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If you’ve ever had a conversation with an impassioned educator, you know that they are overflowing with brilliant, resourceful, innovative, and – in all likelihood – extremely under-circulated ideas.

We celebrate and elevate educator ideas for the sake of improving the experience of students and educators around the world. Over the course of the past year, participating educators hone in on their most important idea in education and develop it into a TED-style talk.

Below, four educators share their big ideas, covering topics from simple apps that promote classroom equity to an impassioned plea for more teacher collaboration in the classroom.

STACEY ROSHAN

How to use simple tech apps to support ALL learners

When Stacey Roshan was in high school, she feared the moment she might be called on in class. A self-described introvert and perfectionist, she needed time to process and formulate a response before she was ready to share. Now, as a math teacher, Stacey leverages technology to create more equitable and empowering forums for discussion in the classroom—shifting away from a culture that praises the first person to raise their hand to one where every individual has a platform to make their ideas seen and heard.

LISA WINER (TED-Ed Innovative Educator)

How to create lessons that showcase students’ diverse cultures

For so long, the norm in teaching has been to assimilate students: instructing each individual in the same way, regardless of their cultural background. Culturally sustaining pedagogy challenges that narrative, arguing that preserving student backgrounds and embracing diversity causes students to feel more comfortable, relaxed, and willing to learn. In this talk, Lisa Winer shares several lessons she uses in her math classroom that combine the principles of culturally sustaining pedagogy with self-determination theory to engage and energize her diverse group of students.

TAKERU NAGAYOSHI

Why teachers are just like YouTubers

In a 2019 survey of US kids aged 8-12, one third cited being a blogger or YouTuber as their top dream job. In another survey of high school students, only 5% indicated that they wanted to become a teacher. But 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Takeru Nagayoshi believes that great teachers and great YouTubers are cut from the same cloth, and the more we treat educators with the same respect and prestige that we show to YouTubers, the better chance we have of attracting new talent to the profession.

KIM PRESHOFF (TED-Ed Innovative Educator)

How teacher collaboration strengthens the classroom

When COVID-19 hit schools, many parents and educators worried about the isolating effects of quarantine on students. But longtime educator Kim Preshoff notes that, for decades, teachers have been isolating themselves in their classrooms—often creating lessons, refining skills, and thinking in silos. In this talk, Kim draws on her background as an AP environmental teacher to make the case that the health of an ecosystem is its diversity—and that collaboration between educators in the classroom strengthens outcomes for teachers and students alike.

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Each educator featured here participated in TED Masterclass — a professional learning program that helps people identify, develop and share their ideas with each other … and the world.

Want to bring the TED Masterclass program to your school, district or organization? Learn more here: http://bit.ly/tedmasterclass

In 2018, our YouTube audience spent over 20 million hours watching TED-Ed Animations. Our most-viewed videos of 2018 include a handful of monumental myths, an epic battle of tape vs. glue, a menagerie of the animal kingdom’s most competitive cannibals, and more. Behold our top 10 most popular videos of 2018:

1. Can you solve the wizard standoff riddle?

You’ve been chosen as a champion to represent your wizarding house in a deadly duel against two rival magic schools. Your opponents are a powerful sorcerer who wields a wand that can turn people into fish, and a powerful enchantress who wields a wand that turns people into statues. Can you choose a wand and devise a strategy that ensures you will win the duel? Dan Finkel shows how. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

2. A day in the life of a Roman soldier

The year is 15 CE, and the Roman Empire is prospering. Most of the credit will go to the emperor, but this success wouldn’t have been possible without loyal soldiers like Servius Felix. Robert Garland illuminates what life was like for a solider in the Roman army. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

3. Which is stronger: Glue or tape?

The oldest glue in the world is over 8,000 years old and comes from a cave near the Dead Sea. Today, we have enough types of tape and glue to build and repair almost anything. But what gives glue and tape their stickiness? And is one stronger than the other? Elizabeth Cox explores the world of adhesives. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

4. The myth of Arachne

From sailors who were turned into pigs, nymphs that sprouted into trees, and a gaze that converted the beholder to stone, Greek mythology brims with shape-shifters. The powerful Gods usually changed their own forms at will – but for mortals, the mutations were often unwanted. Iseult Gillespie shares how one such unnerving transformation befell the spinner Arachne. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

5. The myth of Thor’s journey to the land of giants

Thor—son of Odin, god of thunder, and protector of mankind—struggled mightily against his greatest challenge yet: opening a bag of food. How had the mighty god fallen so far? Scott Mellor tells the myth of Thor’s journey to Utgard. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

