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7 Safe Search Engines for Kids To Use at School or Home in 2023

Keep them safe while they surf the web.

We live in a time when you can find just about anything you need by searching the web. The problem is, you can also find a whole lot of NSFW stuff that’s especially inappropriate for kids. You can turn on Google’s SafeSearch filters , but you’ll need to do it on every device kids might use. An easier option can be child-friendly Google alternatives, like this roundup of the best search engines for kids.

Note: Even with safer search engines for kids, it’s important to teach students about digital citizenship. Kids need to know how to navigate safely online, no matter where they land. Check out What Is Digital Citizenship? (Plus, Ideas for Teaching It) to get started.

This is one of our favorite safer search engines for kids. Kiddle not only limits its results to sites that are kid-friendly, it also displays them in an order and style that’s easy for kids to understand. The first few results will always be from sites written specifically for kids, followed by those that aren’t just for children but are written in simple language they’ll be able to understand. The rest of the results are filtered using Google’s safe search on the strictest settings. Oversized thumbnails and large, clear text also make things easier for kids to navigate, all without any ads.

This kid-safe search engine uses Google’s “strict” filtering technology every time, on every device. KidzSearch partners with Safe Search Kids to ensure the most up-to-date content is always available, without the risk of inappropriate results. Their advanced keyword filtering system monitors for alternate and modified spellings, including those where numbers substitute for letters. Use it on the web or install the free apps on any kind of device (note that ads do appear in the results).

Using Google’s SafeSearch, KidRex emphasizes kid-friendly pages in its results. It also has an additional database of inappropriate keywords and sites, and blocks social media results. Automatically generated Google ads appear at the top of the search results page, so teach kids to scroll past those.

This limited-site search engine only returns results from sites recommended and vetted by teachers, librarians, and educational orgs. It’s meant for the pre-K and elementary crowd. Our test searches returned reasonably good results, although ad results, which may or may not be relevant, appear at the top.

SweetSearch

SweetSearch is another limited-site search engine for kids, limiting its results to a carefully curated “whitelist” of sites vetted by librarians, educators, and researchers. To make the list, a site must be credible and trusted and have academic value and journalistic integrity. Google ads appear at the top of the results but are clearly marked as ads.

Fact Monster

Elementary school students will find Fact Monster useful when they’re doing homework or research. Think of it sort of like Wikipedia for kids, since the articles are all created and curated using trusted resources. Unlike Wikipedia though, only the site’s editors, authors, and advisors can create or alter content. The site is ad-supported, though they’re not too intrusive.

Google Scholar

Looking for a safe, ad-free way to search specifically for academic articles? Google Scholar is a great solution. The results are limited to scholarly publications, so it’s ideal for high school research projects that need strong primary sources. Younger users will likely find the results too advanced though.

Have we missed one of your favorite safe search engines for kids? Come share your thoughts in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook !

Plus, these 5 big ideas are all you need to teach internet safety to your students ..

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5 Safe Search Engines for Kids

• ISTE Standards

It's never too early to teach students how to be good knowledge constructors. In fact, students should begin learning how to analyze and vet information on the internet as early as elementary school.

The ISTE Standards  define "knowledge constructors" as students who critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others. Indicator 3a of the Knowledge Constructor standard is the expectation that students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits. 

You can begin teaching young students these skills by reinforcing searching strategies using kid friendly search engines. 

Tips for using search engines 

Teaching students which keywords to use and how to analyze search results will help them find better sources and think more critically about any information they find on the internet. Here are some tips to help when teaching students to conduct a search.

1. Choose your search terms carefully.

Be precise about what you are looking for, though you should use phrases and not full sentences.

2. Add more words to narrow a search.

Use Boolean searches to narrow your topic with quotation marks. There's a big difference between the search term “gopher” and “habitats of gophers in North America.”

3. Use synonyms.  

If students can’t find what they're looking for, have them try keywords that mean the same thing or are related.

4. Search within a site. 

Typing the word site: (with the colon) after your keyword and before a URL will tell Google to search within a specific website.

5. Add a minus sign .

Adding a minus sign immediately before any word, with no space in between, indicates that you don't want that word to appear in your search results. For example, "Saturn -cars" will give you information about the planet, not the automobile.

Kid-friendly search engines

Protecting students from unsafe and inappropriate content is the most important reason for using search engines made specifically for kids. Allowing your students to have the run of the web using a search engine for young students helps you, because information that gets through school filters might be appropriate for sixth graders but not second graders. Educators can explore these sites designed for the youngest internet users. 

Safe Search Kids : This is a custom search engine using Google’s Safe Search features with additional filtering to block more potentially harmful material than if you simply use Google. It is fun, colorful and easy for kids to use. Google Kid Search : This is another safe search engine powered by Google for Grades K-8. However, please be aware there are ads on this site. Fact Monster :  Fact Monster combines essential reference materials, fun facts and features, and homework help for kids.

Kidtopia : This site was created by librarians for elementary students. 

Kiddle :  Google created this visual search engine for kids. All results are vetted by editors. 

Diana Fingal is ISTE's director of editorial content. This is an updated version of a post that originally post Dec. 28, 2018.

• artificial intelligence

10 Internet Safe Search Engines for Kids (and Chrome Extensions) 

Stefanie Miller

The internet can be kid-friendly, but there is also inappropriate content that you will want to watch out for. We are living in the age of social media, and it’s common for young kids to want to browse YouTube or TikTok , even though they aren’t age-appropriate. 

The good news for parents is that there are plenty of safe spaces for kids on the internet. This will decrease your worry when they are surfing the web or working on homework.

It’s no secret that parents are not only worried about what their child might see online, but there are also unsafe people, not to mention ways for kids to spend money without them knowing. There are many dangers but you can implement ways to keep them safe at home by using safe search engines, browsers, and extensions that limit what they have access to while they’re still too young.

Related: My Kid Wants to Be a YouTuber. Is it Safe and Smart? 

We have put together some tips for you as well as a hand-picked list of the 10 best safe search engines, browsers, and extensions that you can use at home to prevent your children from accessing dangerous content online. 

The 10 Best Safe Search Enginges, Browsers, and Google Chrome Extensions

We all love Google and Yahoo but sometimes they bring up inappropriate content or web pages that aren’t at the right level for a young child. It’s important to teach kids to be smart when navigating the web. Here are the best safe search options for kids. These child-friendly search engines use safe search technology and specialized filtering, so parents can trust the results their kids are seeing!

1. FactMonster 

FactMonster is designed to make learning fun for kids of all ages and is very family-friendly. The home page includes links to all sorts of subjects from math to language arts. There are even fun and safe games and videos as well. It’s another great tool for homework help or educational topics and resources.

Kiddle is a kid-friendly search engine and online encyclopedia. It uses Google Safe Search to filter the content that your child sees. It blocks profanity from search results but isn't foolproof. If you find a questionable website or keyword, you can submit a request to Kiddle to have it blocked or banned.

3. Kidtopia

Kidtopia is a Google custom search engine that was designed by school librarians. It is designed to be a safe space for kids to research elementary school topics. There are also fun and educational games as well as an educational YouTube channel with kid-friendly content for them to enjoy.

4. Kidzsearch 

Not only is Kidzsearch a safe search engine, but it provides other resources as well. This includes kid-friendly games , images, “KidzTube” which is similar to YouTube, and even KidzSearch Wiki which was made easier for kids to understand when they are researching. 

There is also an app for Android and Apple devices that provides similar services. It also includes things like “KidzNet” which is a social media network designed specifically for kids.

KidRex is another free visual search engine that uses Google Safe Search. They have a database of websites and keywords that are deemed inappropriate and therefore have been blocked. Also, it automatically blocks social media websites for peace of mind, in case you do not want your child to have access to sites like Facebook or Tiktok.

6. DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo is an internet search engine that you can download which includes a web browser and a Google Chrome extension. It was made not only to promote internet safety but also for privacy. If you just use their website, it is a good filter for inappropriate content.

7. Google Scholar 

Google Scholar is not as popular but is a great resource for research and literature. It accesses safe databases from academic professionals including articles and books to provide you with the information you are looking for. It is not a general search engine like the others but is a good choice if you have an older child that is working on a paper or project for school.

8. Safe Search Kids

This search engine is made by Google Safe Search. Not only is it a safe browser, but it also has some helpful tools as well. There is information about internet safety and social media for parents to help them better understand the dangers that exist online . Plus, there are safe image and video search pages that filter out inappropriate and adult content.

9. Secure Teen

Secure Teen is a popular Google Chrome extension that was designed to block adult websites and also has a profanity filter. If you want to keep them away from YouTube and TikTok, there are options to filter out social networks and specific content. Plus, it also has parental controls and can be password protected. It has a free trial, but after that, it does cost money to keep.

10. KidInfo

KidInfo is one of the best search tools for homework help. There are resources for elementary students, fun games and activities for young children, and parenting tips and resources. It isn’t technically a search engine, but it contains links to safe and age-appropriate content for kids.

