TED-Ed Lessons

TED-Ed's mission is to capture and amplify the voices of great educators around the world. They do this by pairing extraordinary educators with talented animators to produce a new library of curiosity igniting videos.

Check out some of the video lessons and questions below!

Who am I? A philosophical inquiry - Amy Adkins

Throughout the history of mankind, the subject of identity has sent poets to the blank page, philosophers to the agora and seekers to the oracles. These murky waters of abstract thinking are tricky to navigate, so it’s probably fitting that to demonstrate the complexity, the Greek historian Plutarch used the story of a ship. Amy Adkins illuminates Plutarch’s Ship of Theseus.

1. Who was Theseus?

2. What did Theseus do in Crete before sailing home to Athens?

3. How long did the Athenians maintain the ship of Theseus in the harbour?

4. To maintain the ship of Theseus, how often did Athenians replace the parts on it?

5. When two things are numerically identical, it means:

6. Why is the question "Who am I" so difficult to answer?

7. When something is a paradox, it means that it seems illogical. How is the story of the Ship of Theseus a paradox?

What are the universal human rights? - Benedetta Berti

The basic idea of human rights is that each one of us, no matter who we are or where we are born, is entitled to the same basic rights and freedoms. That may sound straightforward enough, but it gets incredibly complicated as soon as anyone tries to put the idea into practice. What exactly are the basic human rights? Who gets to pick them? Who enforces them—and how? Benedetta Berti explores the subtleties of human rights.

1. Human rights are universal and apply to everybody no matter where they live - True / False - What are your thoughts?

2. The basis of contemporary international human rights law is the __________

3. Within the international system, the main body tasked with protecting human rights is _________

4. What are some of the limitations of the concept of human rights?

5. Some critics argue that the concept of human rights has become little more than a buzzword with no concrete impact. What are the main limitations of human rights today, and what do you think could and should be done to strengthen the international protection of basic rights and freedoms?

6. Explain the role, content and impact of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

7. Explain in a nutshell the concept of human rights—provide your own definition and offer a few examples of basic human rights.

Do the green thing - Andy Hobsbawm

Andy Hobsbawm shares a fresh ad campaign about going green -- and some of the fringe benefits.

1. According to Hobsbawm, great creativity ____________.

2. What puts slogans on our t-shirts and phrases on our lips?

3. In the video initiative dothegreenthing.com, what is the decision the main character makes that changes his life?

4. What kinds of things does the main character, Gusty, see in the video initiative dothegreenthing.com?

5. What is the purpose of this Talk?

6. How can great creativity provoke us to think differently about climate change?

7. What consequences of climate change have you observed in your community?

8. What can you do in your daily life to make the world a little greener?

How do solar panels work? - Richard Komp

The Earth intercepts a lot of solar power: 173,000 terawatts. That’s 10,000 times more power than the planet’s population uses. So is it possible that one day the world could be completely reliant on solar energy? Richard Komp examines how solar panels convert solar energy to electrical energy.

1. What is light?

2. What are the major physical barriers to using solar cells and modules?

3. What are the major social and political barriers to using solar energy?

4. What are most solar cells made from?

5. What is the carrier of the electric current from solar cells?

6. What from the Sun causes the solar cell to produce the electricity?

7. What creates the potential difference (voltage) in a solar cell?

8. How efficient are the normal commercial solar cells?

Making sense of how life fits together - Bobbi Seleski

From something as miniscule as a cell to the biosphere we all call home, living things fit together in numerous interesting ways. Bobbi Seleski catalogs biology from our body and beyond, tracking how unicellular organisms, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and our biosphere build off of each other and work together.

1. Biological organisation is a way to organise:

2. An example of a tissue is:

3. What is an example of an organ system?

4. What is the definition of an ecosystem?

5. If you studied only one section of biological organisation, which would you study and why?

The United Nations

Ever curious about the reaches of the United Nation and what they do? Here's a great video to improve your understanding of the UN, including its role in world politics and policy making, all in less than 2 minutes!

1. Why do you think France, United Kingdom, United States, China, and Russia are permanent representatives on the Security Council?

2. What is the purpose of the United Nations?

3. What is the General Assembly?

4. What are some of the challenges facing the world that the United Nations tries to address?

The Earth is full - Paul Gilding

Have we used up all our resources? Have we filled up all the livable space on Earth? Paul Gilding suggests we have, and the possibility of devastating consequences, in a talk that's equal parts terrifying and, oddly, hopeful.

1. What is the evidence that the world is reaching its economic growth capacity?

2. What are the countries that you think are most susceptible to the challenges of rampant economic growth?

3. In a world where the global economy is uncertain, what are the implications for your personal safety?

How poachers became caretakers - John Kasaona

In his home of Namibia, John Kasaona is working on an innovative way to protect endangered animal species: giving nearby villagers (including former poachers) responsibility for caring for the animals. And it's working.

1. What would the speaker John Kasaona call himself? A Himba, A conservationist, or a Namibian? Why?

2. According to Kasaona, what has Integrated Rural Development and Nature Consevation (IRDNC) accomplished?

3. What contributed to building a foundation for conservation in Namibia, according to Kasaona?

4. What does Kasaona mean when he refers to the word 'conservancies'?

5. What is the reason Kasaona gives that makes conservation so successful in Namibia?

6. Explain how improving the lives of local communities around the world can alleviate the problems of poaching and lead to conservation efforts of wildlife.

7. Explain how a new economy based on the respect of natural resources in the world can lead to improvements in education and infrastructure.

Planning for the end of oil - Richard Sears

As the world's attention focuses on the perils of oil exploration, we present Richard Sears' talk from early February 2010. Sears, an expert in developing new energy resources, talks about our inevitable and necessary move away from oil. Toward ... what?

1. What primary elements make up oil?

2. Approximately how much oil still exists to be refined and used?

3. When did oil peak in its share of primary energy usage?

4. Which source of energy peaked previous to oil?

5. What energy source is currently the second most used in the world?

6. What forms of energy are almost completely unused in modern times?

7. How has oil affected global affairs?

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