Todd Sampson's Body Hack 2.0 (ATOM Study Guide)

Back with a second series, Todd Sampson's spirit for adventure and deep curiosity sees him visit diverse groups of people that each showcase remarkable resilience and human strength. Whether it be devout Hindu worshippers in India's holiest cities pushing through normal limits of pain during their pursuit of enlightenment or American firefighters springing to action at any moment of the day or night rushing into blazes in excess of 400 degrees, Todd's quest is to understand what motivates these people and how their minds and bodies have adapted to their unique and extreme settings.

Curriculum Links:

The series Todd Sampson's Body Hack 2.0 can be used as part of the teaching and learning programs in multiple subjects across multiple year levels.

It also addresses various General capabilities in the curriculum such as Critical and Creative Thinking, since students respond to each episode with activities that require a variety of critical thinking skills from interpreting, analysing and evaluating, to explaining, comparing, questioning and appraising. Body Hack also addresses the General capability of Intercultural Understanding as the program promotes a strong and deep curiosity for and appreciation of other cultures, languages and belief systems. It encourages viewers to see the similarities and the differences between their own culture and those in each episode. The program builds empathy and fosters cross-cultural understanding and respect.

In particular, this documentary could be relevant to the English learning area, which requires students to engage with non-fiction texts that contain complex themes and issues, and understanding and analysing abstract concepts, making connections, forming conclusions and justifying positions with higher order reasoning.

There are numerous concepts in Body Hack that students must define and understand, such as stress and well-being, materialism and spirituality, Taoism, cultural value and belief systems. Students must also draw connections between their own lives and those presented in the episodes, forming conclusions that are justified with well-reasoned explanations.

Students in the English classroom could also use the ideas and stories explored as a basis for creative writing, which links to the Literature Strand in the English curriculum: 'students explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups'.

The documentary could also be relevant to the Geography learning area, which aims to foster 'a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect about places, people, cultures and environments throughout the world.' The series is noteworthy for the way it explores diverse communities across the globe, refraining from any form of judgement or Western bias in terms of how the communities are presented. The series promotes awareness, empathy and a strong cultural understanding of diverse cultures. As a result, it aspires to cultivate viewers who are 'informed, responsible and active citizens who can contribute to the development of an environmentally and economically sustainable, and socially just world.'

The documentary could also be relevant to the History learning area, which aims to develop an interest in the past and the forces that shape societies. Specifically, it aims to foster 'knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the past and the forces that shape societies, including Australian society; understanding and use of historical concepts such as evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, significance, perspectives, empathy and contestability; capacity to undertake historical inquiry, including skills in the analysis and use of sources, and in explanation and communication.' Throughout Body Hack, references are continuously made to factors that have shaped human evolution and human societies. A couple of episodes examine indigenous cultures that have existed for thousands of years. The series develops the viewers' understanding of and appreciation for historical forces that shape the present and an appreciation of the study of history as a means to understanding the present. An in-depth study of the documentary allows students to understand the critical idea that different environmental and social contexts have transformed human biology and capabilities in remarkable ways, proving the remarkable adaptability of the human species.

The focus on health and well-being throughout Body Hack means that the series has a strong connection to the Health and Physical Education curriculum, which aims to develop in students an understanding of the importance of health and well-being, not merely their own but also that of others. Numerous episodes offer practical strategies and tactics to deal with stress, as well as a variety of ways to maintain strength, agility and balance. The Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (F–10) aims 'to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to enable students to: access, evaluate and synthesise information to take positive action to protect, enhance and advocate for their own and others' health, wellbeing, safety and physical activity participation across their lifespan; develop and use personal, behavioural, social and cognitive skills and strategies to promote a sense of personal identity and wellbeing and to build and manage respectful relationships; acquire, apply and evaluate movement skills, concepts and strategies to respond confidently, competently and creatively in a variety of physical activity contexts and settings; engage in and enjoy regular movement-based learning experiences and understand and appreciate their significance to personal, social, cultural, environmental and health practices and outcomes; analyse how varied and changing personal and contextual factors shape understanding of, and opportunities for, health and physical activity locally, regionally and globally.'