What Is the Best Way to Keep Kids Safe on the Internet? 

The best way to keep your little ones safe on the internet is to be aware. There are dangerous places online and part of your job as a parent is to do your best to keep them away from them. This is why we recommended these safe search engines. They are a great start in teaching internet safety to your children at a young age. They will inevitably crave more freedom online as they grow, but it is important that you talk to your kids about what is and isn’t okay to search or view on the internet. Keeping them informed can also help with safety.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Safe Search Engine for Kids? 

The use of a safe search engine promotes online safety. It not only filters out profanity and adult content, but it also reduces the risk of your child connecting with strangers . Social media is not made for elementary students and it is important that as a parent, you are fully aware of the content your child has access to while they’re online. Safe search engines and extensions are great tools for you to utilize in your home.

What is the Safest Search Engine for Kids? 

Kiddle is one of our all-time favorites. It is safe, easy to use, and can be customized to fit your and your child’s needs. It filters out inappropriate content and you can even add specific keywords you would like to be blocked. Those kinds of features alone make it very popular among parents, and kids love using it too.

Is Bing Safe for Kids? 

Even though you can turn on safe search, Bing is not recommended for kids. Even with the strict filter on, some content still gets through that little ones should not have access to. 

There are far better search engines and resources (like we mentioned above) that your child can use over Bing. It takes a fair amount of monitoring despite their efforts to make Bing more kid-friendly.

Is DuckDuckGo Safe for Kids? 

As mentioned above, DuckDuckGo is safe for kids. Not only is there a safe web browser, but a Google extension that you can download as well. 

Their website does a great job of filtering out content within search results and the extension helps to block anything inappropriate outside of the search engine. This way, you can monitor what they are searching for on Google and other websites.

Be sure to use your best judgment when letting your child surf the web. No search engine is perfect, so be aware of what exactly your  child is doing on the internet and make sure it is a fun and safe space as best you can.

For more ways on keeping kids safe online see our list of the 15 Best Parental Control Apps for Parents to Monitor Kids’ Online Activity . 

• factmonster.com. Fact Monster. 2023. https://www.factmonster.com/
• kiddle.co.Kiddle - visual search engine for kids. 2023. https://www.kiddle.co/
• kidtopia.info. Kidtopia--a Google custom safe search engine for elementary age students. 2023. https://www.kidtopia.info/
• kidzsearch.com. Kidzsearch - Safe search engine for kids. 2023. https://www.kidzsearch.com/
• alarms.org. KidRex - Kid Safe Search Engine. 2023. https://www.alarms.org/kidrex/
• duckduckgo.com. Duckduckgo. 2023. https://duckduckgo.com/
• scholar.google.com. Google Scholar. 2023. https://scholar.google.com/
• safesearchkids.com. Safe Search Kids. 2023. https://www.safesearchkids.com/
• secureteen.com. Protect Your Teenagers From Every Online Danger. 2023. https://www.secureteen.com/
• kidinfo.com. Homework Help : KidInfo.com. 2023. https://kidinfo.com/

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Top Research Websites, Search Engines, and a Research Choice Menu for K-12 Students

Students need to learn how to be skilled searchers.

“Television didn’t transform education. Neither will the internet. But it will be another tool for teachers to use in their effort to reach students in the classroom.” –  John Palfrey

To learn more about a topic or find the answer students will often Google it! Search engines don’t always show the most factual, relevant, or unbiased results first. Sometimes search engines can lead students to inappropriate websites. Below is a research choice menu for you to use and edit as you like that I use with my students! I have also listed useful research, news, and digital media websites to add to the research choice menu depending on what you are exploring. Students also need to learn how to be skilled searchers, which is why I also added places with free lesson plans and resources to teach students develop search skills.

Free Research Choice Menu Board

Click  the image below to make a copy of the choice menu board template. Edit as you like!

Activity Idea

One of the activities in my book,  Hacking Digital Learning Strategies: Ways to Launch EdTech Missions  is to get students to do a quick 2 minute search about the topic. Students write down any 3 ideas they find then build on that knowledge by trying to add 3 different ideas by other students. Then get students to rate each idea as a fact, opinion, or gossip. Encourage them to guess. Then give them another 2 to 5 minutes to do fact checks to see which ideas are facts and which might be biased or need more research. Students can add the facts to a  Linoit / Padlet  sticky note board for all to learn from or on a Bubbl.us cognitive map.

15 Recommended Search Engines and Research Websites

• Fact Monster  is a search engine that features Frank, the friendly monster, who helps with facts, homework, trivia, games, and quizzes.
• DOGO News  is a website and iOS/Android app for K to 12 students to find current events and research based articles. Each article gives an easy citation for students to copy and include as well as images and videos.
• The Kids Should See This  is probably the most engaging search results for students who will find viral gifs and videos about their topics.
• Science Journal for Kids  has a pdf with assessment questions, videos, and an area for further research by asking a scientist.
• The  Creative Commons Search Engine  and  WikiMedia Commons  are two wonderful search engines to find images, videos, and other multimedia free to use in projects or presentations as long as the author is attributed appropriately.
• Kiddle  is a safe visual search engine for kids.
• KidzSearch  is a Google filtered search which features KidzTube videos and educational games on the front page.
• Ducksters  is a search engine with different categories for a general subject search like history, science, geography, and more. NatGeoKids  is a website with games, trivia, and articles about animals and the world. My students love this website. We also like learning more about countries with the interactive world map.
• Science News for Students  provides vocabulary lists and readability scores for each article. This is for grades 6 to 12.
• Kid Rex  is another kid-friendly search engine with a simple colorful interface. Safe Search Kids  is powered by Google to deliver filtered search results.
• Kid’s Search  is a safe and fun way to search the Internet. Choosito  is a student search engine and digital library. Sign up for a free trial.
• The  Library of Congress  provides archived newspapers, patents, historical documents, and images for students to search and discover information about a topic.

cross posted at   teacherrebootcamp.com

Shelly Terrell is a Technology and Computer teacher, education consultant, and author of books including Hacking Digital Learning Strategies: 10 Ways to Launch EdTech Missions in Your Classroom. Read more at   teacherrebootcamp.com .

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Shelly Terrell is an education consultant, technology trainer, and author. Read more at teacherrebootcamp.com

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The internet is widely used for leisure and educational purposes; unfortunately, children are often exposed to dangerous search engine results. An innocent phrase or two can produce links to age-restricted sites, not to mention inappropriate content. Ads are also a major issue for internet users. So, whether you’re a parent or teacher, it’s crucial children access the web safely and securely. Fortunately, there are many ads-free and children-friendly search engines that could be more appropriate for them to use. 

Wackysafe.com

Wackysafe.com is the most robust safe search engine for kids and is used in many schools and homes across the world. It employs a strict 3-tier filter system that blocks undesirable content while making it as child-friendly as possible. Results are visually enhanced for children and there is a cool ability that allows your child to select text and convert it to speech. Wackysafe features all the typical features of Google & Bing, including the ability to search for child-friendly images, videos and news, as well as “Instant Answers” and “Related Questions.” Last year Wackysafe was used by over 3 million children across the world making it the number 1 search engine for kids.

KidzSearch is a child and family-friendly search engine. It’s built for safety and allows children to use the web with strict adult-content filters. KidzSearch safe search technology cannot be switched off so easily by a child unless they clear cookies first. So, it gives you peace of mind which is reassuring for parents and teachers alike. Also, you do not need to install or download any software, and it is entirely free to use. 

Google has created a customized search engine that’s safe for elementary and even pre-school children to use. Kidtopia is exclusively for students looking for a safe place to surf the web. It only indexes sites approved by educators, and that means the content shown to users is safe. Google has taken a step in the right direction when it comes to keeping kids and young adults safe. 

Kid’s Search Engine

This handy search engine utilizes the technology from Google and incorporates advanced filtering tools. It means any web content has been filtered to ensure the safety of the child. KidsSearch.com only produces links to sites that have been deemed appropriate for kids. It’s reassuring, to say the least. 

Powered by Google, Kiddle is built for children. Students can use Kiddle and get access to safe video, web, and image results. All results are checked by editors which is a nice addition. It makes you feel reassured children aren’t exposed to inappropriate content online. 

Fact Monster

Children can use Fact Monster when they’re doing homework or just want to surf the web. It’s a free reference site for parents, students, and teachers. You can find facts on many subjects, such as history, geography, sports, education, entertainment, health, and much more. 

GoGooligans

This is a great search engine suitable for kids. GoGooligans uses Google’s index to find the most appropriate results. There are lots of filter features and can exclude certain phrases that are inappropriate for children. It’s available in over 30 languages and is a great alternative for kids to use. 

Cybersleuth Kids

Cybersleuth Kids is a directory, search engine, and homework helper built into one convenient tool. It’s designed for K-12 students and has access to free games, activities, printable sheets, and subject-specific videos. 