6. The tragic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice

The marriage of Orpheus, the greatest of all poets and musicians, to Eurydice, a wood nymph, was heralded as the perfect union. Anyone could tell the couple was deeply in love. So when their wedding ceremony ended in Eurydice’s untimely death, Orpheus had no choice but to venture into the underworld to try to reclaim his lost love. Brendan Pelsue shares the tragic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

7. Why can’t you divide by zero?

In the world of math, many strange results are possible when we change the rules. But there’s one rule that most of us have been warned not to break: don’t divide by zero. How can the simple combination of an everyday number and a basic operation cause such problems? Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

8. The myth of King Midas and his golden touch

In Greek mythology, King Midas is known as a rogue ruler whose antics bemused his people and irritated the Gods. Many know the classic story of Midas’s golden touch, but the foolish king was also known for his unusual pair of ears. Iseult Gillespie shares the myth of King Midas. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

9. Cannibalism in the animal kingdom

Until recently, scientists thought cannibalism was a rare response to starvation or other extreme stress. Well-known cannibals like the praying mantis and black widow were considered bizarre exceptions. But now, we know they more or less represent the rule. Bill Schutt shows how cannibalism can promote the survival of a species by reducing competition, culling the weak, and bolstering the strong. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

10. Can you solve the seven planets riddle?

Your interstellar police squad has tracked a group of criminals to a cluster of seven planets. Now you must apprehend them before their reinforcements arrive. Of course, the fugitives won’t just stay put – they’ll try to dodge you by moving from planet to planet. Can you devise a sequence for searching the planets that’s guaranteed to catch them in ten warps or less? Edwin F. Meyer shows how. Watch this TED-Ed Animation below.

On behalf of everyone here at TED-Ed, thanks for learning with us this year!

To get brand new TED-Ed Animations delivered to your inbox for free in 2019, sign up for the TED-Ed weekly newsletter here >>

February 4th is #WorldCancerDay. Watch these six TED-Ed Lessons to get more informed about cancerous cells, how they spread and some methods people are using to fight the disease head on.

1. Why is it so hard to cure cancer? – Kyuson Yun

We’ve harnessed electricity, sequenced the human genome, and eradicated smallpox. But after billions of dollars in research, we haven’t found a solution for a disease that affects more than 14 million people and their families at any given time. Why is it so difficult to cure cancer? Kyuson Yun explains the challenges.

2. How do cancer cells behave differently from healthy ones?

How do cancer cells grow? How does chemotherapy fight cancer (and cause negative side effects)? The answers lie in cell division. George Zaidan explains how rapid cell division is cancer’s “strength” — and also its weakness.

3. How does cancer spread through the body? – Ivan Seah Yu Jun

Cancer usually begins with one tumor in a specific area of the body. But if the tumor is not removed, cancer has the ability to spread to nearby organs as well as places far away from the origin, like the brain. How does cancer move to these new areas, and why are some organs more likely to get infected than others? Ivan Seah Yu Jun explains the three common routes of metastasis.

4. The cancer gene we all have – Michael Windelspecht

Within every cell in our body, two copies of a tumor suppressor gene called BRCA1 are tasked with regulating the speed at which cells divide. Michael Windelspecht explains how these genes can sometimes mutate, making those cells less specialized and more likely to develop into cancer.

5. What is leukemia? – Danilo Allegra and Dania Puggioni

Stem cells found in the bone marrow are crucial for our health because they are needed to become new blood cells that sustain and protect our bodies. But when the transformation goes wrong, harmful mutations can cause the cells to start replicating without control — a type of cancer known as leukemia. Danilo Allegra and Dania Puggioni explain how this happens and how certain treatments provide hope for those suffering from the disease.

6. Can we eat to starve cancer? – William Li

In this TED Talk, William Li presents a new way to think about treating cancer and other diseases: antiangiogenesis, preventing the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor. The crucial first (and best) step: Eating cancer-fighting foods that cut off the supply lines and beat cancer at its own game.

Did you sign up to keep your brain in shape this summer — and learn 31 new ideas in the month of July? If so, you’re in great company. Around the world, more than 10,000 of you signed up to take the TED-Ed July Challenge this year. Keep up the great work, challengers! Below, catch up on any lessons you missed with the TED-Ed July Challenge lesson archive. We’ll be updating this post regularly with archive lessons as the TED-Ed July Challenge unfolds.

