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
Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 2
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
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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
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(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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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PBS Teachers
• http://www.pbs.org/teachers
• Great lesson plans
• Guide to PBS video
• Educator community
• Widgets for your classroom website
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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
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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…
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“Smart and consistently humorous” – Academy
of American Poets
“Smart and consistently humorous” – Academy
of American Poets
“Best of the Internet”
- PC Magazine
“Best of the Internet”
- 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)
Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 17
Things You’ll Learn on Shmoop
Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 18
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)
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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
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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
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NEW Shmoop Teacher’s Editions
• CA Standards-based Activities
• Quizzes• Current Events &
Pop Culture• Discussion &
Essay Questions• Related History &
Literature Readings
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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
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NEW Shmoop BiographyGet to Know the Big Cheeses
• 31 bios and counting
• Authors, poets, political leaders, inventors, …
• Back-stories, fun anecdotes, multimedia, personal letters
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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?
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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
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Shmoop Poetry
Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 27
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
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NUEVO Shmoop Literatura
• Spanish translations of our most popular literature summaries
• A “bridge” for ESL students, or great practice for students learning Spanish
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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
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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
Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 31
NEW Teacher Resource Center
Shmoop University, Inc. Confidential 32
• 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
On Twitter: @helloshmoop
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/shmoop
© 2009, Shmoop University, Inc.http://www.shmoop.com