By Ann Schurmann, M.P.H.

1. Prior to the lesson, count out enough blank index cards for everyone in the class. On each fifth card, place an asterisk in the upper left corner. At the start of the class, pass out the index cards, one to a student, then tell students they have one minute to get the signatures of two other students (not sitting next to them) on their card and return to their seat. 2. When students are again seated, ask students who have an asterisk on their card to stand. Announce: "You have herpes." 3. Ask each of the standing students to read the names of the two people whose signatures are on their card. Ask the students whose names were read to stand. Announce: You had unprotected sex with one of these people who had herpes. You have herpes, too." 4. Continue the process until there are no more names to be read. While students are still standing, point out that just as one out of five of the students in the class had an index card with an asterisk on it, one out of five Americans over age 12 has herpes. Explain that unprotected sex with someone who has herpes does not guarantee that you will get the disease, but certainly carries the risk. The number of people standing illustrates how easily herpes can spread. 5. Have students read, "A Painful Lesson: Anyone Can Get Herpes" on page 1. Use the following questions to guide discussion:

• Why do you think the author of the story thought that �someone like me" could never get herpes?
• Does a person have to be sexually promiscuous (have sex with a large number of partners) to get a sexually transmitted disease?
• Does a person who is sexually promiscuous have a greater chance of getting a sexually transmitted disease like herpes than someone who is not? Why?
• The author never mentions whether she and her partner used a condom during sex. Do you think they did?
• Why are condoms not 100% effective in preventing herpes?
• If your sexual partner has no visible herpes sores, can you be certain you won't get herpes?
• The author of the story feels that many people are responsible for the fact that she has herpes � her partner, God, her health teacher. Do you think she is also responsible? Why or why not?
• Do you think a person with herpes should tell that they have it before they have sex with someone? What are the reasons someone might not tell?
• If you are about to have sex, how can you tell whether or not your sexual partner has herpes sores?