Google’s Custom Search powers KidRex and fully utilizes its Safe Search technology. One of the best features of KidRex is that it has been exclusively designed for children by children. It’s useful on so many levels and is easy to use. 

Safe Search Kids

Safe Search Kids provides search engine results based on Google’s Safe Search features. It ensures content is filtered so that age-inappropriate results cannot be accessed. There are also safe search videos, images, and wikis which is quite impressive. 

Teach the Children Well

This is incredibly useful for elementary and older children. Teach the Children Well collects links to safe sites. It can give many parents and teachers a good starting point for their children or students. You should look at this site because it’s useful in so many ways. 

While DuckDuckGo isn’t exclusively designed for children, it allows them to search the web safely. No private information is stored, and no search history either. There are no ads run by DuckDuckGo or tracking cookies either.

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Safe visual search engine for kids

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Google for Kids | Safe Search

Safe Search Kids is a custom search engine enhanced by Google to allow everyone to search the internet more safely.  We use Google’s SafeSearch features with additional filtering added to block potentially harmful material at home and in schools. This search filtering is available on computers, laptops, tablets and phones.

In addition to accessibility on any device, our internet filtering work on any browser and provide a way for parents at home and teachers in school to allow their kids to research the internet with safe boundaries.  No matter what browser you use, strict filtered results are always on.

Table of Contents Google Kids at School Google for Education Internet Safety Safe Search for Fun and Learning Instant Answers Using Safe Search Our Search Tools Explained

Safe Search Kids is not Google. We are not directly endorsed by them. Our affiliation with Google is strictly as a third party participating in their Custom Search Engine program.

The easy way to activate Google for kids with safe search is to bookmark this website for kids to use. Whether it’s just for fun like Doodle for Google games or for some serious research , the internet is a wonderful place to explore and learn.

Google Kids at School

Any search engine has it’s limitations, no matter how safe.  It filters what kids are searching but it doesn’t limit access to the world wide web should a child choose to explore outside safe confines. Therefore, additional security and safety, read about parental control apps .

At school, our search engine allows entire classrooms to surf the web without changing any browser setting or installing any software.  Still, some schools will want to have total control over what students can access online.  For this reason we’re excited to announce that parental controls are available for entire schools to block bad websites and restricting the use of apps.  Learn more!

Google for Education

Google has been committed to providing tools and resources to empower schools.  The suite of apps used by students and teachers, formally known as G-Suite, is now called Google Workspace for Education . Whether kids are learning in the classroom or online at home, Workspace connects everyone involved in the educational process no matter their location or one of multiple devices being used.  The goal is to empower students, teachers and administrators with better communication, improved interaction and a more engaging educational experience both in and out of the classroom.

Internet Safety to Help Protect Kids Online

• Do not allow computers or laptops in the room of kids or teens. Computer should be in an open area of the home.
• Do not allow computer use when supervising adults are not at home. Restrict the use of computers at night after supervising adults have gone to bed.
• Restrict the use of smart phones and tablets to open areas of the home. If an agreement between the child and parent has been made about the use of these devices in their bedrooms, implement strict guidelines about keeping the door open and restrict use after parents have gone to bed.
• Educate yourself on social media and the risks associated with it. This includes basic safety as well as teaching kids on how to handle peer pressure.
• Keep the lines of communication open at all times to discuss the various aspects of internet safety and the use of Google for kids. Be open to learn and work together on agreed upon guidelines.

This site is to be used in conjunction with common sense supervision of kids. The younger the child, the more safe guards you will want to put in place to protect them against harmful material online. The older they get, the more responsibility you will entrust to them within reason .

Regardless of the age, parents and educators providing resources for safe search in schools agree there should always be some form of strict safe guards in place. Internet safety is also about building values for healthy life long behavior online within a secure learning environment.

Together, we can work towards a more safe and secure online environment for our kids using Google safe resources and common sense.

Safe Search for Fun and Learning

Life is better when you have odd friends. I discovered this when I introduced my friends Bobby and China. They’re both interesting, fun and incredibly brilliant kids who do Google searches on absolutely everything. When they met, they pulled out their phones and began looking up ways to top each other.

“So your name is China,” Bobby said with a snort. “That’s a silly name.”

With a haughty sniff, China tipped up her chin and said, “I’ll have you know that according to the dictionary I use, china is a fine, elegant material used in the creation of beautiful artistic creations.”

Bobby jumped around, wriggling from side to side. “Bob means to go up and down like this.”

“And you called ‘China’ silly?” China crossed her arms. “I’ll also have you know that China is a huge country with the most people in the world.”

“Bobby is what British people call their police officers,” Bobby responded. “That’s pretty cool.”

I was about to point out that a bob is also a hair style, but I didn’t want to interrupt the fun as they continued their battle of information. China was busy searching Google again.

“Oh, yeah?” China countered. “The traditional British beverage is tea and what do you think your bobby would drink his tea from? A tea cup made out of china! And where do you think tea comes from? China.”

“Not always,” Bobby said. “What about tea from India? Or tea from Argentina? Kenya sells more tea than China.”

“Kenya? Isn’t he some sort of rapper?”

Bobby started laughing so hard, he snorted out of his nose, making China laugh even harder.

Yes, Bobby and China are very different kids. Both Bobby and China go online to one of their favorite kids’ search engines to see what they can learn. Both Bobby and China enjoy using Google to make their lives and their friendships more interesting. They are odd and that’s what makes them as fun as a roller coaster.

After this exchange, Bobby and China ended up challenging each other to a game of Chinese checkers. I went with them to watch them play, but I couldn’t concentrate.

I was thinking about how challenging each other and doing it with real information and a playful attitude made their friendship stronger while enriching their lives.  Not only can it be done by searching Google safely, but kids can also learn playing online Google games that also teach online safety.

Bobby and China showed me how much fun information can be. I saw how respectfully challenging what you think can make everyone better informed while letting everyone have fun.

But as my odd friends play Chinese checkers, I wonder what will happen when I introduce Tatsu to Dracon. Will someone end up breathing fire?

Google Answers Using Safe Search

Too much to do in the world.  So much to learn.  So many ways to explore our world both online and offline.  Whatever you have in mind to learn today, let’s make sure we all do it in a safe way. Explore ways to get instant answers using safe seach, whether it’s for research, simple learning or entertainment.

What’s in a Web Search?

To us, it’s an entire world of knowledge at your fingertips mixed with less desirable results – even harmful ones. Safe Search Kids has created search tools that help guide you through the maze of the worldwide web.

We implement Google search on our website, enhanced by Google. It has special filtering tools to weed out potentially harmful content to kids and teens alike. Even adults can use our search engine if they wish to only receive streamlined results that are filtered with the utmost in safety in mind.

• Our first tab on the top right of our website is pretty much as we’ve already described. It searches Google and filters the results.
• The second tab provides safe images from the entire web, but they have been filtered to only show images that are from safe sources. These sources include many educational websites.
• The third tab is Wiki for Kids , a wikipedia of information that has been created for children. Generally, the information provided it’s more simple and easier to understand for younger students.
• Finally, we have our Video Search tab, an alternative to YouTube and any other unfiltered video site. All the videos are screened, including YouTube videos, to ensure the utmost in safety and appropriate content.

Happy Searching! We hope you find what you’re looking for.

Online Coding for Kids

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• Online Safety for Kids
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Parental Controls

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Scam Awareness Series - Part 1

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Parenting and well-being.

• What Parents Should Know About Artificial Intelligence
• 10 Different Career Paths if You Love Working With Kids
• Child Developmental Delays To Look Out For
• How Parents Can Take Part in Their Child’s Eco-Education
• The Silent Educators: What Animals Can Teach Us
• How Social Media Is Making Kids Grow Up Too Fast
• A Teens Guide to Social Media Safety
• Balancing Privacy and Trust with Child Safety
• How to Introduce Cursive Writing to Kids
• The Difficult Conversation About Online Safety for Kids
• 5 Signs Your Child Has Math Problems (5 Solutions)
• How to Teach Your Kids About Misinformation Online
• Strategies To Help Your Child Transition To Daycare
• How to Get Your Children Interested in STEM
• Educational Resources for Teaching Kids at Home
• About Cyberbullying In Fan Culture
• 4 Tips for Studying with Dyslexia
• What is Open-Source Software?
• Fun Online Activities That Give Kids Confidence
• Using Technology To Gamify Fitness for Your Kids
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• 4 Things to Know About Screen Time for Children with SPD
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• Social Media Safety for Teens | Parent Guide
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• Teaching, Not Precluding, the Web
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• How to Foster Empathy for Bullying Prevention
• Life of a 13 Year Old Girl in the Social Media Jungle
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• 5 Reasons to Sign your Kids Up for Online Spanish Classes
• Why Lawnmower Parenting is Detrimental to Children
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• How You Can Help Stop Cyberbullying
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• What a Black Hole Picture Can Teach Us
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• A 15 Day Reading Challenge For Your Kids
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• TikTok’s Hidden Corners: FYP Algorithms
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• Guiding Your Child’s Career Journey
• The Cognitive Benefits of Math Coloring in Young Minds
• Internet Safety for Kids
• Family Digital Detox Challenge: Reclaiming Online Privacy
• The Digital Detox (Screen Free Family Fun)
• Empowering Children with Autism: Effective Strategies
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Articles on Education

