Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain

For Students 9th - 10th
Mia Nacamulli details the three types of bilingual brains and shows how knowing more than one language keeps your brain healthy, complex, and actively engaged. [5:04]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Could Your Brain Repair Itself?

For Students 9th - 10th
Ralitsa Petrova details the science behind neurogenesis and explains how we might harness it to reverse diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. [3:59]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: I Forgot My Phone

For Students 9th - 10th
Are we living in a world forever transformed by our use of smartphones? Before you make a decision, take a look at this documentary by Charlene deGuzman and see if this is similar to your daily experiences. [2:11]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Dogs See With Their Noses?

For Students 9th - 10th
You may have heard the expression that dogs 'see with their noses.' But these creature's amazing nasal architecture actually reveals a whole world beyond what we can see. Alexandra Horowitz illustrates how the dog's nose can smell the...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Is Telekinesis Real?

For Students 9th - 10th
Telekinesis, the ability to manipulate matter with the mind alone, is a trait exhibited by some of the most iconic fictional characters, including Neo, Yoda, and, of course, Carrie. But is this mind control actually possible in real...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Quest to Understand Consciousness

For Students 9th - 10th
Every morning we wake up and regain consciousness- but what exactly is it that we regain? Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio uses this simple question to give us a glimpse into how our brains create our sense of self. [18:43]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Different Ways of Knowing

For Students 9th - 10th
Daniel Tammet has linguistic, numerical and visual synesthesia- meaning that his perception of words, numbers and colors are woven together into a new way of perceiving and understanding the world. The author of "Born on a Blue Day,"...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Hidden Power of Smiling

For Students 9th - 10th
Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being?...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: 3 Things I Learned While My Plane Crashed

For Students 9th - 10th
Ric Elias had a front-row seat on Flight 1549, the plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River in New York in January 2009. What went through his mind as the doomed plane went down? At TED, he tells his story publicly for the first time....
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Pattern Behind Self Deception

For Students 9th - 10th
Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things- from alien abductions to dowsing rods- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are and how they get us into...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Was Leonardo Da Vinci Dyslexic?

For Students 9th - 10th
Leonardo da Vinci: Coder, lefty, dyslexic, or just plain genius? One thing is true- he has mystified experts and captured the attention of millions throughout the years. Take this lesson to dig deeper into the complexities of the life of...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace. You'll be surprised, no doubt- but watch out! You might find that your motivations are misplaced. [10:48]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: What Is Deja Vu? What Is Deja Vu?

For Students 9th - 10th
There are over 40 theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon of deja vu. Michael Molina explains how neuroimaging and cognitive psychology have narrowed down the theories that could explain that feeling you're having, again. [3:55]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Should You Trust Your First Impression?

For Students 9th - 10th
You can't help it; sometimes, you just get a bad feeling about someone that's hard to shake. So, what's happening in your brain when you make that critical first judgment? Peter Mende-Siedlecki shares the social psychology of first...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: An Exercise in Time Perception

For Students 9th - 10th
Why is that some experiences feel like they last forever, while others fly by? We tend to miscalculate the time it takes to engage in novel activities due to the influence of memories. Matt Danzico explains why your childhood feels like...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: What Color Is Tuesday? Exploring Synesthesia

For Students 9th - 10th
How does one experience synesthesia- the neurological trait that combines two or more senses? Synesthetes may taste the number 9 or attach a color to each day of the week. Richard E. Cytowic explains the fascinating world of entangled...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how power posing- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don't feel confident- can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain

For Students 9th - 10th
Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically "teenage"...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Looks Aren't Everything. Believe Me, I'm a Model

For Students 9th - 10th
Cameron Russell admits she won a genetic lottery: she's tall, pretty and an underwear model. But don't judge her by her looks. In this fearless talk, she takes a wry look at the industry that had her looking highly seductive at barely...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Pros and Cons of Public Opinion Polls

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
How do public opinion polls work? And, more importantly, are they accurate? Jason Robert Jaffe reveals the complexities and biases of polls and provides tips on how to think about polls as we make everyday decisions. [4:25]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How to Start a Movement

For Students 9th - 10th
Leaders aren't simply the first people to do something. Sometimes, they are the first followers. Derek Sivers explains how movements get started and take shape. What lessons can you learn from crazy dancing guys? [5:42]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Do You Know Whom to Trust?

For Students 9th - 10th
We believe a lot of things because we've been told- from our personal acquaintances and also experts. With so many belief systems being passed to us, how do we know whom to trust? Using contemporary examples, Ram Neta explains when...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Pavlovian Reactions Aren't Just for Dogs

For Students 9th - 10th
Benjamin N. Witts sketches a few situations in which people are conditioned to react in a Pavlovian way, from dating to parenting. [3:54]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Leaders and Followers: What Tango Teaches

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson illustrates the symbiotic relationship that exists between leaders and followers. So much time and emphasis is spent building leadership muscles that sometimes we forget followership skills are as equally important to...