Why should we avoid gatherings over the holidays this season?

Adapted in English by Valerie Harnois

It started with four possible gatherings, then two, but ended up being none. The Quebec government needed to adjust considering the turn for the worse the pandemic was taking. They therefore had to forbid contacts with people not living under the same roof such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends.

On top of halting parties, the stores selling non-essential goods will be closed for two weeks starting on December 25th and students will not go back to school until January 11, 2021. You will find all the relevant information regarding the holiday halt here.

Yes, there is good news with the beginning of the vaccination campaign (here is an article to further your comprehension of the various COVID-19 vaccines). But even if vaccinations have started, this crisis is not over. On average, 102 Canadians died of COVID-19 every day since December 1st. If nothing changes, over 3 400 Canadians will spend this Christmas in the hospital because of this virus. Not all of them will come out alive and, unfortunately, the arrival of the vaccine will not make a difference for them.

This is why it is of the utmost importance to follow the government’s instructions. We have to avoid gathering to prevent contaminating vulnerable people. According to some studies, for every one person with symptoms, there could be 10 asymptomatic people. No one wants to be the one who gave grandma or grandpa the virus for Christmas.

You will find here an infographic that demonstrates clearly why Christmas had to be cancelled this year. You can type in your region to compare to others across Canada. Remember that this is only one Christmas in a life with so many others. If everyone puts in the effort, we will be able to go back to life as usual sooner.

Challenge

What digital tools could you use to communicate and maintain your relationships with your closed ones, who are not in your family bubble, over the holidays? Zoom to be with your family ‘live’ over Christmas supper? Clips to create, quickly and efficiently, a short video wishing a happy new year? Vocaroo to record a comforting vocal message for your family? Canva to create a beautiful card and send it through email or text to your friends?

Your choice will be the right one since kindness has never been as important as it is right now…

Disciplines and Grade Levels

– Ethics and religious culture. Some of the themes addressed: autonomy, social order, ambivalence

Dimensions of the Digital Competency

Harnessing the potential of digital resources for learning
Developing and mobilizing information literacy
Producing content via digital technology
Communicating via digital technology

Suggested Digital Tools

Edpuzzle
LearningApps
Flipgrid

Learning Goals

The following activities will allow students to reflect on the conditions relating to autonomy: critical judgment, common sense, moral responsibility, the ability to choose, authenticity, etc. in relation to the holiday pause announced by the Quebec government.

Become aware of the risks linked to gatherings over the holidays.
Test knowledge on COVID-19 and the sanitary measures.
Share, through a video, thoughts on the moods and feelings through these trying times.

ACTIVITY 1 : Why are indoor gatherings so worrisome?

This video on Edpuzzle demonstrates the problems associated with gatherings. The questions will allow you to get some insight on students’ holiday apprehensions. To assess students’ answers, click on this link and add this activity to your Edpuzzle account. You will then be able to assign the video to your group.

ACTIVITY 2 : Quiz on the COVID-19 confinement

To help remember why it is important to maintain our efforts in order to decrease the number of COVID-19 cases, invite students to complete those two quizzes and verify their knowledge on the topic. By clicking on the links, you can add those activities to your own LearningApps account and follow your students’ progress.

https://learningapps.org/display?v=p41co9r3t20

https://learningapps.org/display?v=p06ckpaua20