• Exploring Geometry through Games (for Young Students)
• Effective Study Techniques for Secondary Students
• The Distinct Types of Learning in the Classroom
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• How to Cite Sources in Essays and Research Papers
• Differences between Formative Summative Assessment
• Comprehensive Guide to Inclusive Teaching
• Integrating Social Media Safety in School Curriculum
• Project-Based Learning Among Kids
• How to Create Flowcharts for Any School Subject
• Overcoming Challenges to Disability-Inclusive Education
• Online Coding for Kids | Coding Games
• The Fascinating Intersection of Math and Musical Theory
• How to Write Learning Objectives
• A Step-By-Step Guide On How To Write A Research Paper
• Most Popular Programming Languages to Learn
• How to Use Instagram as a Teaching and Resource Tool
• Empowering BIPOC Students for Success in Education
• What Does PEER REVIEW Mean in Academia?
• What Are the Biggest Obstacles to Learn Coding For Kids
• 10 Ways Teachers Can Use GitHub in the Classroom
• Learning about Programming: Guide For Beginners
• Technology In Empowering Students To Learn Better
• How to Write an Argumentative Essay
• 10 Ways to Engage Elementary Students with Reading
• How to Teach Kids to Code Without All The Tech Jargon
• 8 STEM Leaders Every Child Needs to Learn About
• History of DNA Testing in the Scientific World
• Things To Consider Before Joining Online Coding Classes
• Creating a Recommendation Letter: Guide for Students
• What Makes a Math Lesson Culturally Responsive?
• The Benefits of a STEM Education [and STEAM]
• Unknown Benefits of Coding For Kids
• Girl’s Involvement in STEM through Coding
• How to Prevent Plagiarism in Essays and Book Reports
• Understanding the Dunning-Kruger Effect (with Graph)
• Google Workspace for Education
• Resources to Teach Elements of Digital Citizenship
• How to Learn a New Language Faster
• Free Learning Apps That Develop Critical Thinking
• Using Social Media to Encourage Student Engagement
• The Benefits of Kindergarten that Parents Need to Know
• Increasing Representation for Black Students
• The Stages Of Teacher Professional Development
• PowerPoint Tips for Teachers
• Virtual Classroom | The best way to teach kids online

Internet Filtering & Security

• Teaching Kids About Cybersecurity
• Common Scams to Be Prepared For – Part 1
• Common Scams (Common Sense Prevention) – Part 2
• Creative Scams Compromising CyberSecurity – Part 3
• How Cyber Criminals Manipulate Your Trust
• How to Develop Good Password Management Habits
• The Basics of Webcam Security and Protection
• Important Safety Tips while Using Public WiFi
• Emerging Scams and New Tech to Beware Of
• Vulnerabilities in 2FA and MFA Authentication
• How Browsing Fingerprinting Tracks You
• Cyber Security and Online Risk Management
• Internet Security 101 | How To Be Safer Online
• Phishing, SMishing, Vishing, and Quishing
• Should I Save My Credit Card Information on a Website?
• Malware Removal and Protection
• Free Safe Search App for iPhone, Android, Kindle Fire
• Can Hackers Breach Microsoft 365 Accounts?
• How to Report an Email as Phishing
• Is a VPN Necessary? VPN’s Explained for Dummies
• Social Engineering (Psychological Manipulation)
• Safe Search Settings | How to Turn on Safe Search
• Ransomware Protection

• The Rise of the AI Generation – Qustodio Report
• Parental Controls on Every Device
• How to Protect Kids on WhatsApp
• Android Phone Monitoring
• How to Enable Snapchat Parental Monitoring
• Parental Controls for YouTube
• Best Parental Controls Apps for iPhone
• Free Parental Controls on All Devices
• Cyberbullying Prevention Using Monitoring Apps
• Covenant Eyes Accountability
• 7 Apps for Parental Controls

• 1.) I will never give out any personal information that can identify me online unless my parents say it is okay. Things like passwords, links to social media sites, cell phone or home number, current location, full name, credit card number, social security number, school name, and home address must never be given out. Other things, like your birthday or age are okay in certain cases, but it is best to keep that private.
• 2.) I will never post any personal information about another person unless my parents approve it. This includes giving passwords to your friend.
• 3.) I will never post any pictures or videos of myself or others without getting approval from my parents.
• 4.) I will never sign up for any online service without first checking with my parents or a person I trust.
• 5.) I will never ever meet in person with someone I met online. If your parents say it is okay, have them go with you and meet in a public place.
• 6.) I will immediately tell my parents about anything that made me feel uncomfortable while online.
• 7.) I will never download or install any computer software or apps without checking with a trusted adult.
• 8.) I will talk with my parents about how much time I can spend online and what websites or tools I can use. I will not allow the internet to interfere with doing homework or house chores, exercising/sports, or other important activities.
• 9.) I will be very careful texting or playing online games while outside to avoid possibly hurting myself or others. I will make sure to stay focused on what is around me, such as looking out for cars or bikes, or wandering into unfamiliar areas.
• 10.) I will always be polite and respectful of others and never post anything hurtful online, or do or say anything that I would not want to be said about myself.

Reference management. Clean and simple.

The top list of academic search engines

1. Google Scholar

4. science.gov, 5. semantic scholar, 6. baidu scholar, get the most out of academic search engines, frequently asked questions about academic search engines, related articles.

Academic search engines have become the number one resource to turn to in order to find research papers and other scholarly sources. While classic academic databases like Web of Science and Scopus are locked behind paywalls, Google Scholar and others can be accessed free of charge. In order to help you get your research done fast, we have compiled the top list of free academic search engines.

Google Scholar is the clear number one when it comes to academic search engines. It's the power of Google searches applied to research papers and patents. It not only lets you find research papers for all academic disciplines for free but also often provides links to full-text PDF files.

• Coverage: approx. 200 million articles
• Abstracts: only a snippet of the abstract is available
• Related articles: ✔
• References: ✔
• Cited by: ✔
• Links to full text: ✔
• Export formats: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, RIS, BibTeX

BASE is hosted at Bielefeld University in Germany. That is also where its name stems from (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine).

• Coverage: approx. 136 million articles (contains duplicates)
• Abstracts: ✔
• Related articles: ✘
• References: ✘
• Cited by: ✘
• Export formats: RIS, BibTeX

CORE is an academic search engine dedicated to open-access research papers. For each search result, a link to the full-text PDF or full-text web page is provided.

• Coverage: approx. 136 million articles
• Links to full text: ✔ (all articles in CORE are open access)
• Export formats: BibTeX

Science.gov is a fantastic resource as it bundles and offers free access to search results from more than 15 U.S. federal agencies. There is no need anymore to query all those resources separately!

• Coverage: approx. 200 million articles and reports
• Links to full text: ✔ (available for some databases)
• Export formats: APA, MLA, RIS, BibTeX (available for some databases)

Semantic Scholar is the new kid on the block. Its mission is to provide more relevant and impactful search results using AI-powered algorithms that find hidden connections and links between research topics.

• Coverage: approx. 40 million articles
• Export formats: APA, MLA, Chicago, BibTeX

Although Baidu Scholar's interface is in Chinese, its index contains research papers in English as well as Chinese.

• Coverage: no detailed statistics available, approx. 100 million articles
• Abstracts: only snippets of the abstract are available
• Export formats: APA, MLA, RIS, BibTeX

RefSeek searches more than one billion documents from academic and organizational websites. Its clean interface makes it especially easy to use for students and new researchers.

• Coverage: no detailed statistics available, approx. 1 billion documents
• Abstracts: only snippets of the article are available
• Export formats: not available

Consider using a reference manager like Paperpile to save, organize, and cite your references. Paperpile integrates with Google Scholar and many popular databases, so you can save references and PDFs directly to your library using the Paperpile buttons:

Google Scholar is an academic search engine, and it is the clear number one when it comes to academic search engines. It's the power of Google searches applied to research papers and patents. It not only let's you find research papers for all academic disciplines for free, but also often provides links to full text PDF file.

Semantic Scholar is a free, AI-powered research tool for scientific literature developed at the Allen Institute for AI. Sematic Scholar was publicly released in 2015 and uses advances in natural language processing to provide summaries for scholarly papers.

BASE , as its name suggest is an academic search engine. It is hosted at Bielefeld University in Germany and that's where it name stems from (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine).

CORE is an academic search engine dedicated to open access research papers. For each search result a link to the full text PDF or full text web page is provided.

Science.gov is a fantastic resource as it bundles and offers free access to search results from more than 15 U.S. federal agencies. There is no need any more to query all those resources separately!

ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, five ways to teach research skills to elementary school children.

