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TED PRESENTATION TOPICS
What: In learning the content you are responsible for to teach your class you will solidify your content knowledge, develop your public speaking skills, and develop a skill necessary for being a functional adult (speaking out loud in front of humans).
Why: Research shows one of the most effective ways to learn is to synthesize the info and teach it to someone else. These topics were generated by last year’s students, you will create the list for next year’s students. Pick a topic that interests you and this will be so rewarding.
How: Talks will be spaced throughout the year, delivered the first day(s) of each unit.
Checklist: Research your topic in advance. Become an expert and craft an argument that is your own: state it clearly in one sentence and that first line will be at the top of your APA formatted bibliography (minimum 10 academic sources). You will use the textbook, but it doesn't count as a source you found and read.
🔲Read the full unit that your TED is in so that you can find all relevant/connected vocab terms to explore in your talk. (15 minimum unit vocab terms from unit) 35/100. Carefully select your terms so that you can apply them relevantly to your argument and topic. Just listing terms, or using terms without context, will earn no points.
🔲Select your argument/position based on the research studies you find. Determine how to back yourself up with specific studies. Don't forget to keep track of your sources, APA formatted bibliography with argument at top due well before you present.
🔲Engage your audience. Interactive portion is 20% I suggest writing out your script, but you cannot read to us. You CAN have notecards with your outline or hints
🔲Practice delivering your full TED with no interruptions at least 10 times out loud in front of different humans. 60% is clarity, creativity, engagement, enthusiasm, and interactivity.
🔲Turn in your APA formatted bibliography (with argument position statement) of a minimum of 10 sources, mostly found on google scholar, this is due in the fall, fully updated before you present. Missing the due date for your bib/argument will result in scheduling a new TED talk topic in the future or take the 0/100 grade.
🔲Slides are not required and you can be fab without. So if you use one-- turn in via classroom at the latest, the day before your class tests the unit before yours. No slide deck if this deadline is missed and you can always turn things in months early.
🔲Present talk at start of your unit. Be awesome. rubric for assessment. I will fill this out while you present.
Now for the full details...
Your very own Ted Talk. You are responsible for presenting the topic accurately, full of relevant AP psych vocabulary from the unit and useful information, in an engaging manner. You will provide incredible visual aides (but it does not have to be a ppt), you will dazzle. Your objective is to bring the awesome in a maximum of 18 mins. You will be stopped. You watched TEDs this summer for your assignment, your job is to deliver a smooth, polished, interactive, deeply researched, application of vocab from our course to your topic. Most are around 12-17 mins. Your bibliography in APA will include tons of academic resources (bare minimum 10 academic sources) and will clearly state the argument you are making in your TED. Start with reading your unit in the textbook and move to Google Scholar, always feel free to meet with me any flex to get suggestions.
Argumentation means that you make a defensible claim within your topic. You will provide reasoning that is grounded in empirical evidence to support refute, or modify a established or provided claim, policy or norm. You will do this appropriately and with kindness.
If you choose to use slides, no more than 12 words per. This awesome regulation was created by TED and includes words within graphics/images. Please follow TED instructions, no exception. Practice and prepare! (how to TED by TED).
You will be fantastic!
Note that you are being entrusted with a tasty chunk of content selected by last year's class. This is a sacred trust that I'm placing in you. They won't learn what you don't teach them. This is your only 100pt project for the entire year.
You will be assessed on your creation and defense of an argument, your research and choice of relevant and useful content/vocab within the topic (35pts) You will include AT LEAST 15 vocabulary terms from your unit in the text. PLEASE aim higher. Presentations with fewer terms than that quickly descend into less than AP level.
The clarity of your presentation, should include relevant vocabulary terms and be fully researched, articulated, smooth, and well rehearsed. TED suggests practicing with your script 10xs out loud MINIMUM in front of other humans. When people haven't practiced, they get more nervous, and they should be, the probability of things going badly is increased exponentially by their choosing to not prepare. Preparation is always the key to not being publicly humiliated. You can have your notes, but you may not read to us.
Your engagement, enthusiasm, and interactivity with the class is important People should be inspired to ask you more about your topic when you demonstrate your understanding, your passion for the topic, and your ability to make connections to life. Examples or interactivity are a demonstration, small skits/simulations, stories, images, and an ongoing give and take. Asking the class many questions is a nice start and will earn a few points. Just the q/a at the end isn't sufficient. Regarding the questions/answers at the end, I will answer questions beyond the scope of your research topic.
Please do research and read the entire unit before you begin to write your outline for your TED. You will do extensive outside research on this. Anecdotal evidence alone will never stand. Please follow the chart of dates for each unit for submitting your bib and your slides if you want them. Bibliography is due before notebook for the unit before, slides are due before test of unit before. Missing these deadlines will lead to a later presentation topic and will likely jeopardize ability to leave on internship.
Some of you will have many months to prepare, others much less. Expectations are adjusted accordingly. Expectations are very very high for the last presentations of the school year as you have had 8ish months to practice. For those applying early action or decision, you should front load this as early TEDs tend to bring up the grade. Also, you giving your TED is a great topic for your highly selective school interviews.
