Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
04/04/2022
China locks down Shanghai amid COVID outbreak
China locked down Shanghai last week as COVID cases surged in the nation’s financial capital and most populous city, with 26 million people. It is the most severe measure by the Chinese government to isolate and track infections since it shut down the city of Wuhan after the virus broke out in 2020. Shanghai residents said they were required to self-test for COVID daily and take precautions, including wearing masks at home and avoiding contact with family members.
■Class discussion: Do you think China’s “zero COVID” policy is working? How does the number of COVID cases in China compare with the number of cases in the United States? Has the United States imposed a pandemic lockdown as severe as China’s? Why has the United States reported nearly a million COVID deaths, while China with a billion more people has reported less than 5,000 deaths? Which numbers do you think are more accurate? Do you think the pandemic is over? Why or why not?