COVID-19 Pandemic Lessons

Understanding COVID-19

What is this COVID-19 lesson about?

This ‘COVID-19’ lesson book includes 6-10 hours of content:

  • Exploring COVID-19 through Internet research.
  • Scientific research: what is the COVID-19 genome?
  • Reading a 800-word text with test-type questions.
  • Identifying the key points in the text and writing a summary.
  • Discussing the authors ideas in the text and applying critical thinking skills.
  • Listening and taking notes to a 12-minute lecture, followed by questions (includes PPT).
  • Speaking in a seminar to discuss and synthesise the content from the reading and lecture.

Key points from the reading & listening lessons:

Recent facts and figures

“According to the World Health Organisation, from the second week in January 2021 there have been 99.8 million recorded COVID-19 cases and over 2.1 million COVID-19 related deaths worldwide” (WHO, 2021).

COVID-19 definition

It’s important to begin with a clear definition of Covid-19. This is because many media reports and people have used “coronavirus” and “Covid-19″ interchangeably. But this is not true as in fact one is actually a subset of the other. Coronavirus’ actually refers to a handful of diseases”  (Gov.uk, 2020).

Origins of COVID-19

The origins of Covid-19 are a widely debated issue. Bolsen et al. (2020) outline two explanations that have received significant global attention:

  • “Its origins are “zoonotic”, and the virus was transmitted “naturally” from bats to humans, possibly from a food market in Wuhan, China” and
  • “… a conspiracy theory that it was human-engineered and leaked, deliberately or accidentally, from a research laboratory in Wuhan, China”.

The first cases…

“The first cases on Covid-19 were confirmed in the city of Wuhan, China on December 8th, 2019 (Pan et al., 2020). It was only on 3rdJanuary, 2020 that Chinese officials provided information to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the ‘cluster of viral pneumonia cases from an unknown cause” (WHO, 2020)

Early stages of infection…

“COVID-19 virus deceives the body in the early stages of infection through tricking the immune system into thinking everything is ok. A basic level description would be our body cells start releasing chemicals called interferons once a virus is detected in the body and this warns the immune system. BUT COVID-19 has an amazing capability to switch off this chemical warning system, so you don’t even know you are ill”  (University of Cambridge,2020).
The spread…
“COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person. A person infected emits aerosols when they talk or breathe. Aerosols are infectious viral particles that can float or drift around in the air for up to three hours. Another person can breathe in these aerosols and become infected” (WHO, 2020).

“COVID-19 can survive on hard surfaces from between 3-5 days and on soft surfaces for up to 24 hours” (WHO, 2020).

Mutations
“COVID-19 replicates copies of itself, which go on to infect other cells. Sometimes, a mistake is made when the virus is replicating. This is called a mutation. Mutations have led to new COVID-19 variants” (,CDCP, 2020).
Vaccines
“Two vaccines have been authorised to be used for immunisation in the UK. These are: Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech. Oxford-AstraZeneca is a vaccine which was developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. The vaccine works by delivering the genetic code of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the body’s cells” (CDCP, 2020).

Lots more information in the PDF lesson book…

The COVID-19 Genome

The key features of the COVID-19 genome

COVID-19 Genome key features

Topic-Based Lesson: COVID-19

COVID-19 Pandemic PDF Book [new for 2021]

AMAZING VALUE – Five lessons in one book. Introduction (Internet research), reading test, summary writing, 1 x lecture listening & a seminar / Example / Webpage link /

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Reading Test on COVID-19

Reading Test: COVID-19 Pandemic [new for 2021]

The text provides an explanation of COVID-19, its possible origins, the global transmission of the virus, global responses and future control. The reading test worksheet includes: headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary. Example  Level ***** [B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Reading to writing summary on COVID-19

COVID-19: Reading & Summary Writing Lesson [New for 2021]

The text provides an explanation of COVID-19, its possible origins, the global transmission of the virus, global responses and future control. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers Example Level ***** [B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Academic English UK Lecture Listening Test

COVID-19 – Lecture Listening Test [new for 2021]

This is a lecture on defining COVID-19, how COVID-19 affects the body, typical symptoms, why some people get sick and others don’t, COVID-19 mutations and recent vaccines. It includes a video, test questions and PPT. Worksheet Example  Level ***** [B2/C1]  PPT link Video [12.14] / MP3 / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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COVID-19 Lessons

Reading Test: COVID-19 Pandemic [new for 2021]

The text provides an explanation of COVID-19, its possible origins, the global transmission of the virus, global responses and future control. The reading test worksheet includes: headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary. Example  Level ***** [B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP

COVID-19: Reading & Summary Writing Lesson [New for 2021]

The text provides an explanation of COVID-19, its possible origins, the global transmission of the virus, global responses and future control. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers. Example Level ***** [B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP

COVID-19 – Lecture Listening Test [new for 2021]

This is a lecture on defining COVID-19, how COVID-19 affects the body, typical symptoms, why some people get sick and others don’t, COVID-19 mutations and recent vaccines. It includes a video, test questions and PPT. Worksheet Example  Level ***** [B2/C1]  PPT link Video [12.14] / MP3MEMBERSHIP

COVID-19 Pandemic PDF Book [new for 2021]

AMAZING VALUE – Five lessons in one book. Introduction (Internet research), reading test, summary writing, 1 x lecture listening & a seminar / Example / Webpage link / [TEACHER MEMBERSHIP]

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