TED-Ed July Challenge lesson archive

July 1: The power of a great introduction
Never underestimate the power of an intriguing start. When analyzing the literary greats like Charles Dickens and Kurt Vonnegut, be inspired by their craft and learn how to write a tantalizing introduction and strong thesis. Take the lesson here »

July 2: Why do cats act so weird?
They’re cute, they’re lovable, and judging by the 26 billion views on over 2 million YouTube videos of them, one thing is certain: cats are very entertaining. But their strange feline behaviors, both amusing and baffling, leave many of us asking: Why do cats do that? Tony Buffington explains the science behind some of your cat’s strangest behaviors. Take the lesson here »

July 3: The science behind the myth: Homer’s “Odyssey”
Homer’s “Odyssey” recounts the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus during his journey home from the Trojan War. Though some parts may be based on real events, the encounters with monsters, giants and magicians are considered to be complete fiction. But might there be more to these myths than meets the eye? Matt Kaplan explains why there might be more reality behind the “Odyssey” than many realize. Take the lesson here »

July 4: The oddities of the first American election
How did George Washington become the first president of the United States in 1789? Who got to decide — or vote — who would become president, and how did they decide the winner? Kenneth C. Davis unveils the surprising story behind America’s first presidential election. Take the lesson here »

July 5: What would happen if you didn’t sleep?
In the United States, it’s estimated that 30 percent of adults and 66 percent of adolescents are regularly sleep-deprived. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience: staying awake can cause serious bodily harm. Claudia Aguirre shows what happens to your body and brain when you skip sleep. Take the lesson here »

July 6: Tycho Brahe, the scandalous astronomer
If you think scientists lead boring, monotonous lives, you must not know about Tycho Brahe. The 16th century astronomer who accurately predicted planetary motion led quite a dramatic life — complete with a kidnapping, a sword duel and even a clairvoyant dwarf. Dan Wenkel dives into the history behind this sensational scientist, explaining how he continued to inspire intrigue even after his death. Take the lesson here »

July 7: Got seeds? Now add bleach, acid and sandpaper
For a seed to start growing, its embryo must emerge from its hard coat. In nature the embryo is aided by frost and animal digestion — but humans can help too. Nicking, filing, and soaking the seed in hot water or acid are all forms of scarification, or ways to speed up germination by breaking down the shell. Mary Koga offers some tips to spur your sprouts (and don’t forget the bleach!). Take the lesson here »

July 8: Why do people have seasonal allergies?
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 happens when your immune system goes rogue. Take the lesson here »

July 9: The ancient origins of the Olympics
Thousands of years in the making, the Olympics began as part of a religious festival honoring the Greek god Zeus in the rural Greek town of Olympia. But how did it become the greatest show of sporting excellence on earth? Armand D’Angour explains the evolution of the Olympics. Take the lesson here »

July 10: The psychology of narcissism
Narcissism isn’t just a personality type that shows up in advice columns; it’s actually a set of traits classified and studied by psychologists. But what causes it? And can narcissists improve on their negative traits? W. Keith Campbell describes the psychology behind the elevated and sometimes detrimental self-involvement of narcissists. Take the lesson here »

July 11: The evolution of the book
What makes a book a book? Is it just anything that stores and communicates information? Or does it have to do with paper, binding, font, ink, its weight in your hands, the smell of the pages? To answer these questions, Julie Dreyfuss goes back to the start of the book as we know it to show how these elements came together to make something more than the sum of their parts. Take the lesson here »

July 12: How the food you eat affects your brain
When it comes to what you bite, chew and swallow, your choices have a direct and long-lasting effect on the most powerful organ in your body: your brain. So which foods cause you to feel so tired after lunch? Or so restless at night? Mia Nacamulli takes you into the brain to find out. Take the lesson here »

July 13: Earworms: Those songs that get stuck in your head
Have you ever been waiting in line at the grocery store, innocently perusing the magazine rack, when a song pops into your head? Not the whole song, but a fragment of it that plays and replays until you find yourself unloading the vegetables in time to the beat? Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis explores earworms — a cognitive phenomenon that plagues over 90% of people at least once a week. Take the lesson here »

July 14: The science of skin color
When ultraviolet sunlight hits our skin, it affects each of us differently. Depending on skin color, it’ll take only minutes of exposure to turn one person beetroot-pink, while another requires hours to experience the slightest change. What’s to account for that difference, and how did our skin come to take on so many different hues to begin with? Angela Koine Flynn describes the science of skin color. Take the lesson here »

July 15: What would happen if you didn’t drink water?
Water is essentially everywhere in our world, and the average human is composed of between 55 and 60% water. So what role does water play in our bodies, and how much do we actually need to drink to stay healthy? Mia Nacamulli details the health benefits of hydration. Take the lesson here »

