I can’t believe I’m about to talk about fear and mystery right after Valentine’s Day, but here goes.
1. What Fear Can Teach Us by Karen Thompson
Really great TED Talk about how instead of shying away from our fear, we should embrace them, turn them into stories, and then act upon them.
2. Vampires- Folklore, fantasy, and fact by Michael Molina
An animated vampire talks about the mythology behind vampires. It’s kind of corny, but it’s interesting to see the origin and various country interpretations.
3. Zombie Roaches and Other Parasite Tales
Ed Yong describes a parasite that attaches itself to its host and takes over their body. He also talks about the tapeworm and other such gross things. The talk is entertaining and actually changed the way that I think about the creepy crawlies that I’m afraid of. Especially the ones that might take over my body.
4. Where Do Superstitions Come From? By Stuart Vyse
In this TED talk, several popular superstitions are dissected. There’s not much else to say about it.
5. The Terrors of Sleep Paralysis by Amy Angelowicz
If I had a dollar for every time a student told me that they have sleep terrors, I’d have a lot of dollars. I’ve never had one so I don’t know personally how bad they can be, but I hear it’s horrible. This talk tries to explain where it originates.
Like with all my TED talk assignments, kids have to identify main idea, how the speaker uses ethos, pathos, and logos, and how it relates to our central text/ unit theme.