Search Engines and Online Research
👩🏫 Teacher’s Guide
Objective
Students will use search engines safely, choose good keywords, and identify reliable sources for simple online research.
Teaching Notes
- Teach keyword choice: use short, clear words instead of full sentences.
- Model refining searches: add a word like ‘kids’ or a place name.
- Discuss trustworthy sources: school sites, museums, libraries, kid-safe encyclopedias.
- Remind students not to click ads and to ask for help when unsure.
🧒 Student Worksheet
Concept and Helping Material
Search engines help you find information online. Good researchers use strong keywords, check if a source is trustworthy, and compare more than one website.
Computer Vocabulary and Definition
- — A tool that helps you find information on the internet.
- — An important word you type to search.
- — Where information comes from.
- — Something you can trust to be correct.
- — A message trying to sell something online.
Computer QA
- What is a search engine?
- What is a keyword?
- What is a source?
- What does reliable mean?
- What is an advertisement?
- True or False: Long sentences are always the best keywords.
- Give a good keyword to learn about penguins.
- If your search is too big, what can you do?
- Why should you check more than one website?
- Should you click every result you see?
- What should you do if a result looks like an ad?
- Name one reliable place to get information.
- What can you add to a search to make it safer for kids?
- If you want facts about planets, what keyword could you use?
- True or False: A source tells where information comes from.
- What is one sign a website might not be reliable?
- What is one way to stay safe while searching?
- If you cannot find the answer, what can you do?
- What does it mean to research?
- What is a good keyword for ‘how tall is a giraffe’?
Computer Prtactices
- Keyword practice: Turn these into keywords—‘Tell me about sharks’ → ‘sharks facts’.
- Search result check: Circle the result that looks most reliable (museum, school, library).
- Make 3 searches on paper for one topic: broad, better, best (more specific).
- Source hunt: Find the title and author on a sample webpage screenshot.
Reflection
- What keyword helped you the most today?
- How can you tell if a source is reliable?