Elzer-Lento, Deidre. Pandemic visit, Covid, barrier visit. April 20, 2020. Photograph. Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2023696244/.
Students had a front-row seat to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will have a lasting impact. It disrupted traditional education systems, social interactions, and mental health. In an instant, students’ lives were turned upside down.
This photograph provides students with an opportunity to engage with a recent past they experienced. Using this photograph in the classroom will allow students to explore the global impact of a significant event. It also provides an opportunity to develop empathy and identity and manage emotions while supporting the emotional needs of others. Students will explore the concepts of resilience and adaptability, since the pandemic has forced people to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Exploring these challenges can help students develop resilience, problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt to change. Lastly, using this image in the classroom can help students analyze the pandemic’s impact on different aspects of life, such as education, the economy, and health care. This work can lead to students learning how (or strengthening their ability) to evaluate information, identify biases, and form evidence-based opinions.
Incorporating this source into the classroom can help teachers provide students with an opportunity to learn from history, develop essential life skills, and build a stronger sense of community.
This photograph shows two young children drawing on a window inside while an older woman places her hand against the outside, thus showing the barrier between them in their visit during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the world. The virus emerged in late 2019 and rapidly spread across the globe. This spread led to widespread lockdowns, travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and economic downturns. The virus is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets. While the pandemic has lessened in severity in many parts of the world, new variants continue to emerge. Some of these variants are more contagious or severe than the original, which leads to a continued need for barriers. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed societies worldwide.
- How do you think the children in this image feel?
- How do you think the adult feels?
- What emotions does this image evoke in you?
- How has the pandemic affected the lives of children and families?
- What are some positive and negative aspects of the lockdown?
- How can we learn from this experience and better prepare for future challenges?
- How did the pandemic affect you and your family?
- What are some of the challenges you faced? How did you cope with them?
New Mexico Common Core Standards
Reading |
History/Social Studies |
RI8.3: Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
RI 8.7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
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RH12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
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- Students could create a historical analysis by researching specific events and policies related to the pandemic (e.g., lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccine distribution). Students could analyze the effectiveness of these measures and discuss the ethical implications of public health decisions.
- Students could create a short story or poem from the perspective of one of the people in the image. Alternatively, they could write a short story, poem, or script that explores the themes of isolation, resilience, and hope during the pandemic. They can use the image as inspiration while also incorporating personal experience. Students could take this approach further by creating digital stories, videos, or podcasts that share their personal experiences or document the effect of the pandemic on their community.
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is a strong novel pairing for this source. The novel explores a world devastated by a flu pandemic, thus offering a fictional glimpse into the consequences of a global crisis. The characters in the novel deal with isolation, loss, and the importance of human connection. These themes are perfect for discussing COVID-19 experiences. This image will also work well with Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Although this story is not about a pandemic, it explores themes of community, conformity, and the dark side of human nature. Another possibility, “The Mask of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe, deals with themes of mortality, inevitability, social inequality, and fear and panic.
- Parents and/or administrators may object to using this source and topic in the classroom because of students’ sensitivity to trauma. The pandemic was traumatic for many people, and revisiting lockdown times could be emotionally distressing for students. Students had diverse experiences during the pandemic, and some may be uncomfortable sharing personal stories or discussing sensitive topics.
- The pandemic has also been a very political time, especially in the United States. Discussions about it can lead to disagreements and divisions because of the topic’s political polarization. There is also fear of stigmatizing individuals such as health-care workers or people severely affected. Much misinformation about the pandemic has floated around the web, and it may still shape ideas about the subject.
Links to resources for approaching those topics:
- “Handling Sensitive Topics”: resource guide for speaking with students about sensitive topics
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 resource from the CDC with factual, updated information
- World Health Organization: COVID-19 resource from the WHO with factual, updated information
- No Play Today. Another image showing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This image does not include any people.
- “Precautions taken in Seattle, Wash., during the Spanish Influenza Epidemic would not permit anyone to ride on the street cars without wearing a mask. 260,000 of these were made by the Seattle Chapter of the Red Cross which consisted of 120 workers, in three days” (description from Red Cross caption card). This image from 1918 or 1919 shows the requirement of masks to ride public transit during the Spanish Influenza epidemic.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: collection of resources for teaching about a pandemic
- Kaiser Family Foundation: collection of news articles and other publications related to the COVID-19 pandemic