Search engines can streamline the process of teaching basic research to elementary schoolchildren who require expert guidance on how to navigate the Web — and the earlier, the better.

Elementary school is when kids first begin to learn how to learn. Kids start using search engines quite early on, making elementary school the perfect time to teach research skills that become a foundation for a lifetime of learning.

The base skill for all schoolchildren is the ability to sift content for relevance and accuracy. Here are five ways teachers can help improve this skill in elementary-age children.

1. Define the task

What exactly must be researched? It’s very easy to get lost if children do not know precisely what they are looking for. In elementary school the subjects may be relatively simple, but they still must be defined accurately to aid in the search.

Teachers should talk with students about what they will be looking for and how to get specific results. The more specific they can get, the easier it will be to come up with search terms.

2. Discover keywords

Elementary school students may not fully grasp the concept of keywords, so they’ll need to be instructed in this foundational aspect of search technology. Search engines perform well only if correct keywords are used, and students need to learn how to come up with those words to get the results they need.

Keywords are typically based upon the most common approach to discussing a subject. Often, it will take some trial and error to discover just what keyword combination yields the desired results. Teachers can create a whole lesson around keywords, including what they are, how they work and how to find them.

3. Use appropriate tools

Google and Bing are probably the most popular search engines, but they may not be the best for teaching research skills to young people. Teacher Mary Beth Hertz recommends one of the more popular search engines for students, Sweet Search, whose results are screened by experts. Using something like Sweet Search may make it easier to teach research skills by weeding out a lot of the chaff that so often comes up on the more popular engines.

4. Teach about source hierarchy and evaluation

Elementary students can comprehend the tiers of legitimacy related to information-gathering. Teachers can explain about primary sources, original research and the reliability of information found on the Web. Kids can learn about how information travels from research papers to news sources to blogs and so on.

By going through examples, teachers can demonstrate the way various information sources find their information and present it to the public, and how to determine which information is best to use for their projects.

Children may not need to cite abstracts from scientific research papers, but they can learn to seek information more intelligently.

5. Take notes and compile information

The complexity of note-taking skills will depend on the students’ grade level, but even kids in the younger grades can learn to take pencil to paper and record the most important pieces of information they gather. The better they get at finding quality sources, the easier the note-taking will become.

Students should also learn how to cite their sources appropriately.

Setting up a lifelong skill

Learning research skills at a young age will give students a skill that will serve them over a lifetime. This skill will not only be useful in school, but in their everyday lives as they attempt to absorb ever-increasing amounts of information. Teachers will do their students a great service in teaching these skills.

You may also like to read

• How to Help Middle School Students Develop Research Skills
• Three Tips for Quality Assessment in Elementary School
• Top 5 Elementary School Models in America
• Resources for Social Skills: Lesson Plans for Elementary Students
• Web Research Skills: Teaching Your Students the Fundamentals
• Advice for Making Elementary School Reading Logs

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Harvard Reference Generator

A excellent tool for producing Harvard-style references in the correct format. While it lacks the save bibliography functions of other reference generators, it is simple and accurate. Provides tried and tested results examined by tutors to ensure the correct method of referencing.  The Harvard Reference format is most widely used in Europe and Australia.

Sweet Search

Sweet Search is a search engine designed for students. It has several research and search tools. The search engine restricts its results to 35,000 sites reviewed by experts, teachers and librarians for quality and appropriateness.

Other tools on the site include:

• a Biographies section, with guidance for writing a biography
• SweetSearch2Day, with guidance on improving your research skills, web guides on social studies topics, and articles about students who are improving their communities and the world.

CiteThisForMe

CiteThisForMe is a tool designed to help students prepare their whole bibliography or reference list. It will generate your list in any of several styles. These include APA, Chicago, Harvard, MLA, Turabian, and Vancouver among others.

Historical Marker Database

This website is an illustrated searchable online catalog of historical information viewed through the filter of roadside and other permanent outdoor markers, monuments, and plaques. It contains photographs, inscription transcriptions, marker locations, maps, additional information and commentary, and links to more information. Anyone can add new markers to the database and update existing marker pages with new photographs, links, information and commentary.

This is a useful research tool for local history. The database contains more than 92,000 markers nationwide. For a short-term history project in the classroom, consider having students contribute to the database by adding entries for local markers in your area. Review the guidelines for submission .

NASA Image and Video Library

Theses images, videos, and audio recordings are free for public use. They can be used by students and teachers for classroom presentations, research papers, websites, etc. You may not, however, use any of the NASA logos that appear on the site.

The site contains everything from classic photos to educational programming and HD video. New media are continually added. The collections is an excellent resource for students working on STEM projects. NASA’s goal in creating it is to promote education in math and sciences at all levels, and to build general interest and excitement around space exploration, aeronautics, and astronomy.

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5 Tips for Teaching Students to Improve Their Online Searches

Despite having some experience with the internet, students in grades 3 to 8 may not know how best to find the information they’re looking for.

Searching online can turn into a daunting task for students. If you’ve ever looked for an answer to a question or tried to find more information on a topic, you know that online search engines are both helpful and frustrating at times. For students to effectively navigate online spaces, they need practice and support to master online searches.

As educators, we search on Google, YouTube, and Pinterest to bring the very best resources to students. (There’s an entire chapter of my book EdTech Essentials dedicated to the idea of curation and how to find the best resources to share with your class.) But how can you set up students for success when they’re on their own and searching online? 

To support your students’ online searches, here are five tips you can tailor to your classroom.

1. Share keyword search strategies

It’s easy to think that a search engine is intuitive when we’ve spent so much time on it ourselves. Without putting much thought into it, we know to keep our queries short, that we don’t have to worry about capitalization, and that a search engine will often place advertisements as the first few responses. 

To support students with keyword search strategies, model your own thought process or the decisions you make. For example, you might say, “Instead of typing the entire question ‘When was Rosa Parks born?’ type ‘Rosa Parks birthday.’”          

2. Brainstorm search terms 

In addition to sharing keyword search strategies , you may want to set up students for success by brainstorming search terms. This is especially helpful if students aren’t sure where to start or feel overwhelmed with a big topic.

If your students are researching supporting evidence for a science experiment hypothesis, for instance, you might encourage them to make a list of possible search terms before opening up their web browser.

3. Post common search queries 

Sharing a list of common search queries can give students a head start on their online search. If your students are searching for something similar to what their peers are looking for, you might make a class list of common search queries that you post in your learning management system (like Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams ) or on an interactive whiteboard for easy access.

If your students are researching animals for a science project, for example, you might make a list of common words, like habitat , geography , weight , length . This strategy can also help students avoid spelling errors, which can lead to unhelpful results and frustration.

4. Model troubleshooting

If you’ve ever had a technology failure in your classroom, like your wireless connection dropping or a projector cable not working, you know there are a few options on how to respond. One that can help students see you as a lifelong learner is to model how you troubleshoot by thinking aloud. This transparency can show students how to tackle a problem that may arise in any part of their online interactions, including navigating a search engine. 

You can model troubleshooting by setting yourself up to encounter a problem. For example, you might type in a search query that you know is misspelled and talk to students about how you can double-check your spelling. Or you might model for students how an advanced search (something available on many search engines, including YouTube ) can help you when the “right” responses haven’t come up in your search.

5. Try voice-to-text options

The final tip on the list encourages you to introduce a popular way of searching that students may already have experience with: using their voice. If students use a device like Alexa in their home, they’re probably familiar with the concept of asking a device a question out loud in order to get a response. Voice-to-text is a feature built into many online tools and is an accessibility feature you can enable on digital keyboards, too.  

Voice-to-text search options are available on many websites and mobile apps. Students might see a pop-up that will require them to grant the tool permission to use their device’s microphone. If your students like using a voice-to-text option, you may want to share a few reminders, including the importance of getting close to the microphone if they’re in a noisy classroom.

Helping students with online searches might seem challenging at first, especially if this is a skill they’ve had only a little practice trying out. This school year, sharing keyword search strategies, brainstorming search terms, posting common search queries, modeling troubleshooting, and even exploring voice-to-text options can help students strengthen their navigation skills.

4 Safe Search Engines for Elementary Students

by Creation Castle | Technology

iPads. Computers. Tablets. Smartphones. Game systems. Technology is everywhere .

Over the past year, students have been using technology more than ever. That means safe search engines are more important than ever.

While having so much knowledge at our fingertips can be a great asset, it can also be a very unsafe place for our students. Luckily there are a few tools that make searching the internet much safer for students.

Quick Links

Safe search engines criteria.

In searching for safe search engines , it was important that the websites

• use Google SafeSearch™ technology
• are moderated by adults
• include contact information

After doing some digging I was able to find a few sites that met all three criteria.

Kid’s Search

According to their website, “Kid’s Search is about creating a fun and safe search platform and website. Our target audience is k-12 for use in the classroom, libraries, and at home. The site can be used as an interactive site and web portal. All of our outbound links are screened using various technologies and community feedback.”

