After students learn about the differences and similarities between the Covid 19 and 1918 Pandemics, students will create a chart with images and text that can compare and contrast the two periods. They should examine different categories such as: Symptoms, Actions Taken, Public Reaction, and Aftermath, or statistics of those affected. Students will find it interesting that there were many similarities between the 1918 pandemic and today. For example, the symptoms were similar with respiratory problems and fevers. With WWI occurring at the same time, some governments preferred to downplay the flu so that the war efforts could continue and morale would remain high while others instituted strict mask mandates. This is a great way for students to understand how history can often repeat itself, and what we can learn from the past.
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Due Date:
Objective: Compare and contrast the Covid 19 and 1918 Pandemics.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: A minimum of 1-2 sentence description and appropriate illustrations for each of the categories.
Enhance critical thinking by having students examine real newspaper articles, photos, or government posters from both pandemics. Primary sources make history feel real and help students draw their own conclusions about public reaction and actions taken.
Choose visuals and texts that are accessible and relevant for your grade level. Preview content for sensitivity and provide context before sharing with students to ensure understanding and engagement.
Encourage students to analyze sources by asking questions like: Who created this? What message does it send? Prompt curiosity and help students connect sources to the broader historical context.
Organize students into small groups to share their observations and interpretations. Collaborative conversations help deepen understanding and allow students to learn from each other.
Have students use insights from primary sources to add new details or perspectives to their charts. Link evidence directly to categories like public reaction or actions taken for richer analysis.
COVID-19 and the 1918 Spanish Flu differ in their viruses, medical technology available, and global response. COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus, while the 1918 flu was caused by an influenza virus. Treatments, vaccines, and communication methods have improved greatly since 1918, resulting in different public health strategies and outcomes.
Students can create a comparison chart using categories like symptoms, actions taken, public reaction, and aftermath. Adding short descriptions and images for each category helps visualize similarities and differences between the two pandemics.
Both pandemics shared respiratory symptoms such as cough and fever, and governments implemented measures like mask mandates and quarantines. Public reactions included fear, misinformation, and changes to daily life in both time periods.
Studying both pandemics helps students understand how history repeats itself and learn from past experiences to improve future public health responses and personal decision-making.
Key categories to include are symptoms, actions taken (like mask mandates), public reaction, aftermath, and statistics about those affected.