Discover Resources
Browse curated homeschool resources from the community
NMAH: The American Presidency
More than 900 objects, including national treasures from the Smithsonian’s vast presidential collections, bring to life the role of the presidency in American culture.
There May Be Extraterrestrial Life in Our Solar System Augusto Carballido
Deep in our solar system, a new era of exploration is unfolding. Beneath the thick ice of Europa; in the vapor plumes on Enceladus; and within the methane lakes of Titan, scientists are hunting for extraterrestrial life. These moons are ‘ocean worlds’— they contain liquid oceans, which can support the formation of life. Does life exist on ocean worlds? Augusto Carballido explores the possibility.
Why is William Faulkner so Difficult to Read Sascha Morrell
William Faulkner is considered one of America’s most remarkable and perplexing writers. He confused his audience intentionally, using complex sentences, unreliable narrators, and outlandish imagery. His body of work is shocking, inventive, hilarious, and challenging. So how can readers navigate his literary labyrinths? Sascha Morrell explains how to read one of literature's most confusing writers.
Why Do Women Have Periods
A handful of species on Earth share a seemingly mysterious trait: a menstrual cycle. We’re one of the select few mammals on Earth that menstruate, and we also do it more than any other animal, even though it’s a waste of nutrients, and can be a physical inconvenience. So where’s the sense in this uncommon biological process? TED-Ed describes the history and evolution of menstruation.
What Happens When You Have a Concussion Clifford Robbins
Each year in the United States, players of sports and recreational activities receive between 2.5 and 4 million concussions. How dangerous are all those concussions? The answer is complicated and lies in how the brain responds when something strikes it. Clifford Robbins explains the science behind concussions.
How This Disease Changes the Shape of Your Cells Amber M Yates
What shape are your cells? Squishy cylinders? Jagged zig-zags? You might not spend a lot of time thinking about the bodies of these building blocks, but microscopically, small variations can have huge consequences. And while some adaptations change these shapes for the better, others can spark debilitating complications. Amber Yates dives into the science of the malignant sickle-cell mutation.
Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator Tim Urban
Tim Urban knows that procrastination doesn't make sense, but he's never been able to shake his habit of waiting until the last minute to get things done. In this hilarious and insightful talk, Urban takes us on a journey through YouTube binges, Wikipedia rabbit holes and bouts of staring out the window— and encourages us to think harder about what we're really procrastinating on, before we run out of time.
Fun with Geography Activities
Get ideas for how to have fun with geography in your daily life.
Forget Shopping Soon You Ll Download Your New Clothes Danit Peleg
Downloadable, printable clothing may be coming to a closet near you. What started as designer Danit Peleg's fashion school project turned into a collection of 3D-printed designs that have the strength and flexibility for everyday wear. "Fashion is a very physical thing," she says. "I wonder what our world will look like when our clothes will be digital."
Mysteries of Vernacular Lady Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel
Why do we call women ladies? Well, etymologically-speaking, the word comes from the Old English words for hlaf (bread) and daege (maid), which, combined, mean the female head of the household and eventually indicated high social standing. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel follow the word to its contemporary position simply describing a female.
How One French Poet Combined Poetry and Visual Art Genevieve Emy
Among the great poets of literary history, certain names like Homer, Shakespeare and Whitman are instantly recognizable. However, there’s an early 20th century great poet whose name you may not know: Guillaume Apollinaire. Geneviève Emy shows how during Apollinaire’s short lifetime he created poetry that combined text and image in a way that seemingly predicted a artistic revolution to come.
Cell Membranes Are Way More Complicated Than You Think Nazzy Pakpour
Cell membranes are structures of contradictions. These oily films are hundreds of times thinner than a strand of spider silk, yet strong enough to protect the delicate contents of life: the cell’s watery cytoplasm, genetic material, organelles, and all the molecules it needs to survive. How does the membrane work, and where does that strength come from? Nazzy Pakpour investigates.
Martin Seligman on Positive Psychology
Martin Seligman talks about psychology -- as a field of study and as it works one-on-one with each patient and each practitioner. As it moves beyond a focus on disease, what can modern psychology help us to become?
Why You Procrastinate Even When it Feels Bad
The report you’ve been putting off is due tomorrow. It’s time to buckle down, open your computer ... and check your phone. Maybe watch your favorite YouTube channel? Or maybe you should just start in the morning? This is the cycle of procrastination. So, why do we procrastinate when we know it’s bad for us? Explore how your body triggers a procrastination response, and how you can break the cycle.
Could We Create Dark Matter Rolf Landua
Eighty-five percent of the matter in our universe is dark matter. We don’t know what dark matter is made of, and we’ve yet to directly observe it, but scientists theorize that we may actually be able to create it in the Large Hadron Collider, the most powerful particle collider in the world. So how would that work? CERN scientist Rolf Landua explains how to discover a new particle.
Encyclopedic Entry: Latitude
Latitude is the measurement of distance north or south of the Equator.
What Did People Do Before Anesthesia Sally Frampton
The quest for anesthetics that could induce unconsciousness and enable more meticulous surgeries began around the early 3rd century CE. Before anesthesia was widely used, patients had to consciously endure every moment of surgery. So, what methods did doctors use before modern medicine caught up? Sally Frampton traces the history of anesthetic drugs.
What Sleep Deprivation Does to the Teenage Brain Wendy Troxel
Sleep deprivation among American teenagers is an epidemic. Only about 1 in 10 teens gets the 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night recommended by sleep scientists and pediatricians. So, what’s going on? And what changes can be made to address this issue? Wendy Troxel shares how early school start times and public policy are depriving adolescents of sleep at a time when they need it most.