July 16: When to use apostrophes
It’s possessive. It’s often followed by S’s. And it’s sometimes tricky when it comes to its usage. It’s the apostrophe. Laura McClure gives a refresher on when to use apostrophes in writing. Take the lesson here »

July 17: The pleasure of poetic pattern
Humans are creatures of rhythm and repetition. From our breath to our gait: rhythm is central to our experience, and often brings us pleasure. We can find pleasure in the rhythm of a song, or even the rows of an orchard. Of course, too much repetition can also backfire. David Silverstein describes what poetic repetition is and why it works. Take the lesson here »

July 18: What is depression?
Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world; in the United States, close to ten percent of adults struggle with the disease. But because it’s a mental illness, it can be a lot harder to understand than, say, high cholesterol. Helen M. Farrell examines the symptoms and treatments of depression, and gives some tips for how you might help a friend who is suffering. Take the lesson here »

July 19: What does it mean to be a refugee?
About 60 million people around the globe have been forced to leave their homes to escape war, violence and persecution. The majority have become Internally Displaced Persons, meaning they fled their homes but are still in their own countries. Others, referred to as refugees, sought shelter outside their own country. But what does that term really mean? Benedetta Berti and Evelien Borgman explain. Take the lesson here »

July 20: How does the thyroid manage your metabolism?
Nestled in the tissues of your neck is a small, unassuming organ that wields enormous power over your body: the thyroid. Emma Bryce explains how the thyroid, like the operations manager in a company, is tasked with making sure that all the cells in your body are working properly. Take the lesson here »

July 21: How statistics can be misleading
Statistics are persuasive. So much so that people, organizations, and whole countries base some of their most important decisions on organized data. But any set of statistics might have something lurking inside it that can turn the results completely upside down. Mark Liddell investigates Simpson’s paradox. Take the lesson here »

July 22: What “Orwellian” really means
If you’ve watched the news or followed politics, chances are you’ve heard the term Orwellian thrown around in one context or another. But have you ever stopped to think about what it really means, or why it’s used so often? Noah Tavlin dissects the term. Take the lesson here »

July 23: Mining literature for deeper meanings
Writing a great English paper can be tough because literature doesn’t always reveal its deeper meanings immediately. You might not know Mr. Darcy’s true feelings for Elizabeth Bennett in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or grasp the complex moral universe of Toni Morrison’s Beloved at first reading. Amy E. Harter offers a few tips on how to read and write more critically and thoughtfully. Take the lesson here »

July 24: The ethical dilemma of self-driving cars
Self-driving cars are already cruising the streets today. And while these cars will ultimately be safer and cleaner than their manual counterparts, they can’t completely avoid accidents altogether. How should the car be programmed if it encounters an unavoidable accident? Patrick Lin navigates the murky ethics of self-driving cars. Take the lesson here »

July 25: How did clouds get their names?
The study of clouds has always been a daydreamer’s science, aptly founded by a thoughtful young man whose favorite activity was staring out of the window at the sky. Richard Hamblyn tells the history of Luke Howard, the man who classified the clouds and forever changed humanity’s understanding of these changeable, mysterious objects. Take the lesson here »

July 26: Who was Confucius?
Most people recognize his name and know that he is famous for having said something, but considering the long-lasting impact his teachings have had on the world, very few people know who Confucius really was, what he really said… and why. Bryan W. Van Norden reveals the man behind the mystery. Take the lesson here »

July 27: A poetic experiment: Walt Whitman, interpreted by three animators
Take a journey through Walt Whitman’s poem ‘A Noiseless Patient Spider’ with the help of three animators who each used a different animation style to bring this beautiful poem to life. Take the lesson here »

July 28: Why is biodiversity so important?
Our planet’s diverse, thriving ecosystems may seem like permanent fixtures, but they’re actually vulnerable to collapse. Jungles can become deserts, and reefs can become lifeless rocks. What makes one ecosystem strong and another weak in the face of change? Kim Preshoff details why the answer, to a large extent, is biodiversity. Take the lesson here »

July 29: How stress affects the brain
Stress isn’t always a bad thing; it can be handy for a burst of extra energy and focus, like when you’re playing a competitive sport or have to speak in public. But when it’s continuous, it actually begins to change your brain. Madhumita Murgia shows how chronic stress can affect brain size, its structure, and how it functions, right down to the level of your genes. Take the lesson here »

July 30: Can robots be creative?
People have been grappling with the question of artificial creativity — alongside the question of artificial intelligence — for over 170 years. For instance, could we program machines to create high quality original music? And if we do, is it the machine or the programmer that exhibits creativity? Gil Weinberg investigates this creative conundrum. Take the lesson here »

