Thing #20

YouTube

YouTube has become synonymous with watching videos online.  As "google" has become a verb for searching content online, "youtube" is a verb for looking up video clips on the Internet.  The search bar provides suggestions as you type, and once you select a video, suggestions appear along the right side of the screen of similar videos.  If one needs to find out how to complete a process, YouTube has video tutorials from changing your car's oil to finding out how to use Twitter.  This tool can be especially useful for teachers who want to spice up their lessons with a funny video or informative segments.

I chose a video called "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)" performed by the Reduced Shakespeare Company.  Though the video is almost 90 minutes, my main focus would lie on the first 22 minutes that cover an introduction and the play Romeo and Juliet.  These three men bring a new twist to the timeless classic through their humorous approach.  Students will find their version very entertaining while at the same time remaining true to the source material.  The Reduced Shakespeare Company is hilarious and should always be brought into the classroom during a unit on the English bard.

This contains only the introduction.  If you would like to see

the video in its entirety, click the link above.