Nobel ConferenceTeacher Resources

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• The conference will be streamed live from the Nobel Conference website. On conference day, just click on the banner at the top of the main conference webpage to be sent to the livestream.
• All lectures will be immediately archived on the conference website. Find them by going to the conference schedule and clicking on the links you'll find there.
• There is no cost to watch online.

Watch the Conference in Person
FREE FOR HIGH SCHOOLS

• Contact the Office of Marketing and Communication to request free tickets for a high school delegation to attend one or both days of the conference.

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communication at 507-933-7520 or email nobelconference@gustavus.edu.

Teacher Classroom Resources

Dr. Brendesha Tynes 

The resources linked below can be paired with Dr. Brendesha Tynes’ talk, Adolescents’ daily race-related experiences and mental health outcomes. Dr. Tynes’ work focuses on Augmented Reality in relation to bias, anxiety and depression (Instagram and Snapchat filters). 

• Q&A Brendesha Tynes, PhD  
  • Dr. Brendesha Tynes participates in a Q&A about her research in this YouTube video. It is a great introductory piece to understanding the work she has done in fifteen minutes. 

• Social Media Images Aren't Always Real. But Their Impacts Are. 
  • This lesson plan, created by Common Sense, details an activity that teaches about the impact of social media and unrealistic beauty standards. The activity analyzes articles and other resources about women and the impact of social media, but is applicable to all people. 

Dr. Priscilla Lui

The resources below tie in with the work of Dr. Priscilla Lui on virtual reality, microaggressions and ethics, and more. Dr. Lui’s talk titled, Scientific understanding of racism and discrimination experiences: A path toward mental health equity, will serve as a compainon piece to the resources.

• Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth - Module 4: Implicit Bias & Microaggressions 
  • Project READY has created a resource module to introduce implicit bias and microaggressions. This module is part of a series that can be used on its own and/or in addition to the other modules. Through videos, audio, writing, and conversational pieces. 
• 28 Mental Health Activities, Worksheets & Books for Adults & Students
  • This resource includes 28 activities for teachers to implement or adapt in their classroom. Created by Positive Psychology, these resources include suggestions for books to read, daily practices, and more. 
• American Psychiatric Association: Mental Health Fact Sheets Tackling
  • This website created by the American Psychiatric Association links fact sheets that include information on groups with a variety of identities and the specific experience with mental health. The resources include information about overall data, population, cultural practices and norms, specific barriers, and further resources. This resource would work well paired with other texts, videos, or as a research project. 

Dr. Meryl Alper

The following resources are related to Dr. Meryl Alper’s work on the impact of technology, (dis)abled individuals, autism and debunking the “lack of emotion” myth, and more. They would be a powerful addition to Dr. Alper’s talk, Supporting Mental Health among Autistic Youth in the Digital Age. These resources are more geared towards teachers looking to learn more about supporting their students. 

• Announcing “Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing up Autistic in the Digital Age” Under Contract with MIT Press
  • This resource provides a brief introduction to the upcoming book by Dr. Alper “Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age” from MIT Press. The book is expected to be published for the fall of 2023. 
• A Teacher’s Brief Guide to Teaching Students with High-Functioning Autism 
  • This is a great guide for teaching tips for students with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This is a very applicable list of ideas for learners of all ages. 
• VCU Autism Center for Excellence Webinar: Smartphones and Tablet as Cognitive-Behavioral Aids in Autism
  • From Autism Speaks.org, in conjunction with Virginia Commonwealth University, a webinar on how to use smartphones and tablets as a tool to help ASD students have success in a classroom. The webinar has been produced by the VCU Autism Center for Excellence. 

Dr. Manuela Barreto 

The following resources pair with Dr. Manuela Barreto’s talk, It takes a village to make someone lonely. Dr. Barreto’s research focuses on loneliness, stigma, social relationships, interpersonal connection, pandemic, cultural groups, and more. 

• Why we all need to practice emotional first aid - Ted Talk

  • This Ted Talk by Guy Winch focuses on the importance of taking care of your mental wellbeing. The 17 minute video is worth a watch, especially for students who are trying to figure out everyday life and where they fit in. 

• Seven Myths About Loneliness by Dr. Manuela Barreto in Psychology Today
  • Here is an introductory article about the seven myths of loneliness written by Dr. Barreto for Psychology Today from November 2020. This piece would pair nicely with the lecture and give students a brief overview of what her research entails. 
• Loneliness and social connections - Q&A with Professor Manuela BarretoDr. Barreto addresses loneliness issues from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom in this Q&A. This 14 minute video is geared toward college students, but would be applicable in an AP Psychology class. 