July 31: Can you solve the locker riddle?
Your rich, eccentric uncle just passed away, and you and your 99 nasty relatives have been invited to the reading of his will. He wanted to leave all of his money to you, but he knew that if he did, your relatives would pester you forever. Can you solve the riddle he left for you and get the inheritance? Lisa Winer shows how. Take the lesson here »

Congratulations for participating in this year’s TED-Ed July Challenge! To find out about future TED-Ed Challenges, sign up for the TED-Ed weekly newsletter here >>

One of the most amazing things about poetry is its seemingly infinite capacity for interpretation. To illustrate that fact, TED-Ed launched a great poetic experiment. We gave one Walt Whitman poem to three of our in-house animators, and asked them to interpret it using three different styles of animation. They were each given a recording of the text to work from, which was supplied by three local poets who also interpreted the text using their voices. The result? A stunning video that breathes three very different lives into Walt Whitman’s timeless poem, “A Noiseless Patient Spider.” We caught up with animators Jeremiah Dickey, Lisa LaBracio and Biljana Labovic to discuss the process and gather their impressions of the final video.

Tell me a little bit about the original goal of this poetic experiment.

Jeremiah Dickey: The idea was to illustrate how subjective people’s interpretation of poetry is by taking the same poem and doing three different animated interpretations of it — with each animator not knowing what the other animators were doing, so as not to influence the outcome.

This question is for each of you: Tell me about your interpretation. Why did you choose to animate the poem this way?

Lisa LaBracio: Well, doing animation with scratchboard was actually something I wanted to try, so that was kind of a separate decision. It wasn’t necessarily something that I thought, “Oh my god, this poem requires scratchboard animation” — I just always wanted to try doing that, and this was a short enough piece of content that I could try something that was a little bit more labor intensive.

Then, I spent a lot of time on the poem. I actually had my recording before I started animating, which I don’t think everybody did, and so I spent a lot of time just listening to it over and over and over and over again. I happened to be at the beach while I was listening to it, so the water thing really was just hitting at the time, which I think probably translates.

I think I was also interpreting [my voiceover poet] Rives’ interpretation and the way that he read it was also so — I think someone described it as “cartwheeling.” That’s a really good description of it, because his incantation made it really hard for me to not want to string everything together from it. So, when listening to it, the second half felt like a thread that’s just being flung back and forth across the screen. And I couldn’t not see that as I was hearing it.

JD: I actually started before getting the recording, and it was really a not very premeditated at all, stream-of-consciousness kind of process. And I had the poem in my head as I was reading it myself, but then when the recording was available to marry to the animation, which was already in progress, it was this really wonderful rediscovery of it. [My voiceover poet] Mahogany Browne did such a great job. The rhythm of how she delivered the poem was very different from how I had envisioned it, but the animation kind of being a free-flowing transition from one thing to the next, it married her performance of it really well.

Jeremiah, I know you normally do a ton of research to prepare for your animations. Did you do any specific research on this one?

JD: Not with this one. I mean, I looked up what a spider looked like. Because it was starting so close up to the eyes, I just wanted to make sure that what I had envisioned wasn’t a totally sci-fi, ridiculous thing. And it wasn’t — there was one that kind of looked like that. But that’s it.

Biljana, tell us about your interpretation.

Biljana Labovic: Well, my starting point was that — since English is not my first language, in the past I didn’t read a lot of poetry in English, because a lot of times I feel that I don’t understand it. So when this assignment was mentioned to me, I thought the best way for me to participate would be to just dive into it and interpret it. And I wanted to stay true to who I am, so I actually didn’t do any research about the poem and what it means, even though I was really tempted. Because I figured that I was probably interpreting it differently than you guys, right? For me, that was an interesting angle to begin with. I also wanted to be a little bit free from the structure that we normally work with, because usually we do a lot of research on the subject. We think a lot about technique. This time around, I just wanted to be free from all of these constraints that I normally have, and I thought, “Okay, every day I will record on my phone something that I think is related to this poem, somehow.”

Unlike Jeremiah, I waited to hear the recording, because I was trying to really follow the rhythm of the voice, and let that be my guide when I was editing. So I ended up with a lot of iPhone footage, which was not necessarily the same spec that we work with, it was a little lower res, so I actually had to manipulate the footage to hide that. And I spent a lot of time editing, trying to really find that rhythm that was, in a way, my personal reading of the poem.

What were your reactions seeing each other’s pieces? Were you surprised?

JD: It was really cool. It was a treat to see the same thing that I’d spent so much time thinking about through the lens of my good friends.

