Island School Humanities
  • Home
  • MYP 1
    • 1. The Universe & Earth >
      • 1. Where did our Universe and Earth come from? >
        • 1. What is the Universe?
        • 2. How Big, Far, Hot, and Old is the Universe?
        • 3. What are Ultimate Questions?
      • 2. What are origin stories?
      • 3. What is the Christian origin story?
      • 4. How did the scientific origin story develop?
      • 5. How do theories become accepted? >
        • 1. Charles Darwin and Evolution
        • 2. Alfred Wegener and Plate Tectonics
      • 6. Can religion and science co-exist?
      • 7. Assessment: Personal beliefs on creation
      • 8. Reflection: Changing Beliefs
    • 2. Natural Systems >
      • 1. How did early humans adapt to natural systems?
      • 2. How did farming help early human societies?
      • 3. What are natural systems?
      • 4. How do tropical rainforest systems work?
      • 5. How does farming affect natural systems in rainforests?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can rainforests be used in a sustainable way?
      • 8. Reflection: The future of natural systems
    • 3. Ancient Civilisations >
      • 1. What are Ancient Civilisations?
      • 2. How and why do civilisations rise and fall?
      • 3. How successful were the Greeks?
      • 4. How successful were the Chinese?
      • 5. How successful were the Aztecs?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Ancient Civilisations Presentation
      • 8. Reflection: What is the legacy of Ancient Civilisations?
    • 4. Conflict and Crusade >
      • 1. What are the core beliefs of Christianity?
      • 2. What are the core beliefs of Islam?
      • 3. What do world religions teach about conflict?
      • 4. Was religion the main cause of the crusades?
      • 5. What did Muslims think about the Crusades?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Does religion cause conflict?
      • 8. Reflection: Can religion help end conflict?
    • 5. Island Learning - What's MY Hong Kong? >
      • 1. What is the cultural identity of Hong Kong?
      • 2. What is tourism?
      • 3. Where is tourism in Hong Kong located?
      • 4 - 6. Designing Graphics
      • 7-8. Assessment 1: Tourist Attractions in Sha Tin
      • 9-10. Assessment 2: Planning the Fieldtrip
      • 11. Assessment 2: Creating the Brochure
      • 12-14. Developing Design Skills
      • 15. Assessment 2: Designing the Icons
      • 16. Reflection: What have we learnt about HK?
    • Further Reading
  • MYP 2
    • 1. Significance & Symbolism >
      • 1. What and where was the Renaissance?
      • 2. What influenced artists in the Renaissance?
      • 3. Who was the ultimate Renaissance 'artist'?
      • 4. How does culture express time and place?
      • 5-7. Assessment: Artists, Culture & Expression
      • 8. Reflection: How is my own culture expressed?
    • 2. Trade & Exchange >
      • 1. Why do people explore?
      • 2. What is the impact of exploration?
      • 3. How was trade unequal in the past?
      • 4. How does trade and exchange work today?
      • 5. Is the global trade of chocolate fair?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How does fair trade reduce inequalities?
      • 8. Reflection: How can I make trade fairer?
    • 3. Diversity & Change >
      • 1. What is cultural diversity?
      • 2. How did beliefs differ in pre-Colonial Hong Kong?
      • 3. How did the British change Hong Kong's culture?
      • 4. What can we learn about culture from the local area?
      • 5. How does globalisation influence culture today?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How cultural diverse are Hong Kong neighborhoods?
      • 8. Reflection: Should we preserve cultural diversity?
    • 4. Sustainability & Society >
      • 1. Why is urbanisation a problem?
      • 2. How can we research solutions?
      • 3. What have we found out about our issue?
      • 4. How could Hong Kong be more sustainable?
      • 5. What is our solution to the issue?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can we share our learning?
      • 8. Reflection: Can Hong Kong change?
  • Futures
    • Elements >
      • Big History Project
      • Freakonomics
      • History: Film, Food and Fashion
      • Law
      • Mundo Geographico
      • Philosophy at the Movies
      • Run Your Own Business
      • Social Psychology
      • Urban Survival
    • Entrance >
      • Business
      • Economics
      • Geography
      • History
      • Religious Studies
    • Escape
    • Explorations
  • IBDP
    • Business & Management
    • Economics
    • Environmental Systems and Societies
    • Geography
    • Global Politics
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Psychology
  • ECA
    • Model United Nations
    • TED-Ed Club >
      • Part 1 - Discover >
        • 1. Tell us who you are
        • 2. Discover great ideas
        • 3. Learn the art of feedback
        • 4. Identify your ideas
      • Part 2 - Develop >
        • 5. Build your throughline
        • 6. Plan your talk arc
        • 7. Research and support your idea
        • 8. Write your script
        • 9. Make it visual
        • 10. Say your talk out loud
      • Part 3 - Share >
        • 11. Practice, Edit, Practice
        • 12. Present your final rehearsal
        • 13. Record the talk
  • More
    • About
    • I&S Blog
    • Links >
      • Island School Business and Economics
      • Island School Global Politics
      • Island School History
      • Island School PRS