The best thing about this search is there are NO ADS. This is the only kid’s search engine I was able to locate that does not include any advertising.

They also use three different search filters to help weed out inappropriate search results.

Fact Monster

This website has been around for over 20 years, so they are certainly doing something right! One of the main benefits of this site is that the content is written or curated and housed on the site. Students are not actually searching the web. This means you are more likely to keep them on the safe side of the internet.

According to their website, “Fact Monster combines essential reference materials, fun facts and features, and homework help for kids. From the solar system to the world economy to educational games, Fact Monster has the info kids are seeking. Our site is COPPA and kidSAFE-certified, so you can rest assured it’s a safe place for kids to explore.”

Kiddle’s tagline is “Safe visual search engine for kids” and they claim their URL ending (.co) stands for children only. Their search results are presented in a specific order outlined on their website:

First, safe sites and pages written specifically for kids. Next, safe, trusted sites that have simpler content (though not made for kids). Last, safe, famouse sites written for adults and filtered by Google SafeSearch™.

For example, in a search conducted on the site for “gorilla,” my first page of results (6 sources) were all from World Wild Life or Kids National Geographic. It wasn’t until I reach the end of my third page of results that I started seeing sites targeted at adults like Seaworld and Animal Fact Guide.

This is another website that uses strict search filters to keep search results more ideal for kids.

According to their website, “WackySafe™ is a fun and safe search engine for kids of all ages, with the aim of ensuring your child remains safe when browsing the web. The search results emphasize kid-related websites and webpages from across the entire web and are powered by Google Custom Search™ and use Google SafeSearch™ technology.”

Please make sure you check any sites you provide your students prior to them being used. Over time site names and ownership can change. What is safe today may not be safe tomorrow !

Let us know in the comments if there are any other search engines that are a go-to resource for your classroom these days.

Creation Castle

Heather is the author of Creation Castle. She has experience with general education, special education, and ESL students in kindergarten through fifth grade. She specializes in early elementary math and literacy, as well as organization.

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Recent Posts

• Research Skills

50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills

Please note, I am no longer blogging and this post hasn’t updated since April 2020.

For a number of years, Seth Godin has been talking about the need to “ connect the dots” rather than “collect the dots” . That is, rather than memorising information, students must be able to learn how to solve new problems, see patterns, and combine multiple perspectives.

Solid research skills underpin this. Having the fluency to find and use information successfully is an essential skill for life and work.

Today’s students have more information at their fingertips than ever before and this means the role of the teacher as a guide is more important than ever.

You might be wondering how you can fit teaching research skills into a busy curriculum? There aren’t enough hours in the day! The good news is, there are so many mini-lessons you can do to build students’ skills over time.

This post outlines 50 ideas for activities that could be done in just a few minutes (or stretched out to a longer lesson if you have the time!).

Learn More About The Research Process

I have a popular post called Teach Students How To Research Online In 5 Steps. It outlines a five-step approach to break down the research process into manageable chunks.

This post shares ideas for mini-lessons that could be carried out in the classroom throughout the year to help build students’ skills in the five areas of: clarify, search, delve, evaluate , and cite . It also includes ideas for learning about staying organised throughout the research process.

Notes about the 50 research activities:

• These ideas can be adapted for different age groups from middle primary/elementary to senior high school.
• Many of these ideas can be repeated throughout the year.
• Depending on the age of your students, you can decide whether the activity will be more teacher or student led. Some activities suggest coming up with a list of words, questions, or phrases. Teachers of younger students could generate these themselves.
• Depending on how much time you have, many of the activities can be either quickly modelled by the teacher, or extended to an hour-long lesson.
• Some of the activities could fit into more than one category.
• Looking for simple articles for younger students for some of the activities? Try DOGO News or Time for Kids . Newsela is also a great resource but you do need to sign up for free account.
• Why not try a few activities in a staff meeting? Everyone can always brush up on their own research skills!

• Choose a topic (e.g. koalas, basketball, Mount Everest) . Write as many questions as you can think of relating to that topic.
• Make a mindmap of a topic you’re currently learning about. This could be either on paper or using an online tool like Bubbl.us .
• Read a short book or article. Make a list of 5 words from the text that you don’t totally understand. Look up the meaning of the words in a dictionary (online or paper).
• Look at a printed or digital copy of a short article with the title removed. Come up with as many different titles as possible that would fit the article.
• Come up with a list of 5 different questions you could type into Google (e.g. Which country in Asia has the largest population?) Circle the keywords in each question.
• Write down 10 words to describe a person, place, or topic. Come up with synonyms for these words using a tool like  Thesaurus.com .
• Write pairs of synonyms on post-it notes (this could be done by the teacher or students). Each student in the class has one post-it note and walks around the classroom to find the person with the synonym to their word.

• Explore how to search Google using your voice (i.e. click/tap on the microphone in the Google search box or on your phone/tablet keyboard) . List the pros and cons of using voice and text to search.
• Open two different search engines in your browser such as Google and Bing. Type in a query and compare the results. Do all search engines work exactly the same?
• Have students work in pairs to try out a different search engine (there are 11 listed here ). Report back to the class on the pros and cons.
• Think of something you’re curious about, (e.g. What endangered animals live in the Amazon Rainforest?). Open Google in two tabs. In one search, type in one or two keywords ( e.g. Amazon Rainforest) . In the other search type in multiple relevant keywords (e.g. endangered animals Amazon rainforest).  Compare the results. Discuss the importance of being specific.
• Similar to above, try two different searches where one phrase is in quotation marks and the other is not. For example, Origin of “raining cats and dogs” and Origin of raining cats and dogs . Discuss the difference that using quotation marks makes (It tells Google to search for the precise keywords in order.)
• Try writing a question in Google with a few minor spelling mistakes. What happens? What happens if you add or leave out punctuation ?
• Try the AGoogleADay.com daily search challenges from Google. The questions help older students learn about choosing keywords, deconstructing questions, and altering keywords.
• Explore how Google uses autocomplete to suggest searches quickly. Try it out by typing in various queries (e.g. How to draw… or What is the tallest…). Discuss how these suggestions come about, how to use them, and whether they’re usually helpful.
• Watch this video  from Code.org to learn more about how search works .
• Take a look at  20 Instant Google Searches your Students Need to Know  by Eric Curts to learn about “ instant searches ”. Try one to try out. Perhaps each student could be assigned one to try and share with the class.
• Experiment with typing some questions into Google that have a clear answer (e.g. “What is a parallelogram?” or “What is the highest mountain in the world?” or “What is the population of Australia?”). Look at the different ways the answers are displayed instantly within the search results — dictionary definitions, image cards, graphs etc.

• Watch the video How Does Google Know Everything About Me?  by Scientific American. Discuss the PageRank algorithm and how Google uses your data to customise search results.
• Brainstorm a list of popular domains   (e.g. .com, .com.au, or your country’s domain) . Discuss if any domains might be more reliable than others and why (e.g. .gov or .edu) .
• Discuss (or research) ways to open Google search results in a new tab to save your original search results  (i.e. right-click > open link in new tab or press control/command and click the link).
• Try out a few Google searches (perhaps start with things like “car service” “cat food” or “fresh flowers”). A re there advertisements within the results? Discuss where these appear and how to spot them.
• Look at ways to filter search results by using the tabs at the top of the page in Google (i.e. news, images, shopping, maps, videos etc.). Do the same filters appear for all Google searches? Try out a few different searches and see.
• Type a question into Google and look for the “People also ask” and “Searches related to…” sections. Discuss how these could be useful. When should you use them or ignore them so you don’t go off on an irrelevant tangent? Is the information in the drop-down section under “People also ask” always the best?
• Often, more current search results are more useful. Click on “tools” under the Google search box and then “any time” and your time frame of choice such as “Past month” or “Past year”.
• Have students annotate their own “anatomy of a search result” example like the one I made below. Explore the different ways search results display; some have more details like sitelinks and some do not.

• Find two articles on a news topic from different publications. Or find a news article and an opinion piece on the same topic. Make a Venn diagram comparing the similarities and differences.
• Choose a graph, map, or chart from The New York Times’ What’s Going On In This Graph series . Have a whole class or small group discussion about the data.
• Look at images stripped of their captions on What’s Going On In This Picture? by The New York Times. Discuss the images in pairs or small groups. What can you tell?
• Explore a website together as a class or in pairs — perhaps a news website. Identify all the advertisements .
• Have a look at a fake website either as a whole class or in pairs/small groups. See if students can spot that these sites are not real. Discuss the fact that you can’t believe everything that’s online. Get started with these four examples of fake websites from Eric Curts.
• Give students a copy of my website evaluation flowchart to analyse and then discuss as a class. Read more about the flowchart in this post.
• As a class, look at a prompt from Mike Caulfield’s Four Moves . Either together or in small groups, have students fact check the prompts on the site. This resource explains more about the fact checking process. Note: some of these prompts are not suitable for younger students.
• Practice skim reading — give students one minute to read a short article. Ask them to discuss what stood out to them. Headings? Bold words? Quotes? Then give students ten minutes to read the same article and discuss deep reading.

