Photography serves as a powerful window into the experiences surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, offering visual narratives that capture the uncertainty, resilience, and transformation of daily life during this global crisis. Through the lens of these photographs, we gain intimate glimpses into the quiet streets, overwhelmed hospitals, masked faces, and moments of connection amidst isolation.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
What Stories Do Photographs Tell?
Standards
D2.His.12.6-8. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to identify further areas of inquiry and additional sources.
Instructional Snapshot
The class opens with a brief discussion of the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic before students analyze photographs from a source set in expert pairs, annotating details about Americans’ experiences. They then regroup to identify and share themes (such as perseverance, worry, or community) and conclude by proposing new titles for the images that capture those themes. (Download the Word or PDF files for more)
Formative Tasks
COLLABORATE: Annotate a series of photographs using a guided observation exercise.
DELIBERATE: Identify aspects of the image that support themes that “tell the story” of Americans’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
PRODUCE: Suggest new titles for each photograph that reflect an interpretive “telling” of the Americans’ experiences during the pandemic.
Sources
Source: Covid-19, American Experiences Source Set, Library of Congress
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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