Internet Searches

Differing from Research, Internet Searches can be used to help students learn about a particular subject/topic. Instead of having students flipping wildly through the pages of a book or packet, or staring at a video searching for answers to a worksheet, using the resources of the Internet can provide an activity which not only helps students learn about a subject but forces them to think about it on higher levels and make connections. In addition it is a great way to teach students the best way to find information on the internet, which is a skill that is becoming more important. (see page on Internet research for Internet searching tips.) This is best used to provide overview information such that might be given at the start of a unit.

This type of activity usually involves each student having access to a computer. While it can be done in groups, more is gotten out of it individually, considering some students will have much greater searching skills than others. This can be a homework assignment taking into consideration not all students will have Internet access.

An Activity of this sort can take many forms. Multiple choice, true false, fill in or questions either short or long. True/false with corrections work really well for this type of activity.

Time is a major consideration here, as it is with all computer related activities. Some students may have problems with this type of work and need extra help and time to refine their searching skills.

Along with each question students should write down the site they found the information and what key words they used to find it. (this might only be necessary the first few times.)

Try searching for all your questions before you have the students to this activity. Sometimes information you think is readily available is not, and your students could spend hours trying to find it. If it takes you 15 minutes to find an answer then your question might need to be simplified or dropped. Unless there are few questions and you are really pushing your students' Internet searching ability.

Example Egypt