LESSON PLANS - ITVS

011HALF THE SKYMaternal Mortality and The Global Health DivideOVERVIEWNote for Teachers about the MaternalMortality Lesson and Contents:This lesson and the accompanying filmmodule from Half The Sky: TurningOppression Into Opportunity For WomenWorldwide directly and honestly addressthe challenging issue of maternal mortality,but the discussions and topics might beunsuitable for some audiences. Teachersshould prepare for the lesson by thoroughlyreading all the materials and watching thecomplete film module to determine if thetopic and lesson are appropriate for theirclass. Teachers should also brief studentsin advance on the content and identifystudents who might be personally oradversely affected by it. Prior to launchingthe lesson, these students should receiveappropriate support or the option ofdeclining to participate. To prepare studentsand their families for this lesson, instructstudents to complete HTS Student HandoutA: Why Does Maternal Health Matter toMe? with their parents and/or guardians.For additional information about thedocumentary Half The Sky: TurningOppression Into Opportunity ForWomen Worldwide and the global crisisof maternal health, please download thefree Maternal Mortality Discussion Guide onthe ITVS Women and Girls Lead website(www.womenandgirlslead.org), visit theofficial transmedia project website(www.halftheskymovement.org), andread Half The Sky: Turning OppressionInto Opportunity For Women Worldwideby Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.Objectives:Students Will• Think about how maternal health affectstheir lives and learn why maternal health isa universal issue.• Examine the global maternal health divideand understand the social, economic, andcultural factors that contribute to thedifferences in healthcare both between andwithin countries, including the United States.• Consider maternal health’s impact on menas well as women and the ripple effects ofmaternal health on families and communities.• Consider how gender-based discriminationundermines maternal health and contributesto maternal mortality.• Identify Somaliland on a map and understandthe nation’s social and political context.• Examine the maternal mortality crisisthrough the lens of three case studies andwork as a team to develop an action planthat could help women in similar situationsby addressing the primary barriers to care.• Demonstrate their understanding of theissue by working in groups to researchthe status of maternal healthcare in theircommunity and develop an outreach and/or education campaign to raise awarenessand advance the cause of maternal health.Resources:• Film module: Maternal Mortality inSomaliland (9:45)• Half the Sky:Turning Oppression intoOpportunity Worldwide: Film Series trailer(5:48) itvs.org/films/half-the-sky• LCD projector or DVD player• Maternal Mortality Teacher Handouts:--Maternal Mortality Discussion Guide(Download discussion guide PDFs fromthe ITVS Women and Girls Lead website:itvs.org/films/half-the-sky)• Maternal Mortality Student Handouts:--Maternal Health Glossary--Student Handout A: Why Does MaternalHealth Matter to Me?--Student Handout B: The Health DivideQ&A Cards and Worksheet--Student Handout C: Somalilandin Context--Student Handout D: Film ModuleScreening Guide--Student Handout E: Maternal MortalityFact Sheet--Student Handout F: Maternal MortalityCase Study--Student Handout G: Case StudyAction Plan• Wall map of the world with countrynames: www.amaps.com/mapstoprint/WORLDDOWNLOAD.htm• Small green, yellow, and red Post-It Notes• Whiteboard/blackboard and dry-erasemarkers/chalk• Pens and writing paper• Computers with Internet access