BL: I think I wasn’t too surprised, only because I’m familiar with Lisa’s and Jeremiah’s work, but it was really interesting — there was a point when we all realized we did a lot of central imagery, and the same symmetrical treatment. We all had that kind of central image, that made me think, “This really captures something.”

LL: After it was strung together and with the sound and everything, I watched it a lot, and as I think as Jeremiah said, we’re all — outside of being colleagues, we’re all really dear friends, so it felt special to have this kind of experience in a different way than we normally collaborate. And I actually was really moved by it. I can’t watch it without feeling a lot of emotion. That’s probably the longest amount of time I’ve ever spent on listening to or reading a poem, and it makes me want to do it a lot, because it’s such an experience to go through a poem like that. It felt like school, but in the best of ways. I wish this had been an assignment. I think it’s a brilliant assignment for students also, because it’s just such a moving experience to discover the poem every single day while you’re working on it, and while you’re drawing or while you’re cutting it together or while you’re putting everyone else’s together. But then you see everyone else’s, and you discover it again, and it’s such a cool experience to have a constant discovery within the same two stanzas.

BL: We also all come from filmmaking, independent filmmaking. So this project was the closest to our backgrounds.

JD: Right. It was free of the utilitarian mission we usually have of illustrating something and communicating it with whatever degree of accuracy is required by the material. With this, it was really liberating to be able to just kind of see what happens and experiment.

LL: It’s also daunting too — every once in a while I would come to think, “What are all these squiggles?”

Right, because the educational component is a form of constraint, but it can also be helpful in gathering focus.

LL: Right.

JD: Yeah. Constraints are very useful, but sometimes it’s nice to shake them off.

Let’s face it: Punctuation is hard. Even the most seasoned writers can get tripped up on the rules. Should that comma really be there, or is it just taking up space? Should this apostrophe go before or after the S? Where in the world does the semicolon go? Luckily, TED-Ed has gathered four lessons to help you perfect your punctuation.

How to use a comma - Terisa Folaron

Let’s start with the basics. It isn’t easy holding complex sentences together (just ask a conjunction or a subordinate), but the clever little comma can help lighten the load. But how can you tell when help is really needed? Terisa Folaron offers some tricks of the comma trade.

How to use a semicolon – Emma Bryce

It may seem like the semicolon is struggling with an identity crisis. It looks like a comma crossed with a period. Maybe that’s why we toss these punctuation marks around like grammatical confetti; we’re confused about how to use them properly. Emma Bryce clarifies best practices for the semi-confusing semicolon.

When to use apostrophes – Laura McClure

It’s possessive. It’s often followed by S’s. And it’s sometimes tricky when it comes to its usage. It’s the apostrophe. Laura McClure gives a refresher on when to use apostrophes in writing.

Grammar’s great divide: The Oxford comma – TED-Ed

If you read “Bob, a DJ and a clown” on a guest list, are three people coming to the party, or only one? That depends on whether you’re for or against the Oxford comma — perhaps the most hotly contested punctuation mark of all time. When do we use one? Can it really be optional, or is there a universal rule? TED-Ed explores both sides of this comma conundrum.

Looking for more lessons to improve your writing? Check out this TED-Ed Series on ‘Playing with language‘.

At the end of last year, TED-Ed reached an exciting milestone: 1 million YouTube subscribers. To celebrate the occasion, we put out an open call for subscribers to share a link to their favorite TED-Ed Lesson for a chance to win an animated walk-on role in one of our upcoming animations. Over 900 comments later, Christian Castillo (whose favorite lesson was ‘The hidden meanings of yin and yang’) was randomly selected for that prize. Read on to find out how our animators tackled the challenge of animating a real person, and what it’s like to see yourself as a animated character.

Once Christian was chosen as the winner, TED-Ed Animators Biljana Labovic and Lisa LaBracio brainstormed the best way to incorporate him into one of their upcoming animations. When they found out that Christian spoke both English and Spanish, they knew they wanted to put him into their upcoming lesson ‘The benefits of a bilingual brain.’ LaBracio said of the process, “We already had a few concrete style ideas in the beginning, but once we heard that Christian was also bilingual, we knew this was the lesson that he belonged in. Once that was decided, we worked with the educator to make sure that there was a high-school aged brother in the bilingual family, and that the family was Spanish speaking, so that Christian could have his own scenes.”

But how does animating a real person differ from their normal process? LaBracio explained, “Designing a character based on a real, live person is easier in some respects because some decisions are already made for you – for Christian we focused on his distinctive glasses and hairstyle. On the other hand, it’s difficult because, well – you could get it wrong! Especially with this animation style, we had simply designed characters – practically stick figures – so we had to really make sure we captured those recognizable traits without using a lot of detail.”

