TED-Ed
Why Should You Read James Joyce's "Ulysses"?
What is Bloomsday? Why would thousands travel to Dublin on this day to visit sites depicted in a novel that is ridiculously hard to read? Why even bother with reading such a book? Find out by viewing a short video that suggests the...
TED-Ed
Did Ancient Troy Really Exist?
Because the monsters Scylla, Charybdis, and Polyphemus in Homer's Odyssey are fictional, scholars may assume the Iliad is also entirely fictional. A carefully researched video describes Heinrich Schliemann's discovery of the historical...
Curated OER
Comma Story
Imagine the comma as a clever character, walking around town looking for conjunctions or subordinates to help. The video has an animated character for each of these parts of speech, and provides sample sentences that demonstrate where to...
Curated OER
The Story of 'True'
The history of the English language is a long and winding road, forsooth. Here’s a short video that traces the truth about the history of the world true, from its Old English origins to modern usages. Consider generating a list of words...
Curated OER
Shakespearean Dating Tips
Want to get the attention of that special someone? Try out some metaphors! This colorfully animated video first points out the positives of Shakespeare’s works, before comparing complex metaphors about love to modern pick-up lines. The...
TED-Ed
Mysteries of Vernacular: Dynamite
Start class off with a bang! Check out this video, part of a series on word development, which tracks the meaning of the word dynamite back to the inventor of dynamite, Alfred Nobel. After perfecting his invention, Nobel created the word...
TED-Ed
Mysteries of Vernacular: Inaugurate
The United States inaugurates a president every four years, but where does the word inaugurate really come from? Watch the video to find out and then read a few famous inaugural addresses, which are linked in the Dig Deeper section on...
TED-Ed
Mysteries of Vernacular: Window
The word window has origins in metaphor and Old Norse. Teach your class about how words develop and about kennings, or metaphoric compounds, with the video and provided additional materials. The video is nicely animated and clearly...
TED-Ed
Mysteries of Vernacular: Hearse
What do a wolf, a rake, and frame have in common? They are all part of the background of the word hearse. View the video for an explanation, and accompanying animation, of just how the word hearse came to be. Check out the additional...
TED-Ed
Mysteries of Vernacular: Jade
Where does the word jade come from? This video recounts the history of the stone itself as it tracks the development of the word through the centuries. Flip the lesson to add your own questions and information to extend the lesson. While...
Rainforest Alliance
Knowing the Essential Elements of a Habitat
To gain insight into the many different types of habitats, individuals must first get to know their own. Here, scholars explore their school environment, draw a map, compare and contrast their surroundings to larger ones. They then write...