All students can benefit from learning about plagiarism, copyright, how to write information in their own words, and how to acknowledge the source. However, the formality of this process will depend on your students’ age and your curriculum guidelines.

• Watch the video Citation for Beginners for an introduction to citation. Discuss the key points to remember.
• Look up the definition of plagiarism using a variety of sources (dictionary, video, Wikipedia etc.). Create a definition as a class.
• Find an interesting video on YouTube (perhaps a “life hack” video) and write a brief summary in your own words.
• Have students pair up and tell each other about their weekend. Then have the listener try to verbalise or write their friend’s recount in their own words. Discuss how accurate this was.
• Read the class a copy of a well known fairy tale. Have them write a short summary in their own words. Compare the versions that different students come up with.
• Try out MyBib — a handy free online tool without ads that helps you create citations quickly and easily.
• Give primary/elementary students a copy of Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Citation that matches their grade level (the guide covers grades 1 to 6). Choose one form of citation and create some examples as a class (e.g. a website or a book).
• Make a list of things that are okay and not okay to do when researching, e.g. copy text from a website, use any image from Google images, paraphrase in your own words and cite your source, add a short quote and cite the source. 
• Have students read a short article and then come up with a summary that would be considered plagiarism and one that would not be considered plagiarism. These could be shared with the class and the students asked to decide which one shows an example of plagiarism .
• Older students could investigate the difference between paraphrasing and summarising . They could create a Venn diagram that compares the two.
• Write a list of statements on the board that might be true or false ( e.g. The 1956 Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia. The rhinoceros is the largest land animal in the world. The current marathon world record is 2 hours, 7 minutes). Have students research these statements and decide whether they’re true or false by sharing their citations.

Staying Organised

• Make a list of different ways you can take notes while researching — Google Docs, Google Keep, pen and paper etc. Discuss the pros and cons of each method.
• Learn the keyboard shortcuts to help manage tabs (e.g. open new tab, reopen closed tab, go to next tab etc.). Perhaps students could all try out the shortcuts and share their favourite one with the class.
• Find a collection of resources on a topic and add them to a Wakelet .
• Listen to a short podcast or watch a brief video on a certain topic and sketchnote ideas. Sylvia Duckworth has some great tips about live sketchnoting
• Learn how to use split screen to have one window open with your research, and another open with your notes (e.g. a Google spreadsheet, Google Doc, Microsoft Word or OneNote etc.) .

All teachers know it’s important to teach students to research well. Investing time in this process will also pay off throughout the year and the years to come. Students will be able to focus on analysing and synthesizing information, rather than the mechanics of the research process.

By trying out as many of these mini-lessons as possible throughout the year, you’ll be really helping your students to thrive in all areas of school, work, and life.

Also remember to model your own searches explicitly during class time. Talk out loud as you look things up and ask students for input. Learning together is the way to go!

You Might Also Enjoy Reading:

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10 Replies to “50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills”

Loving these ideas, thank you

This list is amazing. Thank you so much!

So glad it’s helpful, Alex! 🙂

Hi I am a student who really needed some help on how to reasearch thanks for the help.

So glad it helped! 🙂

seriously seriously grateful for your post. 🙂

So glad it’s helpful! Makes my day 🙂

How do you get the 50 mini lessons. I got the free one but am interested in the full version.

Hi Tracey, The link to the PDF with the 50 mini lessons is in the post. Here it is . Check out this post if you need more advice on teaching students how to research online. Hope that helps! Kathleen

Best wishes to you as you face your health battler. Hoping you’ve come out stronger and healthier from it. Your website is so helpful.

Comments are closed.

4 Alternative Search Engines for Better Research Results

Madison McCollum

May 13, 2024

Google is kind of awful. 

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I use Google for everything, but it is a mess, especially when I consider the God-Tier search engine it used to be in my teens. When I was young, we trusted google to deliver the best results and even learned tricks to narrow down searches effectively. Now, Google has become a minefield of advertisements, optimized (affiliate) content, and SEO tactics that push genuine websites, businesses, and services further down the results page. 

Getting on the first page of Google now often means you’ve mastered the art of ‘website optimization,’ which means you essentially know how to craft your site with the right words and links to please Google’s ever-hungry algorithms. 

Research even shows that Google, and other search engines, are getting worse at delivering quality results. While I don’t have the answer to how we fix this, I do have some hope for those who rely on Google for research—students, scientists, or even the average-curious-George often have to sift through countless pages of content to find reputable information. 

Thankfully, there are several alternative search engines that can make the research process easier:

Refseek.com  

This academic resource search is great for students, researchers, or people wanting to research specific topics. It aims to make academic information easily accessible by tossing out sponsored links and commercial results. 

Base-search.net [Bielefeld Academic Search Engine]  

This search engine pulls from more than 11,000 content providers, 60% of which are open access (free). It’s ran by Bielefeld University Library, who all have been checked and approved by qualified personnel of the library staff. 

link.springer.com/  

You can access more than 10 million scientific documents. From books to articles to research journals on various subjects. There are even open source text books on 10+ subjects: like Earth and Environmental Sciences and Statistics!

Science.gov  

Run by CENDI, a volunteer-powered organization, this search engine aims to increase the impact of federally funded science and technology research. Science.gov helps connect researchers to millions of research articles and is partnered with 12 Federal Agency Members.

Plus, a bonus:

Swisscows.com/en  .

Most search engines take a little bit of your information with them. Maybe it’s just your location or IP address, maybe it’s your search results themselves— having information on you (as general as it may be) helps keep the lights on. 

Swisscow’s services are based in Switzerland, which has some of the most strict privacy policies in the world, and provides fully encrypted searches. It doesn’t keep any personal data, IP addresses, or search queries, and has a built-in filter for pornography and violence that can’t be overridden, making it a safer choice for kids.   

These alternatives can help streamline your research process and offer a break from the cluttered search results on Google, so give them a try the next time you're looking for something special!

May 19, 2021

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Ph.D. in Education: Curriculum and Instruction

This emphasis area is for students interested in developing expertise in teaching and teacher education, curricular development and implementation, subject specific areas (e.g., English, social studies, science, mathematics, and other areas), and/or issues in pre-K through college education.

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Admission deadlines.

Applications and all associated documents must be received by the following dates to be considered. Fall Semester: July 1 | Spring Semester: Oct. 1.

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This emphasis area is for students interested in developing expertise in teaching and teacher education, curricular development and implementation in subject and/or grade specific areas (e.g., English, social studies, elementary, secondary), and/or issues that reach across education. Individuals pursuing this degree may go on to pursue careers as researchers and teacher educators, become advanced teachers or instructional coaches within schools, or become curriculum specialists working in a variety of contexts. Courses will be selected from the student’s area of focus and can address any of the following areas:

• Curriculum and assessment theory & development
• Discipline or grade-level specific focus
• Teacher education and leadership
• Advanced pedagogical development
• Cross-categorical courses and special topics courses may also be selected in consultation with your advisor

All questions regarding application and admission may be directed to Dr. Jennifer Mahon, doctoral program coordinator, at [email protected] .

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Program information.

The Curriculum & Instruction area of emphasis is guided by the general framework found in the  Doctoral Program in Education Application Handbook . The manual provides general information about doctoral concentrations offered in the College of Education. This page will provide you with specific information that is unique to the C&I Program.

• Undergraduate and Graduate GPA 3.00 (university requirements)
• Preference for applicants who hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in an area appropriately related to education. High achieving applicants who possess only a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution will be considered. Emphasis of prior degree area(s) should be appropriately related to education.
• Program application form (included in COEHD doctoral application manual)
• Complete vita/resume
• Sample of scholarly writing
• Essay of intent - should include qualifications for completing a doctoral degree and reasons for pursuing the degree
• International Studies: TOEFL score of 550 (unless you have a college degree from a U.S. institution)
• Three letters of recommendation from professionals qualified to judge potential for success in doctoral work
• Preferred: at least three years teaching or commensurate experience

All questions regarding application and admission may be directed to Dr. Jennifer Mahon, at  [email protected] .

Admissions Deadlines: July 1 for Fall and Oct. 1 for Spring

 All materials are submitted through the University's   application portal . Once you create your account, go back to MyNevada to log in and start your application. 

If you miss the application deadline, but would like to enroll in courses prior to an admission decision, you may still apply to take courses through the Graduate School under Graduate Special student status. However, please note, this does not guarantee you acceptance to the program, and the courses may not count towards the Ph.D. unless you have consulted with a C&I faculty member.

Program Structure

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program requires a minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree, which includes a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation. Of the remaining 72 credits, a maximum of 24 credits (with grades of B or better) may be applied from a master's degree program or previous post-baccalaureate graduate studies program toward the doctoral degree. These credits must be approved by your chair, the College of Education Doctoral Director of Graduate Study, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Credit for completion of a thesis or special project may not be included. There is no limit on the number of units transferred when student earns master’s en route to Ph.D.

