Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Brereton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever study materials for teens merge humor and learning.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
SHMOOP's mostly-free materials, written by Ph.D. and Masters students from prestigious U.S. colleges, offer instruction on topics ranging from Shakespeare to pre-algebra. The content features a creative twist: Instead of using stuffy academic phrasing, the materials are written in a conversational tone. Information is also presented in a unique, quirky format. Pretend character profiles, for example, help kids learn about Greek and Roman mythology; teen drivers can cruise through a section that uses humor to stress responsible driving.
Is It Any Good?
Shmoop features educational materials to help teens understand a variety of topics, including biology, U.S. history, algebra, and calculus. The site's literature section covers classics; users can also access in-depth allegory, character, and theme info on modern reads like "The Hunger Games." The site's real strength, though, is in its presentation. Instead of just offering endless pages of content, Shmoop breaks subjects down in fun ways. Mythological character profiles list zany faux relationship statuses (Agamemnon laments that he "was married to Clytemnestra, but then she killed me... so yeah"). Virtual flashcards help teens memorize AP Spanish terms, and a lengthy DMV section weaves humor into its state-by-state rules of the road. And the site's learning resources are legit: Ph.D. and Masters students from schools like Stanford and Harvard write much of the conversational content, which is peppered with pop culture references. A separate section for educators includes resources for teaching civics, literature, and other topics, for a fee.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about ways to learn using digital tools. How do you use the Internet to learn new things or review what you've learned? For suggestions on using technology to improve kids' academic success, check out our School Performance Tips guide.
How is spending time using a site like Shmoop different from spending time online connecting with friends? What kind of time limits should you set on Facebook/Twitter/IM time?
How can you tell if information on a website came from a valid source, is just someone's opinion, or is information that hasn't really been researched?
Website Details
- Subjects : Math : algebra , calculus , Language & Reading : forming arguments , text analysis
- Skills : Self-Direction : academic development , work to achieve goals , Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , problem solving
- Genre : Educational
- Pricing structure : Free to try, Paid, Free
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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