Exploration 5 - Build your throughline

Activity 1 - What is a throughline?


A throughline is the main connecting theme or anchoring idea in a story. It’s a helpful framing tool used in plays, movies, novels, speeches and TED Talks! Every Talk should have a throughline that is clearly identifiable throughout the entire Talk.
Activity Tasks
  1. Compare - Look at the following two examples of throughlines, one good and one bad. What are the differences between the two?
    1. Throughline 1 - Football is a great sport because you learn a lot about teamwork.
    2. Throughline 2 - Losing a series of football games motivated my team to come together and recognize each other’s strengths. Now I use this important skill with my family too!
  2. Discuss - What do you notice about the above two throughlines? Which Talk are you more interested in hearing, and why? What makes a throughline special or interesting?
  3. Record - What makes a good throughline? Using page 22 of your ideas journal, write down a definition of a good throughline.
​The strongest throughlines convey:
  • (1) Something only you can give a Talk about; it’s a unique learning that you believe should be shared with the world; (2) A new way to look at something; you’re sharing with the audience a connection they may not have made or an idea they may not have heard before; (3) An answer to the question, “Why is this an important idea for me to share right now?”; (4) A short summary of your Talk; picture someone reciting this as they describe your Talk to a friend.

Activity 2 - Guess the throughline!


Activity Tasks
  1. Watch - In your groups, watch one of the following TED-Talks together. Note down what you think the throughline is for your talk on page 22 of your ideas journal:
    1. Groups 1 & 5 - India Hawkins: Facing the Real Me, Looking into the mirror with natural hair
    2. Groups 2 & 6 - Haaziq Kazi: Cleaning our Oceans, A big plan for a big problem
    3. Groups 3 & 7 - Darlene Hamida: Superhero Training, What you can do right now
    4. Groups 4 & 8 - Ashton Cofer: A young inventor's plan to recycle styrofoam
    5. Extra Video - James Philips: ADHD, Finding what works for me
  2. Discuss - What was the throughline for your talk? Take it in turns to explain in less than 30 seconds or less what the throughline was. Your student leader will reveal the real throughline! 

Activity 3 - Create your throughline


Activity Tasks
  1. Create - Revisit your final talk idea and create a throughline for your future talk. Record it on page 23 of your ideas journal. Feel free to write down more than one potential throughline.
  2. Share - Now pair up with another person, or with your group, and share your throughlines with each other. 
  3. Feedback - Give each other spade or diamond feedback on which throughlines have the most potential and on ways to make them even stronger. Use page 23 of your journals.
  4. Reflect - How did it feel to get feedback on your throughline? How might you adjust your throughline to make it more authentic to your personal story?
Picture
Picture

Further Explorations


things to reflect
  1. I have identified other speakers’ main ideas.
  2. I have identified the main idea of my talk and have a working throughline.
  3. I have received and shared feedback with others.
things to do
  1. Begin to think about the overall framework or outline of your final Talk.
things to share
  1. Try sharing some excerpts from your ideas journal on social media with #TEDEdStudents.