Each student only claims one topic. Yes, some people ask to do more. No.
By signing up for your topic, you agree to all of the above terms and agree to comply in order to give the best possible presentation for your 100 point TED talk.
Topics by unit:
Unit 1: History and Research Methods (Unit 1 in purple or Unit 1 and 2 in blue book) - No TED talks, too soon.
Unit 2: Development (Unit 9 in blue book) see chart for dates!
What are the controversies with prevalence, diagnostic criteria, and "cures" for autism? What are the controversies with Autism Speaks, TBBT, and why don't we call anything Aspergers anymore?
A plethora of gender identities, gender roles, and sexual orientations have been discussed throughout history. What is the history of 2 spirit, transsexuality, and the acceptance of the spectrum of human sexuality across cultures?
Technology has changed childhood for the better and worse, how so? When should kids get phones, social media, why? Connections to the stages of development and parenting styles.
The invention of adolescence. Who and what are you people? How has this changed historically and how will it continue to change?
Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior (Unit 2 (just first part) in purple and Unit 3 in blue): see chart for dates!
How are SSRIs understood to work to treat depression? Discuss mechanisms, efficacy and recent research.
How has understanding of the brain changed over time? Ancient India, Greece, to today is a huge thing, so pick some important case studies or milestones to show where people were, when.
CTE: what is it, diagnostic criteria, what is Encephalopothy? what populations (athletes, military, etc) are being studied, how, and what are the controversies?
How do illicit drugs impact the teen brain? Pick one or two chemicals that cross the blood brain barrier, (caffeine, cocaine, marijuana, your friends' Adderall, whatever you are interested in) and fully explain the mechanisms involved.
How and why does the human brain develop the way it does, from in utero till cognitive decline in old age? Why does the brain develop from back to front and then synaptic pruning?
Unit 4: Cognitive Psych -Memory, Cognition, Intelligence, and sleep (Blue Unit 7,11, Unit 2 part 2 just for sleep , purple, all of 5 and and module 23+24) please see chart for dates!
How learning a second (or 3rd or 4th) language changes how you think about the world and yourself. How and when can you learn a new language?
Eyewitness testimony, the difference between recognition and recall, what the flaws are and yet why it is still used anyway?
Reliability and validity in IQ tests. What were and are they are used for and how they are different from the MCAS and SAT (achievement/aptitude). Why are these tests even used?
Are American students really falling horribly behind in education? What about Massachusetts students? NAEP scores, the Flynn effect, and how to read data.
Unit 5: Learning: (Purple: Unit 4 and Blue: Unit 5) bib due see chart for dates!
What does the research say about punishment (spanking, death penalty, etc.), is it an effective means of shaping behavior? Why do so many societies use punishments that are scientifically proven to not work?
Why/How are we evolutionarily hard wired to be anxious and what can we do to manage stress with this knowledge? How can stress be necessary and a positive?
Based on the learning theories in previous units, the conditioning ideas in our current unit, and developmental theories already explored, what would you tell the designers of the new BHS that they should do to meet the needs of the greatest number of learners?
Unit 6: Clinical Psychology: (Blue units 12+13, Purple Unit 8 (both parts) see chart for dates!
The history of the treatment (and non-treatment) of mental illness in America: why are there so many abandoned asylums and mentally ill people who are unhoused in the US now?
The most popular form of therapy in the USA today: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. What is it, how is it useful, to whom, and what does a typical session look like? How does it differ from other types of therapies?
Psychopaths, Sociopaths, Anti-social personality disorder: why "evil" is not a mental illness.
History of lobotomies, why they were discontinued, how were they seen as a success?
Unit 7: Social Psychology (Blue unit 14, Purple Unit 9): please see chart for dates!
How does your culture impact your self-concept and relationships with others?
Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? What is the appeal? How are they harmful?
Why do infomercials (and other advertising) work and how can you harness that power?
Social psychology in high school- why does everyone conform, socially loaf, etc.?
Unit 8: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality (Blue Unit 10+8, Purple Unit 7 see chart for dates!
Why does extrinsic motivation fail so badly and yet you keep checking ASPEN? How grades work to make kids hate learning and yet we do it anyway.
Why are personality tests used and adored when they have no scientific validity? Discuss several.
How can you stop keeping yourself from being successful?
Unit 9: Sensation and Perception (Blue Unit 4, Purple Unit 3:
make up topic for people who aren't going on internship and need a backup because life happens:
What is face-blindness and what is it like to suffer from this condition?
how and why do optical illusions work?
Why people who think Hellen Keller is fake are ableist and need to read a book.
This calendar ensures that all but one unit is covered by the time of the AP exam, it will be explored differently, and with an eye to application to your life and understanding of the world around you.
Upon completing the curriculum in May, we will have time to explore other topics that have intrigued you along the way. Juniors will also craft their college application essay(s). You will all submit topics for the TED list for next year.
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