best websites for history and social studies teachers

Using the Best of the Webto Teach Social Studies

Nate Gillespie & Brady Wood

Mar. 4, 2010

Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 1

“Best of the Internet”

What We’ll Cover Today

• 6 Student Resources

• 8 Professional Learning Resources

• Using Shmoop in Your Social Studies Classroom– Overview of Shmoop History, Civics, Biography, Music– Shmoop’s Best of the Web– Shmoop Teacher’s Editions


This Day in History

• http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

• From The History Channel

• Key events on this date in 13 categories: Crime, Politics, Sports, Music, etc.

• Video review of top stories


Digital History

• http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/

• Free online US History textbook

• Collection of annotated primary documents

• Non-text sources include maps and archive of historical film trailers

• Produced by U of Houston with several other institutions


(World) History Matters

• History Matters– http://historymatters.gmu.edu/– 1000+ annotated primary sources

in US History– Emphasis on how historians

“make sense of evidence”– Annotated guide to 800+ other

websites

• World History Matters– http://worldhistorymatters.org/– New site broadens scope beyond

US History


OurDocuments

• http://www.ourdocuments.gov/

• Produced by National Archives

• High-quality reproductions of 100 milestone documents in US History

• Each document presented with contextual information


Valley of the Shadow Project

• http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/

• Incredible online archive of ALL primary source documentation of Civil War experience in two neighboring counties in Pennsylvania/Virginia

• Includes census records, newspapers, diaries, letters, church records, military records, images

• Teachers’ guide: how to use in classroom


Our Favorite Professional Learning Resources for History Teachers

National History Ed. Clearinghouse

• http://teachinghistory.org/

• One-stop shop for online history teaching resources

• Includes online materials, lesson plans, links to recommended sites


Historical Thinking Matters

• http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/

• Emphasis on how to teach students to think like historians

• In-depth lesson plans to teach habits of critical historical thinking


NCSS Ning

• http://ncssnetwork.ning.com/

• Online community of ~1000 social studies teachers

• Discussions and mini-groups devoted to specific topics

• Teachers share advice and lesson plans


PBS Teachers

• http://www.pbs.org/teachers

• Great lesson plans

• Guide to PBS video

• Educator community

• Widgets for your classroom website


Blogs & Webcasts

• Blog: Free Technology for Teachers– http://www.freetech4teachers.com– Reviews of free instructional resources. – Each review includes suggestions for classroom

applications

• Video Webcast: Palm Breeze CAFE– http://www.youtube.com/user/PalmBreezeCAFE – Podcast: search iTunes Store for “Palm Breeze

Cafe”– Software & website reviews and tutorials


An Overview of Shmoop

Students & Teachers Say…

“All of my friends would use this.”

- Tanya, 15

“All of my friends would use this.”

- Tanya, 15

“Shmoop makes me actually want to

work.”- Stephanie, 19

“Shmoop makes me actually want to

work.”- Stephanie, 19

“Shmoop is intentionally about the

joy of learning.”- Paul, HS teacher

“Shmoop is intentionally about the

joy of learning.”- Paul, HS teacher

Quotes from Shmoop focus groups of HS and College students, April 2008Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 15

“This website is my dream come true”

- Noel, 20

“This website is my dream come true”

- Noel, 20

Experts Say…


“Smart and consistently humorous” – Academy

of American Poets

“Smart and consistently humorous” – Academy

of American Poets


- PC Magazine


- PC Magazine

Official Honoree in Education

(along with BBC, PBS, CBC)

- 2009 Webby Awards

Official Honoree in Education

(along with BBC, PBS, CBC)

- 2009 Webby Awards

"The language is totally student-friendly. A very cool site.” - School Library Journal

"The language is totally student-friendly. A very cool site.” - School Library Journal

“Makes the learning process fun.”

- San Francisco Chronicle

“Makes the learning process fun.”

- San Francisco Chronicle

What is Shmoop?

• Fun digital textbooks and learning guides– 8 subjects and growing

• US History, Civics, Biography, Literature, Poetry, Bestsellers, Music, & Spanish translations of literature guides

– Analysis, summaries, trivia, multimedia, quotes, and loads of links

• A resource teachers & students use in the classroom & at home

• Written by educators and experts – primarily Ph.D. students from Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley

– >90% of Shmoop writers have taught at the high school or college level

Shmoop (v): to push something forward (Yiddish slang of our founder’s grandmother)


Things You’ll Learn on Shmoop


The Portrait of a Lady (written in 1880) shares a lot in common with TV’s “Gossip Girl”

The Portrait of a Lady (written in 1880) shares a lot in common with TV’s “Gossip Girl”Emily Dickinson was a

packratEmily Dickinson was a packrat

Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce picked bar fights together in Paris

Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce picked bar fights together in Paris

Albert Einstein's 7th-grade teacher told him he "would never get anywhere in life." True story.

