Skip to main content

Up Next

Back to Show
Origin of Everything

Why Do We Get Grades in School?

Season 1 Episode 9

Will you get a B+, C, an A-, a D+ or the dreaded F? We’ve all had that moment of sheer panic while waiting for your report card. But when you step back, it’s worth asking why do we get letter grades at all? And whatever happened to E? Find out in this week's episode!

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
Season
What is Cultural Appropriation?
9:38
What is culture? Can it even be appropriated?
Why Do We Drink Milk in School?
8:24
Why Do We Drink Milk in School?
Why Does the Government Need to Know My Race?
9:42
Why does the government care about race?
How Did Edison Invent Christmas Lights?
8:37
How Did Edison Invent Christmas Lights?
Why Do So Many Religions Have Headwear?
10:49
Hijabs, yarmulkes, habits, and dastars — why do so many religions have rules about hair?
How Did Makeup Ads Go From Style to Science?
9:16
When did makeup ads become less about beauty and more about science?
Can Tattoos Be Taboo?
8:05
When did tattoos shift from counterculture to mainstream?
Why Is There a Minimum Wage?
9:10
Why does the Minimum Wage exist at all?
The Origin of Gender
8:39
Why do we think there are only two genders? And how are sex and gender different?
Why Do People Have Pets?
8:00
Why did humans start domesticating animals as pets and not livestock?
Why Do We Eat Popcorn at The Movies?
6:46
What do the Great Depression and farm subsidies have to do with eating popcorn at movies?
Why Was Crossdressing Illegal?
7:23
Why was it illegal for women to wear men’s clothing and for men to wear women’s clothing?
Active loading indicator