At least 30 credits of 700-level courses beyond the bachelor's degree, exclusive of dissertation credits, are required for the Ph.D. degree. Degree requirements must be completed within 8 years of admission to the program.

24 credits: Research and required core

• Doctoral Seminar in Education

Required Research Courses:

• One Quantitative research course
• One Qualitative research course
• Program Development and Evaluation
• Survey Research in Education
• Research Applications in Education
• Mixed Methods Research in Education
• Special topics research course such as Single Subject Design
• Others from outside COE (with approval)
• Lower level courses such as EDRS 640 and EDRS 700 or equivalents are prerequisites
• Course names and requirements are subject to change. Please visit the course catalog for the most current information.

36 credits(dependent upon number of dissertation credits carried): Area of emphasis

Coursework is determined by the Advisory/Examining Committee in close consultation with the student. Credits brought in from Master’s degree may apply to area of emphasis.

Minimum of 12 credits: Dissertation

The dissertation is the culminating experience for the doctoral degree. It represents an independent research project that makes a contribution to the field of study.

Coursework earned as part of a master’s degree can count toward the area of emphasis, as well as toward the research or cognate areas, depending on relevance. Decisions about prior coursework are approved by your chair and your Advisory/Examining Committee.

Our program goal is for all students to complete the doctoral degree within 5-6 years. Research has shown that students who work on this trajectory have the highest chance of ultimately completing their doctoral studies. The best way to meet this objective is full-time studies; however, we have students in our program who are part-time students. You will be advised to work closely with your initial advisor and ultimately your chair to develop a timeline and program of study that meets your career goal and is most likely to result in completion.

Looking for a Graduate Assistantship?

The College of Education & Human Development has a limited number of Graduate Assistantships for full-time students admitted to masters or doctoral programs. 

Program Faculty

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Search engines are failing. Research methods classes need to catch up

The likes of google are being undermined by both ai and their own commercial imperatives. researchers can no longer rely on them, says andy farnell.

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Universities all around the world teach a course called “research methods”. This mixes philosophy of science and epistemology with hypothesis formulation, significance testing and a study of quality, quantity and bias in statistics. I’ve taught it quite a few times. It’s an important bedrock of academic research. But it needs to catch up with the horrors of the modern digital age.

Internet searching has become a central research methodology for all academics. All modern research rests on an assumption of some accessible network of information “out there”. Sure, academics have better tools at their disposal than the average web user, including private databases for searching out papers. Mainly, though, everyone uses the traditional advanced features of common search engines, such as Boolean operators , sorting and filtering.

Recently, the quality of search results across all popular engines has fallen, however, and we need to ask whether university research, as currently taught, can survive.

The original world wide web page , produced by Cern, depicts a very different paradigm from today’s “web”, describing the pioneering venture as an “information retrieval initiative aiming to give universal access to a large universe of documents”. However, you would be unlikely to easily find things just following the links from one URL to another as you did in Gopher, the predecessor of the modern web. Hence, in the early days of the web, search engines built indexes by “crawling” the network with their “spiders”, looking for content.

That worked reasonably well before artificial “intelligence” went mainstream. But, today, content is generated, “on the fly”, as it were – and the spiders can’t catch these flies. They are no sooner there than gone. This is partly because of the mushrooming glut of low-grade content spam spewed out by aggressively search engine-optimised (SEO) link farms (designed to boost the ranking of a particular website – usually a commercial one – in search engine results).

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In a longitudinal investigation of SEO spam in search engines, a recently published Leipzig Uni v ersity study  of about 8,000 product queries suggested that all search engines have significant problems with this SEO spam drowning out useful information. Google’s response amounted to, “Well, we’re still doing a little better than the other search engines that are failing”.

The spammers can instruct a large language model, such as ChatGPT, to spin a piece of advertising copy into 100,000 articles, each introducing the product under a different subject lead-in, such as cookery, sports, medicine, pet care, and then create 100,000 websites to host it that are indistinguishable to search engines from organic content even though they are poorly written and full of errors. Troll farms can do something similar to promote disinformation.

Traditional URLs are “universal resource locators” but get replaced by internalised tracking links, which redirect a URL so as to track whether it is shared, and with whom, or shortened URLs, or are simply hallucinated by the “AI” generators, so the number of dead links in circulation is rising. This means that even if Google were the most benevolent of gatekeepers, it still couldn’t sort wheat from the chaff.

But it isn’t the most benevolent of gatekeepers: in common with other search engines, its business priorities have long since turned away from users toward advertisers.

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Google’s flaws matter enormously because of its dominance. Despite being only one window into the vast public network of URLs, through which any traveller could freely walk, Google has set itself up as the sole gatekeeper (apart from its wannabee, Bing). We coined the verb “to google”, meaning to consult one special URL as a path to all others – even if even Google’s mighty spider can’t penetrate the worldwide walls built by its Silicon Valley neighbours, the social media companies.

Once Google established its dominance, it’s fair to say that the organic web, and cultural knowledge of roads through it, died. So much so that even in university research methods classes, students still get told to use Google or Bing as first port of call.

But surely this must end given the increasing uselessness of the results these engines throw up. For too long, we've free-ridden on commercial applications instead of building solid, home-grown information systems that also serve the public interests. We need to revise the idea of search and reconsider what tools are really best for it. We need to start confronting students with the reality of the internet as it actually is, rather than as it was idealised in the 1990s.

Andy Farnell has been a visiting and associate professor in signals, systems and cybersecurity at a range of European universities. With Helen Plews and Ed Nevard, he now co-hosts  The Cybershow , which seeks to restore understanding, safer use and control of everyday technology to ordinary people.

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Mechanical Engineering Seniors Design Equipment for B-52s at Barksdale AFB

BATON ROUGE, LA – As part of their senior capstone project, six LSU Mechanical Engineering seniors have been working with Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, La., to design an apparatus that will enable airmen to more easily work on or change out the engines on their B-52 bombers. Considering Barksdale AFB houses 26 B-52s, and each B-52 has eight engines, the students’ design should definitely come in handy.

Hannah Beene of Cyber Innovation Center, an innovation arm of the Air Force Global Strike Command Office of the Chief Scientist headquartered at Barksdale AFB, has been the point of contact between the LSU students and Barksdale AFB.

“Our role is to further AFGSC’s mission by fostering innovation and collaboration between industry, academia, business, and government to meet technology challenges,” Beene said.

When ME seniors Vaughn Bell of Ponchatoula, La.; Seth Chiasson of Denham Springs, La.; Matthew Day of Slaughter, La.; Sydney Gambino of Madisonville, La.; Stephen Freemen of Katy, Texas; and Ryan Purvis of Mandeville, La.; saw they had an opportunity to work on a project involving a B-52, they jumped at the chance.

“When it came time to choose my capstone project, I was excited as soon as I saw B-52 on the project list and immediately knew that was my top choice,” Bell said.

In October 2023, the students traveled to Barksdale AFB to see the B-52 engine in person and take measurements and photos to help them design their engine stand. The Air Force’s request was that they design something lighter and more compact than their current stand, which resembles a boat trailer and takes up much-needed room on the C-17 plane that flies alongside the B-52, carrying necessary cargo such as two spare engines.

The students’ design consists of four 3-ft.-high jack-stands that form a 4.5-ft. by 10.5-ft. rectangle supporting four aluminum I-beams on each corner and two long steel tubes that will hold two 80-lb. adapters a little more than 10 ft. apart that ultimately touch and support the engine. The whole stand holds up to 6,000 lbs., the estimated weight of a single B-52 engine.

The students tested their stand at Reeb Rigging in Baton Rouge, where they were able to load 6,000 lbs. on their stand. The students also worked with Brock Group in Port Allen, which did some welding on the stand while the students themselves cut the materials to size in the LSU Advanced Manufacturing and Machining Facility (AAMF) across from Patrick F. Taylor Hall.

The team also performed a timed test to make sure its stand could be assembled in 15 minutes or less. When disassembled, the entire stand fits into a 24x60x24-inch D box that goes on the C-17 plane to hold a damaged engine if it needs to be replaced. While the C-17 carries a spare engine for the left and right side of the B-52, the B-52 itself carries eight engines at a time (up to 48,000 lbs.) in pods supported by four pylons beneath the wings’ leading edge. Their placement allows them to work as wing fences and delay the onset of a stall.

What makes the B-52 so unique is its size and function. The 185-ft. wide plane weighs 185,000 lbs. and was designed and built by Boeing for the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s. Its purpose was to carry nuclear weapons during the Cold War era, though NASA used it for 40 years as an air-launch and testbed aircraft. The B-52’s ability to stay in the air for more than 72 hours at a time, along with its excellent performance at high subsonic speeds, are why the USAF still uses the B-52 today.

“What I’ve enjoyed most about this project is getting the chance to say I’ve designed and worked on something for the B-52 engine,” Freeman said. “I don’t know who wouldn’t find that interesting.”

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