PREVIOUS EXPLORATION - IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAS
NEXT EXPLORATION - PLAN YOUR TALK ARC

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History / Global Politics / Philosophy
Economics / Business Management / Psychology
Geography / Environmental Systems and Societies
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  • Home
  • MYP 1
    • 1. The Universe & Earth >
      • 1. Where did our Universe and Earth come from? >
        • 1. What is the Universe?
        • 2. How Big, Far, Hot, and Old is the Universe?
        • 3. What are Ultimate Questions?
      • 2. What are origin stories?
      • 3. What is the Christian origin story?
      • 4. How did the scientific origin story develop?
      • 5. How do theories become accepted? >
        • 1. Charles Darwin and Evolution
        • 2. Alfred Wegener and Plate Tectonics
      • 6. Can religion and science co-exist?
      • 7. Assessment: Personal beliefs on creation
      • 8. Reflection: Changing Beliefs
    • 2. Natural Systems >
      • 1. How did early humans adapt to natural systems?
      • 2. How did farming help early human societies?
      • 3. What are natural systems?
      • 4. How do tropical rainforest systems work?
      • 5. How does farming affect natural systems in rainforests?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can rainforests be used in a sustainable way?
      • 8. Reflection: The future of natural systems
    • 3. Ancient Civilisations >
      • 1. What are Ancient Civilisations?
      • 2. How and why do civilisations rise and fall?
      • 3. How successful were the Greeks?
      • 4. How successful were the Chinese?
      • 5. How successful were the Aztecs?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Ancient Civilisations Presentation
      • 8. Reflection: What is the legacy of Ancient Civilisations?
    • 4. Conflict and Crusade >
      • 1. What are the core beliefs of Christianity?
      • 2. What are the core beliefs of Islam?
      • 3. What do world religions teach about conflict?
      • 4. Was religion the main cause of the crusades?
      • 5. What did Muslims think about the Crusades?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Does religion cause conflict?
      • 8. Reflection: Can religion help end conflict?
    • 5. Island Learning - What's MY Hong Kong? >
      • 1. What is the cultural identity of Hong Kong?
      • 2. What is tourism?
      • 3. Where is tourism in Hong Kong located?
      • 4 - 6. Designing Graphics
      • 7-8. Assessment 1: Tourist Attractions in Sha Tin
      • 9-10. Assessment 2: Planning the Fieldtrip
      • 11. Assessment 2: Creating the Brochure
      • 12-14. Developing Design Skills
      • 15. Assessment 2: Designing the Icons
      • 16. Reflection: What have we learnt about HK?
    • Further Reading
  • MYP 2
    • 1. Significance & Symbolism >
      • 1. What and where was the Renaissance?
      • 2. What influenced artists in the Renaissance?
      • 3. Who was the ultimate Renaissance 'artist'?
      • 4. How does culture express time and place?
      • 5-7. Assessment: Artists, Culture & Expression
      • 8. Reflection: How is my own culture expressed?
    • 2. Trade & Exchange >
      • 1. Why do people explore?
      • 2. What is the impact of exploration?
      • 3. How was trade unequal in the past?
      • 4. How does trade and exchange work today?
      • 5. Is the global trade of chocolate fair?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How does fair trade reduce inequalities?
      • 8. Reflection: How can I make trade fairer?
    • 3. Diversity & Change >
      • 1. What is cultural diversity?
      • 2. How did beliefs differ in pre-Colonial Hong Kong?
      • 3. How did the British change Hong Kong's culture?
      • 4. What can we learn about culture from the local area?
      • 5. How does globalisation influence culture today?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How cultural diverse are Hong Kong neighborhoods?
      • 8. Reflection: Should we preserve cultural diversity?
    • 4. Sustainability & Society >
      • 1. Why is urbanisation a problem?
      • 2. How can we research solutions?
      • 3. What have we found out about our issue?
      • 4. How could Hong Kong be more sustainable?
      • 5. What is our solution to the issue?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can we share our learning?
      • 8. Reflection: Can Hong Kong change?
  • Futures
    • Elements >
      • Big History Project
      • Freakonomics
      • History: Film, Food and Fashion
      • Law
      • Mundo Geographico
      • Philosophy at the Movies
      • Run Your Own Business
      • Social Psychology
      • Urban Survival
    • Entrance >
      • Business
      • Economics
      • Geography
      • History
      • Religious Studies
    • Escape
    • Explorations
  • IBDP
    • Business & Management
    • Economics
    • Environmental Systems and Societies
    • Geography
    • Global Politics
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Psychology
  • ECA
    • Model United Nations
    • TED-Ed Club >
      • Part 1 - Discover >
        • 1. Tell us who you are
        • 2. Discover great ideas
        • 3. Learn the art of feedback
        • 4. Identify your ideas
      • Part 2 - Develop >
        • 5. Build your throughline
        • 6. Plan your talk arc
        • 7. Research and support your idea
        • 8. Write your script
        • 9. Make it visual
        • 10. Say your talk out loud
      • Part 3 - Share >
        • 11. Practice, Edit, Practice
        • 12. Present your final rehearsal
        • 13. Record the talk
  • More
    • About
    • I&S Blog
    • Links >
      • Island School Business and Economics
      • Island School Global Politics
      • Island School History
      • Island School PRS