Christian shared four photos of himself with the team, and they set to work. The only challenge they experienced was trying to get in Christian’s trademark smile. LaBracio noted, “The first thing I noticed about Christian in the photos he shared with us was his infectious smile! Since a lot of the animation was Christian talking, thinking, or reading, there wasn’t a lot of room for me to use that expression. Finally, Biljana and I decided to end the lesson with Christian learning a new language and flying in the world of multilingual possibilities, so I could sneak in his signature expression.”

Christian was excited to finally see the finished animation. He remarked, “I’ve been a subscriber for about 2 years. I consider myself to be a visual learner, so the TED-Ed Lessons are wonderful for me. The variety of topics you can find in the lessons is incredible, from religion and philosophy to economics and physics. Seeing my final video was rewarding, especially because I was portrayed in a topic I feel identified with: bilingualism. English is my second language; Spanish is my first. I’ve found that knowing a second language is a wonderful window to a different culture.”

Check out the full lesson here »

High school senior Brandon Allen is only 17 years old, and he’s already tired of being stereotyped based on the color of his skin. Naturally, then, when it came time to choose a topic for his TED-Ed Club presentation, Brandon chose to use the platform to debunk some of the most pervasive and frustrating stereotypes that he and other black men encounter on a daily basis. We caught up with Brandon to talk about his presentation and how people can fight this destructive brand of stereotyping in schools and at home.

Why did you choose this topic for your TED-Ed Club presentation?

My TED-Ed Club presentation focused on the perception of the African-American male and the ways that we can work to defy these personas.

I found this subject interesting because throughout my 17 years of life, I’ve experienced the looks, heard the commentary, and dealt with the emotional backlash as a result of the stereotypes that society presents upon my culture (and all others for that matter).

What do you think people can do in their schools and communities to fight stereotypes?

I think the goal is to start at the home front — to create positive habits within ones own household. Its unreasonable to expect society to just change its way of thinking after so long. The reality is that civilization is stubborn, which is why values must be instilled early on.

Schools and teachers can foster the work that has been done at home. Regular meetings should be held at schools that create less of a divide and more cohesion.

The format for your presentation was really interesting. How did you decide to set it up that way?

I decided to begin my speech in a spoken word format and create a character completely opposite of myself so that the audience would immediately judge. Halfway through, I switched to myself – a more conservative business professional. This was intended to create a complete change of perspective of myself by the audience. I wanted them to explicitly see my point. I took a different approach to the topic in the hope that that viewers would be more receptive of it.

What was the most memorable part of your TED-Ed Club experience?

By far, the editing process of writing the speech itself. It was amazing feeding off of my peers and taking their advice to make my speech better. We videotaped each other, watched them play back, rewrote and videotaped again. This process was repeated several times. Just being able to hear how people from all different backgrounds feel about African-American stereotypes has helped me to become more open-minded to others’ viewpoints.

Check out Brandon’s full presentation here. »

Lilian Chen, aka Milktea, grew up playing Super Smash Brothers Melee. But when her love of the game led her to compete in national tournaments, she noticed a big gender imbalance that brought with it a troubling social dynamic. In this TED-Ed Lesson, Lilian talks about her experiences with sexism in the Smash community and how she tries to raise awareness for this topic in a way that doesn’t shame male gamers. To learn more about Milktea’s experiences and the topic of gaming, read this article — and the interview below with Milktea, conducted at TEDYouth by teen gamer Isabel Yehya.

At TEDYouth, you talked about how the Smash community helped you find your voice and use it to combat the sexism you encountered. And I loved that you brought up sexism amongst girls. Can you say a little bit more about that?

I feel like a lot of people are quick to point fingers, but sexism is not just an issue amongst males. Everything is connected. For example, men feel sexism too. A lot of patriarchal beliefs just came from our culture, and the entire world is working to get over these things.

Do you see sexism within the actual video games?

I think there’s definitely a lot of innate sexism embedded within games. I don’t know if it’s deliberate or meant to be malicious, but it’s definitely there and you see that everywhere.

What do you think about “fake gamer girls” being bullied for liking a certain form of media?

A lot of girls get accused of being “fake gamer girls,” but I think that accusation is really toxic. There are a lot of guys who play very casually too, but because of their gender will never be accused of being a fraud. For them it’s just assumed that they like games.

