The Diary of Samuel Pepys
http://www.pepysdiary.com/
Diary entries from the 17th century diarist. (Second Level)

What is the site about?

In the form of a blog, Samuel Pepys' diary entries are being presented on a daily basis over the course of several years. His first diary entry dates back to the 1st January 1660 and this was published on the site on the 1st Jan 2003. Currently, entries from the year 1665 are being uploaded.

Who was Samuel Pepys? He was an English Naval Adminstrator and member of Parliament who is now most famous for his diary. His diary is seen as a significant primary source for the Restoration period as it gives a personal account of many great events such as the Great Plague of London and Great Fire of London.

Why was it chosen as site of the week?

It was chosen because:

• It is a content-rich site that is comprenhensive and engaging
• The Encyclopedia section is very insightful as it portrays what people, places and things were like during Pepys' time. It covers a broad range of topics from Art to Fashion to Entertainment.
• As it's a blog, anyone can post an annotation or read other annotations
• Explanatory notes are provided throughout each entry
• You can check out the story so far or explore the archives
• The site has RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

How can it be used as an educational resource?

It relates to the following curricula:

History (Senior Cycle) Early Modern Europe 
English (Junior & Senior Cycle) Personal Writing, Language and Style

History students studying the Early Modern Europe element of the syllabus may find it a valuable primary source for events of that era. The site is therefore ideal for individual based learning or project work and may include activities such as:
- Creating a timeline based on events described in Pepy's diary
- Creating a multimedia presentation of his life.

Transition Year or Junior Cycle English students could create their own blog, giving a personal account of life in 2008 having read some of Pepys' diary entries. As a whole class activity students could study the language and style of the diary entries and compare it to that found in "The Diary of Anne Frank" or "The Secret Life of Adrian Mole".

Primary students interested in Pepys' diaries might find the following site from the BBC useful. They could invent their own code and use it to write a paragraph about their life.

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