pregnancies are not brought up in this game).
After a couple of times of leading the class in this game, you will get the hang of it, making it go smoothly! The first time or two, you may make some mistakes which is why I stress to read the instructions and rules of the game ahead of time and be comfortable with them before playing with your classes.
For your students with allergies to dairy products, you can have some dairy free candy available for them after the game since those students may not be able to eat the chocolate as it contains milk. And don't forget to have students sanitize their hands before playing this game.
After all, you don’t want to spread real germs during the lesson! :)