Primer on identifying and using search words and phrases.

1. Tech & Learning
Day 2 Lesson 2
Johanna Riddle
Instructional Designer
Seminole Academy of Digital Learning

2. Tech & Learning
Each week, you will
brainstorm a list of questions
about your topic. You will
select words and phrases
from your list to use in your
online research. Those words
are called search words or
search terms.

3. Tech & Learning
You will use a search engine to find
the information you are looking for. A
search engine uses keywords to find
websites on the Internet.

4. Tech & Learning
Today, let’s find out about the
kinds of rocks that can be
found in Florida.

5. Tech & Learning
Here is a list of questions. You can highlight the
words and phrases that you will use to search for
information.
Topic: Florida
1. What kind of rocks can be
found in Florida?
2. What are Florida rocks
made of?
3. What are Florida rocks
used for?

6. Tech & Learning
After you choose your search words,
you are ready to start looking. Go to
Google. Google is a search engine.

7. Tech & Learning
You want to make sure that you select enough words to
help you find what you are looking for! The search terms
“Florida” and “rocks” might take you to a site like this,
because “rock” is also a musical term.

8. Tech & Learning
You can fix this by adding
words that narrow your
search. For example, you
might use the phrase
“Florida and rocks and
minerals.”

9. Tech & Learning
Type the search words into the search bar.
A box will drop down with some other
search choices. Click on the clearest search
phrase. Then press return on the
keyboard.

10. Tech & Learning
Now you have a list of web sites you can visit to find the
answer to your question. But some web sites are hard to
read. You can fix that! Click on All results.

11. Tech & Learning
Choose Reading
level.

12. Tech & Learning
Choose the reading level
that is right for you. Click
on the level.

13. Tech & Learning
The search engine
will adjust the
results.

14. Tech & Learning
These both look
like good choices.
Click on the title
to check them
out!

15. Tech & Learning
This site is a slideshow. You can press the arrows at the
bottom of the screen to watch the slideshow.

16. Tech & Learning
This slide tells you about the kinds of rocks that can be
found in Florida.

17. Tech & Learning
This slide tells you what the rocks are made of.

18. Tech & Learning
This slide tells you how the rocks are used.

19. Tech & Learning
This web site answered all three of the questions on
the list. You were able to understand what you read.
It was a good site!
Topic: Florida
1. What kind of rocks can be
found in Florida?
2. What are Florida rocks
made of?
3. What are Florida rocks
used for?

20. Tech & Learning
Now let’s go back and look at the second site you selected.
You may find new information or more details about your
topic at the second site.

21. Tech & Learning
You will need to record the information you gather. You
can write information down in your journal.
Research Tip:
Another way to record information is to write it down on
sticky notes or index cards. Write one fact on each note
or card and keep them in a file folder. This makes it easy
to organize your research later on in the week without
re-writing the information you gather.

22. Tech & Learning
This concludes today’s tutorial.
Tomorrow, you will learn about
finding and saving images.