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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Missing Plague That Could Have Changed History

For Students 9th - 10th
When European colonizers came to American shores, the plague they brought with them killed almost 90% of the indigenous population. But why was there no existing plague in the "New World" that affected Europeans? [12:08]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Does It Grow? Potatoes

For Students 9th - 10th
America eats more potatoes than any other vegetable. Follow the spud from field to factory to learn how it grows and how it's turned into the beloved potato chip. [5:58]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: What Is Obesity?

For Students 9th - 10th
Obesity is an escalating global epidemic. It substantially raises the probability of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and cancer. But what is the distinction between being overweight and being obese?...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Does It Grow? Apples

For Students 9th - 10th
Apples are one of the world's most common fruits. They might seem like a simple thing to grow- but they're anything but! [5:33]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Playing Sports Benefits Your Body and Your Brain

For Students 9th - 10th
Are sports as good for us as we make them out to be, or are they just a fun and entertaining pastime? Leah Lagos and Jaspal Ricky Singh show what science has to say on the matter. [3:46]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: What Is Epigenetics?

For Students 9th - 10th
Here's a conundrum: Identical twins originate from the same DNA - so how can they turn out so different? Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna explains that while nature versus nurture has a lot to do with it, a deeper, related answer can be found...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Is There a Disease That Makes Us Love Cats?

For Students 9th - 10th
Today, about a third of the world's population is infected with a strange disease called toxoplasmosis-and most of them never even know it. And while the parasite can multiply in practically any host, it can only reproduce sexually in...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Why Do Our Bodies Age?

For Students 9th - 10th
Human bodies aren't built for extreme aging: our capacity is set at about 90 years. But what does aging really mean, and how does it counteract the body's efforts to stay alive? Monica Menesini details the nine physiological traits that...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Why Do People Have Seasonal Allergies?

For Students 9th - 10th
Ah, spring. Grass growing, flowers blooming, trees budding. For those with allergies, though, this explosion of new life probably inspires more dread than joy. So what's behind this annual onslaught of mucus? Eleanor Nelsen explains what...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Beauty of the Everyday

For Students 9th - 10th
Ralph Waldo Emerson taught us about the presence of nature and something a little divine inside all of us; simultaneously helping usher in what was considered, "America's intellectual declaration of independence." [10:52]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Are You a Good Listener?

For Students 9th - 10th
We hear a lot about how to speak well in public, but very little about how to learn the equally important art of listening properly to others. This video describes four steps to becoming a good listener. [4:57]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Surprising Reason You Feel Awful When You're Sick

For Students 9th - 10th
It starts with a tickle in your throat that becomes a cough. Your muscles begin to ache, you grow irritable, and you lose your appetite. It's official: you've got the flu. It's logical to assume that this miserable medley of symptoms is...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How to Spot a Fad Diet

For Students 9th - 10th
Conventional wisdom about diets, including government health recommendations, seems to change all the time. And yet ads routinely come out claiming to have THE answer about what we should eat. So how do we distinguish what's actually...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Philosophy of the Buddha

For Students 9th - 10th
The Buddha's philosophy teaches us that our desires are at the root of our restlessness- and that calm can be achieved through willpower and spiritual exercise. [5:43]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Glasses Help Us See?

For Students 9th - 10th
Today, glasses help millions of people with poor vision be able to see clearly. But how? Andrew Bastawrous and Clare Gilbert help unravel the answer by explaining refraction- the ability of a transparent medium, like glass, water, or the...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Power of the Placebo Effect

For Students 9th - 10th
Emma Bryce dives into the mystery of placebos' bizarre benefits. [4:37]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: What Would Happen if You Didn't Drink Water?

For Students 9th - 10th
Mia Nacamulli details the health benefits of hydration. [4:51]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Psychology of Narcissism

For Students 9th - 10th
W. Keith Campbell describes the psychology behind the elevated and sometimes detrimental self-involvement of narcissists. [5:10]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Science of Skin Color

For Students 9th - 10th
Angela Koine Flynn describes the science of skin color. [4:53]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Why Do We Love? A Philosophical Inquiry

For Students 9th - 10th
Skye C. Cleary outlines five philosophical perspectives on why we love. [5:45]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks

For Students 9th - 10th
Imagine something small enough to float on a particle of dust that holds the keys to understanding cancer, virology, and genetics. Luckily for us, such a thing exists in the form of trillions upon trillions of human, lab-grown cells...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Beneficial Bacteria That Make Delicious Food

For Students 9th - 10th
Erez Garty shows how your kitchen functions as a sort of biotechnology lab, manned by microorganisms that culture your cuisine. [4:39]
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Menstruation Works

For Students 9th - 10th
At this moment, three hundred million women across the planet are experiencing the same thing: a period. The monthly menstrual cycle that gives rise to the period is a reality that most women on Earth will go through in their lives. But...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Carbohydrates Impact Your Health?

For Students 9th - 10th
The things we eat and drink on a daily basis can impact our health in big ways. Too many carbohydrates, for instance, can lead to insulin resistance, which is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes. But what...