This Web lab works well with a group of students within a classroom. After you have read the directions and tried the Web lab yourself, please consider the following suggestions for using this activity within your class:

Before beginning the activity, give each student an index card with 3 small sticky notes with their name. After the computer generates the random exchanges, have students trade sticky notes. For example, students first trade sticky notes with their partners listed in exchange 1. Then students trade sticky notes with partners in exchange 2 and so on. After 3 exchanges each student will have an index card with the names of their three partners. This simple act of exchanging names actively involves students in the simulation and allows them to make a real connection with their virtual partners.

For the epidemiology portion of the activity, encourage students to work in small groups (4-6 students) to determine if anyone within their group could have been an initial HIV carrier. Have the small groups work through the discussion questions, then compare the responses from each group. For example, the question about punishing a man that knowingly exposed his girlfriend to HIV often elicits a variety of responses among groups. In turn these responses foster interesting and lively class discussions.