Students will analyze TED Talk models, surface Chicago community issues that matter to them, and draft an evidence-based problem frame that identifies who is affected, why the issue matters, and what they need to investigate next.

Students will investigate Chicago community issues through current events, primary sources, interviews, and evidence analysis so they can identify root causes, weigh competing perspectives, and develop a research-backed proposal for a TED Talk argument.

Students will turn their Chicago issue research into a working TED Talk concept by studying strong models, drafting a testable message plan, organizing script and slide production, and improving early versions through structured peer critique and revision.

Students will test and refine their Chicago TED Talk for audience impact by planning what evidence of effectiveness to collect, delivering a rehearsal implementation, gathering response data, and analyzing results to decide how to strengthen their final message before the showcase.

Students will share their completed Chicago TED Talks, answer questions about their evidence and message, and document how their research, communication, and civic thinking developed across the project.