Search WWW Search webguidesforteachers.com

INTERNET SKILLS AND SEARCHING WITH CHILDREN

Also check the related guides: Web Tutorials and Search Engines Web evaluation

• Ask for Kids! (formerly Ask Jeeves for Kids)
  Just type in a question and click Ask! Considered the fastest and easiest place for kids to find answers online.
  http://www.askforkids.com/
  
  
  
• Fact Monster
  A version of Information Please. On-line dictionary, encyclopedia, a homework center, "today in history," a word of the day, news and links to pages devoted to maths, science games, sports...
  http://www.factmonster.com/
  
  
  
• Google
  One of the fastest and more successful search engines--yet easy enough to teach children to use. Click on Google Search Tips to learn how it works.
  http://www.google.com
  
  
  
• KidsClick!
  Web search for kids by librarians. 15 categories, 600 subjects, search lessons for information/pictures/sounds
  http://kidsclick.com
  
  
  
• Kids Internet
  Despite the name, this is really aimed at parents. Take the Internet Safety tutorial. Then click on First Time Here? to find out what this Family Internet site has to offer.
  http://kidsinternet.about.com/
  
  
  
• Kids' Web
  Comprehensive digital learning resource library and information portal updated weekly...for students, teachers, parents. Homework help. Links.
  http://www.npac.syr.edu/textbook/kidsweb/
  
  
  
• Net Mom
  Guide to safe surfing by an ex-librarian whose seal of approval is sought by other sites for children. Try 100 Hot Sites for Families.
  http://www.netmom.com/
  
  
  
• Quick: the Quality Information Checklist
  8 ways of checking information on the web with Teachers' Guide. Illustrated main page is worth downloading for poster or class distribution. Clicking on any of the 8 ways leads to information and activities. Simple but clever animated graphics. Use it!
  http://www.quick.org.uk/
  
  
  
• Yahooligans! Teachers' Guide
  Check out the Internet Literacy section for teaching search skills, source citation, site evaluation Subject guides and useful links.
  http:/?.yahooligans.yahoo.com/tg/
  
  
  EDUCATIONAL SITES:GENERAL
  

• American Library Association
  The largest juried collection of children's sites (700+) in cyberspace, this site includes links to online resources for fun and learning reviewed and organized by children’s librarians. Compiled by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the ALA.
  http://www.ala.org/parentspage/
  
  
  
• Animaland
  In a recent review devoted entirely to this site, Computimes reviewer Zoraini Wati Abas declared this her favourite children't site--with many good reasons. There are eight sections packed with information and activities Pet Care, Stories, Games, Animal ABC's...)
  http://www.animaland.org
  
  
  
• Awesome Library
  Leading site, with sections for kids, teachers, parents. 16,000 reviewed resources including top 5% in education
  http://www.awesomelibrary.org/
  
  
  
• BBC Schools Online
  Fun learning activities and resources for school and home. Organised by age groups
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/schools/
  
  
  
• Berit's Best Sites for Children
  A guide to the best 1000 sites for younger children with guidance in where and how to find the information you/the children need. Constantly updated. Try Homework Helpers, Serious Stuff, Safe Surfing
  http://www.beritsbest.com/
  
  
• Blue Web'n Learning Sites Library
  A library of Blue Ribbon learning sites. Browse the contents, or search by subject and grade level. There are web-based tutorials, activities and projects; unit and lesson plans, hotlists, reference links and tools.
  http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/
  
  
   
• Big 6Skills
  Well-tested and much-used information problem-solving approach which can be taught to all upper primary school children in any subject. Plenty of examples Start with Overview, then check out the Lessons and Links.
  http://www.big6.com/
  
  
  
• B J Pinchbeck's Homework Helper
  'BJ (his friends call him Beege) started this site when he was 14 and it has become very professional in both content and design. (He is now 17) There are over 700 links to sites covering all subject areas that will help with homework
  http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/bjpinchbeck/BJ Pinchbeck's Homework Helper
  
  
  
• BlueWeb’n
  A library of Blue Ribbon web sites for education, all subjects, cross-referenced. Tutorials, activities, projects, lesson plans…
  http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/
  
  
  