Dr. Nic Rider 

The following resources can be paired with Dr. Nic Rider’s talk, Radical Healing and Inclusive Change-Making: Centering Transgender and Gender Diverse Communities. Dr. Rider’s research focuses on gender and sexualtiy constructs as tied to mental health, risks, protective facts and supporting the transgender community.

• American Psychology Association: Supporting Transgender and Gender Diverse Students in Schools
  • While written with school administrators in mind, this American Psychological Association PDF is applicable to teachers as well. Supporting Transgender and Gender Diverse Students in School is a great starting point to learn more about safe and healthy environments for students who identify with the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Institute for Sexual and Gender Health
  • This is the home page of the Institute for Sexual and Gender Health at the University of Minnesota. Here you will find resources as well as the bio and information from Dr. Rider. This resource would serve as a primer to Dr. Rider’s talk and provide solid background information. 

Dr. Daniel Eisenberg 

The following resources center on Dr. Daniel Eisenberg’s research on the socioeconomics of mental health, what it takes to make change and policy, the importance of nurturing environments, and much more. These links can be used in connection with Dr. Eisenberg’s talk Investing in youth mental health at a population scale. 

• The Healthy Minds Network 
  • Here is a link to Dr. Eisenberg’s Healthy Minds Network where you can participate in a long term study measuring young adults and their mental health. Teachers can also utilize the Mental Health Action Toolkit to introduce ways to positively promote healthy behaviors. 
• The Quadcast: Episode 6 - Creating Environments for Flourishing
  
  • This is a link to an Apple Quadcast entitled Flourishing. This is episode 6 in the series featuring Dr. Eisenberg and his observations and discussion about student mental health and ways to combat stress and anxiety in young adults. The 23 minute podcast would be a great addition to the Nobel presentation. 

• College Students Struggle to Address a Mental Health Crisis
  • The article from The Nation focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student mental health. In conjunction with Dr. Eisenberg’s talk, this article can be used in discussion and to create clear connections between the pandemic’s effects and mental health. 

Dr. Joseph Gone

The following resources relate to Dr. Joseph Gone’s work, focusing on ideas of community based mental health and are additional resources to use in addition to Dr. Gone’s talk, Anti Colonial Approaches to Community Mental Health Services for American Indians: Enacting AlterNative Psy-ence. 

• The Healing Power of Heritage
  • This resource from the American Psychological Association focuses on the power of indigenous traditions for mental health practices. The article focuses on diverse Indigenous groups and Alaskan communities.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness - Identity and Cultural Dimensions - Indigenous Communities
  • The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides an overview of Important Factors of Indigenous Mental Health, as well as, many resources for Indigenous folks and support systems. This resource can be used as an introduction to Dr. Gone’s lecture and as a point of discussion through use of the statistics and facts stated in this writing. 

Digital Literacy 

With the digital world that we live in today, skills surrounding digital literacy need to be integrated into the classroom. Digital literacy is strongly linked to mental health due to the increasing use of social media platforms and the impact this entails. The following lessons and activities can be used in conjunction with the conference talks. 

• Digital Literacy Lessons

  • This resource from Learning For Justice has a compiled list of Digital Literacy Lessons for Grades K-12. The various resources included provide lessons and examples for instruction and detailed outlines. One or several of these lessons paired with the Nobel Conference would be a great unit in any classroom. 
• Media Literacy Unit Plan: The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia
  • This lesson plan created by Ferris State University would be perfect for a Social Studies or English classroom. The Media Literacy Unit Plan focuses on The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia and walks us through Diversity Equity and Inclusion, understanding media literacy, and almost a dozen activities, as well as including graphic organizers and more. 
• Teachers’ Essential Guide to Social and Emotional Learning in Digital Life
  • Common Sense Education has put together a brief overview of Social Emotional Learning in relation to Digital Life and the importance of these two concepts. This resource would be a great addition to any classroom for teachers to read through and integrate into everyday lessons. 

• Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide

  • The Mental Health and Curriculum guide from Teen Mental Health includes a pre/post quiz, various modules, and other resources. Portions of this guide can be used individually or together. These lessons pair nicely with the theme of the conference. 

Social Emotional Learning

Social Emotional Learning is a necessary component to include in each and every classroom. Students across the world are in need of support when it comes to developing their social emotional skills. This category pairs perfectly with this years’ conference, and can also be implemented in everyday classroom routines and norms. 

• Social Emotional Activities Workbook
  • This social emotional activities workbook provides a plethora of resources for teachers to implement and use in their classroom. From “A Rose and a Thorn” activity to working through various scenarios, students can learn more about their social emotional wellbeing. 

More Information

Check out this Nobel Conference Resources site for additional recourse compiled for the Nobel Conference audience related to this year's topic.