Search engines exclusively designed for children are more rare than those for adults, but a handful of excellent search tools for children exists. The sites help kids locate age-appropriate materials that are relevant to their interests and their studies.
EdView SmartZone enables students to access sites that are perfect for their age group. Visitors may select from sites appropriate for elementary school, middle school, or high school students by clicking on the appropriate level. Searches can be conducted by keyword, or investigations can be made by category.
Few Web guides for kids are as widely recognized as Yahooligans! This index makes finding age-appropriate material on the Internet an easy task. In addition to its directory of Web sites by subject, this tool offers a quick list of popular categories, such as sports, news, and celebrities. A teachers' guide puts resources at your fingertips with scavenger hunts and teaching units.
Have you ever wished that your students could use the Internet as easily as they can the library's card catalog? A few librarians agreed with this idea and put together a Web searching device called KidsClick! With this resource, information is literally a click away! Every subject of interest to children is presented in a directory, in a searchable database, and in an accessible alphabetical index. If safety is of particular importance to you, this site is the ideal spot for your class. Every listing has been carefully screened for content.
Like its big brother, Ask Jeeves, Ask Jeeves for Kids invites visitors to share their best questions. The site then submits the query to several search engines and compiles a response. An especially appealing feature for children, the site has the capability to check spelling in queries and to focus the information sought by listing related questions. A great collection of Web tours and links to advice, teachers' resources, and a word of the day is accessible from the home page.
Searchopolis will help students find anything they seek on the Web. Beyond the filtered search engine, this site features a word and site of the day. Make your planning a little easier with the curriculum links to great lesson-planning resources for all subjects. Promised are a calendar, mail, and virtual lockers, so keep an eye on Searchopolis for wonderful things to come!
Article by Cara Bafile
Education World®