Educator Guide: 2020 Year in Review

December 19, 2020

SEM image of SARS-CoV-2 — A new coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2 (round yellow objects in this scanning electron microscope image), sparked an outbreak that began in China and has since turned into a global pandemic.

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About this guide

This guide asks students to reflect on the scientific highs and lows of the last year as reported by Science News. Students will analyze summaries of awe-inspiring discoveries and reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic, including their lingering questions, personal experiences and hopes for the future.

This Guide Includes:

The joy of science

Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “From Elvis worms to the Milky Way’s edge, these science stories sparked joy in 2020,” which summarizes Science News stories from 2020 that provided a happy distraction from the world’s worries. A version of the story, “Stories that sparked joy,” can be found in the December 19, 2020 & January 2, 2021 issue of Science News.

Pandemic reflection

Students will review a timeline of major events related to the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss lingering questions about the pandemic. With a partner, students will reflect on how the pandemic has affected their life and what changes the near future may bring.