It probably comes from just the unfortunate mindset that gaming is a boys’ club only. You see that in a lot of different communities — you see it in tech, you see it in science, in any areas that are initially male dominated. I hope we overcome that.

How do you think that mindset will change? At some point will it stop?

I’m really hopeful! Especially as people stand up and become more vocal on the issue. I’m optimistic that with enough explaining — and showing why certain things are not okay — we will move forward.

Highland Park High School teacher Gordon Williamson uses TED-Ed Lessons extensively in his middle school Earth and Space Science classroom to catalyze conversations and supplement his curriculum. Below, a snapshot of Gordon’s favorite lessons and how he chooses to wrap them into his units.  

Earth’s Dynamic Atmosphere

Introduction to Earth and Space System – The Earth as a System

How simple ideas lead to scientific discovery

This is a lesson I use with my Earth and Space Science class at the first of the school year to help engage the students and encourage them to ask the questions, which they may think are too silly to ask.  We have great discussions around questions, which may seem simple, but actually are quite complex when examined in depth.  I then use the illustration presented in the lesson of Eratosthenes who was the first person credited with accurately measuring the circumference of the Earth.  We then go outside and, using the sun and a meter stick, duplicate his experiment achieving very accurate results.

A guide to the energy of the Earth

Understanding that the Earth as a system is one of the most important concepts that students of Earth and Space science need to understand.  These systems are all connected through the flow of energy, which is illustrated well in this lesson.  This lesson makes a nice introduction when first beginning a discussion of the Earth’s systems.

The Atmosphere:  Composition, Structure, and Temperature

Climate change: Earth’s giant game of Tetris
How quantum mechanics explains global warming 

There are few topics more relevant today than the concerns and the controversies surrounding global warming and climate change. Few people, however, have an understanding of the physics driving the greenhouse effect.  Most people are aware that carbon dioxide and other gases are important contributors to climate change, but few have an understanding of the physics behind the processes involved.  “How Quantum Mechanics Explains Global Warming” is a well-written lesson explaining simply and clearly how the quantum mechanics is responsible.

Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

Cloudy climate change: How clouds affect Earth’s temperature

Air Pressure and Wind

How heavy is air?
The history of the barometer

Weather Patterns and Severe Storms

How do tornadoes form?
What on Earth is spin?

The Solid Earth

Matter and Minerals

Radioactivity: Expect the unexpected

 Plate Tectonics:  A Scientific Revolution Unfolds

The Pangaea Popup

Earthquakes and the Earth’s Interior

Why do buildings fall in earthquakes?
How tsunamis work

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

The colossal consequences of supervolcanoes

Few students have an understanding of how powerful and devastating a volcanic eruption can be.  They often have misconceptions acquired from disaster movies and pop culture that tend to show death and destruction from molten rock racing down the side of a volcano.   This lesson uses the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia and other historic eruptions to illustrate the global destruction, which is caused primarily by chemical compounds dispersed in the air. The lesson emphasizes the global nature of a supervolcano eruption.

Earth’s Place in the Universe

Origins of Modern Astronomy

Tycho Brahe, the scandalous astronomer
A rare, spectacular total eclipse of the sun
Reasons for the seasons
The moon illusion
What causes the phases of the moon?
What in the world is a lunar eclipse tetrad?

Enrichment Unit: Celestial Navigation

How does math guide our ships at sea?

Touring Our Solar System

Could comets be the source of life on Earth?
The design of the universe
Could a Saturn moon harbor life?

Light, Astronomical Observations, and the Sun

Is light a particle or a wave?
What light can teach us about the universe
Light waves, visible and invisible
Sunlight is way older than you think
What is an aurora?

Beyond Our Solar System

Is there a center of the universe?
What is the universe made of?
Light seconds, light years, light centuries: How to measure extreme distances
How do we study the stars?

“How do we study stars?” explores the properties of electromagnetic radiation from radio waves through visible light to gamma radiation.  I find this lesson is an excellent introduction to the study of light in my Earth and Space class. The lesson examines the unique properties of light and how astronomers use spectroscopy to understand the properties of stars and galaxies including their composition, temperature, age, distance, and mass.  This lesson leads naturally into a more in-depth discussion of spectroscopy.

How I fell in love with quasars, blazars and our incredible universe
Shedding light on dark matter
The beginning of the universe for beginners
Dark matter: The matter we can’t see
Dark matter: How does it explain a star’s speed?
What we can learn from galaxies far, far away

The Global Ocean

The Restless Ocean

How big is the ocean?
Deep ocean mysteries and wonders
Making waves: The power of concentration gradients

Check out Gordon’s guide for using TED-Ed in the chemistry classroom here. >>