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Browse curated homeschool resources from the community
Mansa Musa One of the Wealthiest People Who Ever Lived Jessica Smith
Mansa Musa, the 14th century African king of the Mali Empire, is said to have amassed a fortune that possibly made him one of the wealthiest people who ever lived. Jessica Smith tells the story of how Mansa Musa literally put his empire – and himself – on the map.
Making a Ted Ed Lesson Two Ways to Animate Slam Poetry
Slam poetry packs an emotional punch by using powerful verbal metaphors; animation can do the same using visual tools. TED-Ed animators show how two separate techniques -- rotoscoping and more traditional hand-drawn animation -- bring to life the multilayered process of becoming a slam poet.
Encyclopedic Entry: Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific. Marine debris is litter that ends up in the ocean, seas, and other large bodies of water.
Networking for the Networking Averse Lisa Green Chau
Networking can seem so hard -- but not if you have the right advice. Try taking advantage of weak ties; you never know what friend of a friend of a friend can aid you in your dreams. Lisa Green Chau outlines how being proactive and always saying yes can lead to future opportunities.
The Battle of the Greek Tragedies Melanie Sirof
The world of modern theater owes its roots to the tragedians of Ancient Greece. As far back as the 5th Century BCE, actors and playwrights were entertaining the masses with intriguing stories. Melanie Sirof unveils the ancient theatrical innovations that made the way for Broadway.
Encyclopedic Entry: Erosion
Erosion is the geological process in which earthen materials are worn away and transported by natural forces such as wind or water.
Why Do Blood Types Matter Natalie s Hodge
It’s often said that despite humanity’s many conflicts, we all bleed the same blood. It’s a nice thought, but not quite accurate. In fact, our blood comes in a few different varieties. Natalie S. Hodge defines the four major blood types and sheds light on why some bloods can mix while others cannot.
How Does a Jellyfish Sting Neosha s Kashef
You’re swimming in the ocean when something brushes your leg. When the tingling sets in, you realize you’ve been stung by a jellyfish. How do these beautiful gelatinous creatures pack such a painful punch? Neosha S Kashef details the science behind the sting.
Speech Acts Constative and Performative Colleen Glenney Boggs
When are words just words, and when do words force action? Linguist J.L. Austin divided words into two categories: constatives (words that describe a situation) and performatives (words that incite action). For instance, is a “No running” sign describing your gait, or are you not running because the sign prohibits it? Colleen Glenney Boggs describes how these categorizations give power to words and, ultimately, to your actions.
How Do Animals Experience Pain Robyn J Crook
Humans know the surprising prick of a needle, the searing pain of a stubbed toe, and the throbbing of a toothache. We can identify many types of pain and have multiple ways of treating it — but what about other species? How do the animals all around us experience pain? Robyn J. Crook examines pain in both vertebrate and invertebrate animals.
How to Make a Mummy Len Bloch
As anyone who’s seen a mummy knows, ancient Egyptian priests went to a lot of trouble to evade decomposition. But how successful were they? Len Bloch details the mummification process and examines its results thousands of years later.
The Japanese Legend of the Phantom Samurai Jeffrey Angles
Long ago, a temple was built near the site of a naval battle that concluded the long and gruesome conflict known as the Genpei Wars. For centuries after, performers throughout the country honored this tragic past in beautiful, haunting performances. But the most skilled storyteller of all was a monk from this very temple. Jeffrey Angles digs into the Japanese legend of Hōichi the earless.
The Lost Art of Democratic Debate Michael Sandel
Democracy thrives on civil debate, Michael Sandel says -- but we're shamefully out of practice. He leads a fun refresher, with TEDsters sparring over a recent Supreme Court case (PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin) whose outcome reveals the critical ingredient in justice.
How to Detect a Supernova Samantha Kuula
Just now, somewhere in the universe, a star exploded. In fact, a supernova occurs every second or so in the observable universe. Yet, we’ve never actually been able to watch a supernova in its first violent moments. Is early detection possible? Samantha Kuula details the science behind an early supernova warning system.
Can You Solve the Buried Treasure Riddle Daniel Griller
After a massive storm tears through the Hex Archipelago, you find five grizzled survivors in the water. As an act of gratitude for saving them, they reveal a secret – the island they were just on holds some buried treasure. But when the sailors try to describe the island, something seems off. Can you find the booty despite their strange instructions? Daniel Griller shows how.
Encyclopedic Entry: Globalization
Globalization is a term used to describe the increasing connectedness and interdependence of world cultures and economies.
Encyclopedic Entry: Compass
A compass is a device that indicates direction. It is one of the most important instruments for navigation.
How Do Pregnancy Tests Work Tien Nguyen
Over-the-counter pregnancy tests give potentially life-changing results with a pretty high rate of accuracy. But how do they work? Tien Nguyen explains how each test performs a scientifically rigorous, multi-stage experiment that goes from start to finish in the time that it’ll take you to watch this video.
The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats
This animation is part of our series, "There's a Poem for That," which features animated interpretations of poems both old and new that give language to some of life's biggest feelings. Check out the full series here: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTheresAPoemForThat