Happiness/Personal Mission Statement Lesson

Lesson Plan

TED Video: Surprising Science of Happiness (19.43)

11th Grade

Click Me!!! Link to MyRoad Assignment.

GENERAL INTEREST LINKS

Daily Show website

Brain Truma clip (5.13)
This is the one Barbara told us about.  There are discussion questions, too.  You can project the questions, so students can write them down before viewing the video.  Thanks, Barbara!  The students will like this!

3 A's of Awesome ( TED Video:17.33)

Celebrity Ghost Stories

Sound Health in 8 Steps (TED video; 7.15)

Surviving a Nuclear Attack (TED video: 25.40)

SUSTAINABLE LIVING SPECIALTY

3.  CONCERNING PLASTICS POLLUTION 
Great Pacific Garbage Patch (article)
Seas of Plastic (TED video 7.23)

You may want your students to read about the "Pacific Gyre" before viewing the video.  Above is a link to a Wikipedia article regarding same.  If you'd like me to make you copies, please advise me.  Please try to give two days' notice. 

Journaling/discussion questions:
a.  What plastic objects do you use in your daily life?
b.  What plastic items do you feel you or your family could not do without?
c.  Are there any plastic items you feel society could not do without?
d.  Are there three plastic items you could do without?  What can replace these items?
e.  Are there three plastic items your family could do without?  What can replace these items?
f.  Are there any plastic items at school we can do without? What can replace these items?
g.  How can we educate our communities about this problem?

2.  Manufacured Landscapes (TED video: 34:25)

1.  Photographs of Landscape of Oil (TED video: 3:40)
You may want to pause the video on these pictures for students to discuss.

PROTECTIVE SERVICES SPECIALTY

4.  Robots of War (TED video 16.09)
Vocabulary:  drones (unmanned bombers or surveilance planes)
                    unmanned ground systems
                    Moore's Law:  short explanation is that technological abilities expand expotentially
                    non-state actor:  political groups seeking autonomy (frequently terrorist groups)
                    PTSD:  post-traumatic stress syndrome

Discussion/journaling questions:
a.  How would removing humans from risk in a war affect a society's willingness to start a war?  Or do you think societies be less likely to being a war?
b.  In the speech, Mr. Singer states that other societies may feel Western nations are being "cowardly" or "cold hearted" by using robots in war.  Why do you think Western nations are developing robot warriors?
c.  What do you feel about using robots in war?  Why do you feel this way?

3.  LAPD website
A lot of great stuff.  Preview to pick and choose.
Join LAPD website
This has webisodes and info.  Very good.  You may want to download the videos ahead of time, in order to show them full screen; otherwise, the films play in a box.

2.  LA Sherrif Dept. Volunteer Opportunities
LA County Sherrif Website

1.  Join LAFD website
LAFD website
There is so much good stuff on these two websites, you should preview to pick and choose!

MEDICAL SPECIALTY

4.  How Bacteria Communicate (TED video 18.11)
Vocabulary to pre-load:
                bioluminescence
                symbiotic
                circadian rhythm
                synchronicity
                anomoly
                virulence
                species specificity
                intra and inter
                census
                Esparanto
                antibiotics
                mutants
                drug-resistance
                lexicon

This video, along with the vocabulary study, are a lesson unto themselves.  Perhaps you can have a teacher-led discussion in which the students are asked how/what/why Dr. Bassler used these words/what they have to do with the lecture.

3.  What's an Audiologist? (Article)

2.  Sound Health in 8 Steps (TED video; 7.15)

1.  Electro-Shock Therapy (TED video: 22.22)
This one is best for mature students.
Language Warning
Note:  Bovine Stercus means "b.s.".
Links to Pre-load Definitions:
Grand Mal Seizures
Schizophrenia
Lobotomy

SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALTY

3.  Social Experiment in Fighting Poverty (TED video 16.47)
Vocabulary: 
Preload:       Developing country
                    eradicate
                    exacerbate
                    gross domestic product/standard of living
                    immunization
                    rupees
                    random controlled trials
                    incentive
                    lentils
                    latrines
                    intestinal worms

Discussion/Journaling Questions
a.  What poverty do you see here in Los Angeles?
b.  What differences do you see between poverty in L.A. and the poverty shown in the video?
c.  The speaker never addressed the "last mile problem".  What is the last mile problem?  How could it be overcome?  You will definitely need to have class discussion on this one before the students can write on it.
d.  The speaker proposes that the impact of aid be studied with experiments, like scientists do with medicine, to see if it's effective.  What impact could this have on charitable donations?
           
2.  Sound Health in Eight Steps (TED video 7.15)

1.  Electro-Shock Theraphy (TED video: 22.40)
This one is best for mature students.
Language Warning.
Note:  Bovine Stercus means "b.s."
Links to preload definitions:
Grand Mal Seizures
Schizophrenia
Lobotomy