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BEFORE YOU WATCH: Eradicating Smallpox

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. According to Dr. Larry Brilliant, what made smallpox the worst disease in history?
  2. What is variolation?
  3. Who created the first smallpox vaccine? According to Dr. Larry, how did that person discover and test vaccines?
  4. What was ring vaccination?
  5. According to Dr. Larry, what was the most important factor in eradicating smallpox?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. To what extent does this video explain how environmental factors along with new technologies affected human populations from 1900 to the present?
  2. After watching this video, what do you think is the single most important step that humanity could take to prevent another pandemic?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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