TED-Ed
"The Opposites Game" by Brendan Constantine
What is the opposite of a gun? A classroom grapples with the complex question in Brendan Constantine's poem, "The Opposites Game." Using the resource, viewers watch an animated interpretation of the poem to discover how the poem's...
TED-Ed
"Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class" by Clint Smith
An animated interpretation of Clint Smith's poem "Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class" explores the stereotypes Black Americans encounter.
Crash Course
A Long and Difficult Journey, or The Odyssey
The narrator begins his presentation on The Odyssey with background information about Homer, the Trojan Wars, the oral tradition, epic poetry, and plot summaries of The Illiad and The Odyssey. And all in under four minutes. The narrator...
TED-Ed
"For Estefani, Third Grade, Who Made Me A Card" by Aracelis Girmay
Aracelis Girmay's poem "For Estefani, Third Grade, Who Made Me A Card" comes alive in a short animated film narrated by the poet. The illustrations make the images concrete.
Curated OER
Become a Slam Poet in Five Steps
Teach your class five straightforward steps to help them work on their slam poetry. Beautifully illustrated, the video will catch the attention of your pupils and inspire them to compose their own work. After each step is explained, a...
TED-Ed
"Accents" by Denice Frohman
Scholars watch an animation of the poem "Accents" by Denice Frohman. The coloring and drawings in the animation encourage and enhance particular feelings brought out by the poem.
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read Sylvia Plath?
Are the works of Sylvia Plath relevant to the modern reader? The narrator of a short video argues for why viewers should read the works of Sylvia Plath, citing lines from Plath's poetry and images from her stories.
Curated OER
Sonnet 27
The beauty of poetry is explored in this video about sonnets. A group of learners composed a sonnet and created a video to describe it. It is a creative and interesting presentation that is bound to inspire your class.
Learning Upgrade
Rhyming Word Building Song
All you need is a word ending to find a rhyme. In a video that focuses on rhyming words, a dog provides bricks to a wall for mice to add the beginning sounds.
Crash Course
Floods in the Ancient Near East: Crash Course World Mythology #16
What do floods signify in ancient mythology? Pupils explore the topic of flooding with the 16th installment in the Crash Course World Mythology video series. Scholars analyze the Epic of Gilgamesh, Noah's Ark, and a Zoroastrian flood...
TED-Ed
A Poetic Experiment: Walt Whitman, Interpreted by Three Animators
Three animators provide different visual interpretations of Walt Whitman's "A Noiseless Patient Spider." What a great way to generate a discussion of interpretation, mood, and tone.
TED-Ed
Did Shakespeare Write His Plays?
Can we test whether lines ascribed to William Shakespeare were actually written by someone else? Science and linguistics join forces in this fantastic TED-Ed video to help us investigate the theory of whether history's greatest writer...
TED-Ed
The Pleasure of Poetic Pattern
Poetic rhythm, what it is and why it works, is the subject of this short video that uses animation to explain the appeal of rhythm, rhyme, and repetition.
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read “Dune” by Frank Herbert?
Not every reader is a sci-fi fan. Sad, but true. However, a short TedEd video may just convince nonfans to delve into Frank Herbert's modern epic Dune. Who could help but be intrigued by an epic tale of heroes, villains, and monsters?
TED-Ed
A Host of Heros
Why do we need heroes? Acquaint your class with the epic hero, tragic hero, and romantic hero. The narrator defines each type with accessible language and provides an example from literature. Learners will enjoy the narrator's style and...
Curated OER
Sonnet 23
Motivate your class with this example of a sonnet. This learner-made video can be used to describe what a sonnet is and the importance of imagery.
Macat
An Introduction to T.S. Eliot's The Sacred Wood
Do poets need to be familiar with strategies and techniques use by past and contemporary poets in order to be successful? They do according to T.S. Eliot. An intriguing video offers an overview of the key ideas in T.S. Eliot's The Sacred...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read Edgar Allan Poe?
Edgar Allen Poe's writing goes far beyond the familiarity of "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart." An intriguing video lesson explores the work, history, and style of the famous Gothic writer. Animations engage viewers in the video, and...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read Dante’s “Divine Comedy”?
Journey along with the narrator of a short, animated video who explains the political connections to be found in Dante's The Divine Comedy.
TED-Ed
Who Invented Writing?
Cuneiforms and characters, hieroglyphics and cartouches, Morse code and Pig Latin. Who invented writing? Why, the Sumerians and the Chinese, of course. Viewers watch as the video narrator details the development of writing from art,...
PBS
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God is the subject of a Crash Course Literature episode narrated by John Green. Here, Green shares the critical reactions to the novel as well as his own thoughts about its importance.
Biography
Edgar Allan Poe- Mini Biography
Show this mini-biography and nevermore will your young readers ask about the life of Edgar Allan Poe. 'Tis a short overview and nothing more.
The School of Life
Goethe
No need to bargain with learners to investigate the life and works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe! Young philosophers view a short video that introduces them to his fascinating life and works.
Crash Course
Fire and Buffalo Goddesses: Crash Course World Mythology #14
Aloha! Scholars explore a volcano goddess from Hawaii in the 14th installment of the 41-episode World Mythology series by Crash Course. Pupils explore the characteristics of goddesses and what makes them so unique. Viewers also discover...