Albert Einstein's 7th-grade teacher told him he "would never get anywhere in life." True story.M.I.A.’s 2008 hit “Paper

Planes” borrows its chorus line from the early 90s rap hit “Rump Shaker”

M.I.A.’s 2008 hit “Paper Planes” borrows its chorus line from the early 90s rap hit “Rump Shaker”

My, How We’ve Grown

Sept. ‘08 Mar. ‘10• Private Beta•Resources for students• 2 subjects• 140 titles

• Public Beta• Resources for students, teachers, librarians• 8 subjects• 2,000 titles across Web, iPhone, Kindle, Nook• Named “Best of the Internet” by PC Magazine• Webby Award Honoree in education (along with PBS, BBC, CBC)


Shmoop US HistoryUS History is Not the Story of Millions. It's Millions of Stories.

• “Why Should I Care?”

• Analytic Lenses• Timelines • Quotes, Statistics,

Trivia• Brief bios• Best of the Web


Shmoop’s “Best of the Web”

• Links are carefully selected by Shmoop’s writers

• Audio, video, photos, art, primary sources

• TV & Film productions• Books• Websites


NEW Shmoop Teacher’s Editions

• CA Standards-based Activities

• Quizzes• Current Events &

Pop Culture• Discussion &

Essay Questions• Related History &

Literature Readings


NEW Shmoop CivicsCivics should not be boring

• We frame our lessons with hot issues that students are passionate about

• Key concepts in plain English

• How law and policy have evolved over time

• Section-by-Section summary of the Constitution


NEW Shmoop BiographyGet to Know the Big Cheeses

• 31 bios and counting

• Authors, poets, political leaders, inventors, …

• Back-stories, fun anecdotes, multimedia, personal letters


NEW Shmoop MusicListen and Learn

• Analyze lyrics like poetry– Rhyme, meter, allusions,

symbolism, themes…

• Historical context and “behind the music” stories

• Technical analysis of rhythm, songwriting, instrumentation

• How have you used music in your classes?


Shmoop Literature

• Help make literature fun and relevant for your students

• “Why Should I Care?”• Themes• Quote analysis• Plot analysis• Character analysis• Literary devices• Study questions• Trivia• Best of the Web


Shmoop Poetry


Demystify poetry with Shmoop’s fun, plain-spoken analysis

• Text of the Poem• Close Reading (line-by-line)• Deep analysis of Symbolism, Themes, Meter, Sound, Setting…• Trivia• Study Questions• Best of the Web (primary sources, photos, audio, video, etc.)

• Shmoop Poetry Primer– How to Read Poetry– What is Poetry?– Poetry terminology (glossary)

NEW Shmoop BestsellersLet Your Inner Fan Feast

• Use “Pop Lit” to teach students literary analysis

• Twilight, New Moon, Harry Potter… many more coming soon


NUEVO Shmoop Literatura

• Spanish translations of our most popular literature summaries

• A “bridge” for ESL students, or great practice for students learning Spanish


NEW: Shmoop on iPhone, Kindle, NookPut a Ph.D. in Your Pocket

• Shmoop is now– #1 education iPhone App

developer– #1 HS publisher on Kindle

• Largest multi-platform educational publisher– 400 guides on the Web– 300+ eBooks on Kindle– 400 iPhone/iPod Apps– 250 eBooks on B&N nook


How to Cite Shmoop

• Shmoop automatically generates citations for students in MLA, APA, or Chicago formats

• Our About Us section includes our background and academic credentials to help establish authority

• Shmoop teaches students about the perils of plagiarism and encourages original thought


NEW Teacher Resource Center


• A tour of Shmoop designed for educators

• Ideas and examples from teachers who use Shmoop in the classroom

• More about Shmoop’s teaching philosophy, our teaching experience, and our academic credentials

• Our tribute to great teachers who inspired us

www.shmoop.com/teachers/

NEW Teacher Resource Center: www.shmoop.com/teachers

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