A Web Search & Evaluation Mini-lesson for Elementary Grades By Niki Knowlton Adapted from: http://www.ducksters.com/kidssearchtips.php http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson7.shtml

1. Let’s Surf! A Web Search & Evaluation Mini-lesson for Elementary Grades By Niki Knowlton Adapted from: http://www.ducksters.com/kidssearchtips.php http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson7.shtml

2. Searching the World Wide Web sounds easy. Just type in a few words and the best web sites will come up for those words. Unfortunately, search engines are not always that smart.

3. With a little bit of smarts on your side, you can improve the quality of your searches tremendously.

4. What’s a Search Engine? A website that allows you to search the Internet for specific topics

5. Examples of Search Engines

6. Internet SearchTips Hints for helping you get the information you want when searching the internet.

7. Internet Searching Tips Search engines are not as smart as you and they sure can't tell what you are thinking. Be sure to use descriptive words and phrases. Example: Search for Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln instead of just Lincoln

8. Search engines usually look for each word you write. If you are looking for a phrase, then you can use quotes. You can also use quotes to get more specific searches when you are getting too many irrelevant pages. Example: Search for "Assassinationof President Abraham Lincoln" instead of Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Internet Searching Tips

9. Search engines often don't use short common words like "a", "it" and "the" in their searches. If you really need the search engine to use those words, then you can use quotes. Example: Search for "High School Musical 2" rather than High School Musical 2. This way the "2" will be used in the search as well. Note: with Google you can put a "+" in front of the shorter word. Example: Star Wars Episode +I Internet Searching Tips

10. When searching, try to use phrases that would be used as written in a web page. Internet Searching Tips

11. Read the titles and descriptions of the web sites carefully before you click on them. Does this make sense? Is this relevant to my search? Internet Searching Tips

12. Rules for Internet Searching What you should do when searching the internet

13. Rules for Internet Searching Always search with the approval of your parents and/or teacher.

14. Rules for Internet Searching Only search on subjects that are approved by your parents and/or teachers. Searching the Internet is a privilege, not a right.

15. Rules for Internet Searching Never, EVER, blog, chat or enter personal data about yourself on a web site. Where You Live Contact Information Last Name Date of Birth

16. Rules for Internet Searching If a web site makes your feel uncomfortable or has pictures or information that you know you shouldn't see, close the web page immediately.

17. Evaluating WebSites Ways to know your website is worth using

18. Evaluating Web Sites

19. Let’s Surf!