• Brain Teasers
  Three questions per week for each of three age/grade levels (primary through lower secondary); answers are given the following week and there is an archives of past questions and answers. Kids' Place has games and activities for math, reading, language arts, social studies, and science. Education Place is the teachers' resource page.
  http://www.eduplace.com/math/brain/
  
  
  
• Cool Planet for Kids
  'Active 8' features children around the world, a picture gallery and activities. 'What on Eatrh is Oxfam?' presents Oxfam's aims and projects and facts and a section on Understanding Aid. Check the online resources in the Teachers section, organised by age group. There is a Curriculum for Global Citizenship and the Oxfam and Education page has links to other development education sites.
  http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/index.htm
  
  
  
• Discovery Kids
  Mostly TV programmes on a wide range of sci-tech topics from prehistoric creatures to junkyard science. Interactive games, links to kids' favourites and a chance to explore by subject.
  http://kids.discovery.com/
  
  
  
• Discovery School
  The students' section of a large education portal with quality control offering homework help, brain boosters, clip art gallery, cybersafari, science fair, dictionary plus, World Book encyclopedia. The teachers' section includes Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators (see below) and lesson plans for teachers. There is also a parents' section
  http://school.discovery.com/students/
  
  
  
• Education Index
  Annotated guide to the best education-related sites. Study skills and homework help, art, games, activities…One of the best starting places
  http://www.educationindex.com/
  
  
  
• Education World
  ‘Where educators go to learn.’ Includes lesson plan libraries. Searchable bank of 500,000 web resources including Online Tools, New Teachers, Student Teachers, Teaching Methods & Strategies.
  http://www.education-world.com
  
  
  
• Elementary Educators
  American guide to all aspects of primary school teaching, curriculum and professional development. Articles, lesson plans, how to organise pen pal programmes, alternatives to worksheets, help for new teacher…. Check out ‘ A New Way to Teach Reading Comprehension' and its links
  http://k6educators.about.com
  
  
• EmTech:  Kids' Sites
  This is one of about 120 topic lists on the EmTech site; it has links, listed in alphabetical order, to some 300 sites, but there are few annotations. Useful if you know what you are looking for or are willing to spend time clicking and checking to discover the really worthwhile sites among them.
  http://www.emtech.net/kidsites.htm
  
  
  
• Enchanted Learning
  Caters mainly for younger children (pre-school through lower primary). Sample 'zoom' sections: dinosaurs, crafts, science, inventors and inventions, rainforests, whales. Note the 'Easy web tips to teach children' page. Like many sites on this list, it comes from the USA but there is an abundance of useful material even if one ignores the more culture-bound elements. Rising costs mean this may have to become a members only site--unless enough users make voluntary donations.
  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
  
  
  
• Encarta Schoolhouse
  Encarta is probably the best online encyclopedia. If offers thousands of articles, multimedia clips, a talking dictionary, a world atlas, and Schoolhouse (a teachers' resource), plus quizzes and lists. There are hundreds of lesson plans in the Encyclopedia Lesson Collection. Starter suggestions: Language Arts, Process Skills (under Information Technology) and Drama/Dramatics (under Arts). Unfortunately the ful Encarta Reference Library is available only by subscription; you might want to try a free trial.
  http://www.microsoft.com/education/lessonplans.aspx
  
  
  
• Enchanted Learning
  A large attractive portal to educational sites ‘designed to capture the imagination while maximizing creativity, learning and enjoyment'. Easy navigation
  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
  
  
  
• Fact Monster
  News, science,math, sports, games and quizzes, wordplay, a homework center (which helps with skills as well as information), daily features, links to reference sources (e.g. a database of 30,000 biographies) and a search engine.
  http://www.factmonster.com
  
  
  
• First School New
  Extensive selection of preschool activities and resources with many links to related sites.
  http://www.first-school.ws/sitemap.htm
  
  
  
• Franklin Institute Science Museum
  Learning made fun, by the famed Philadelphia museum. Visit the online exhibits. Educational "hotlists" offer valuable homework connections. The "Kids Did This! Hotlist" features the work of children in such areas as art, science, and social studies.
  http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/welcome.html
  
  
  
• How Come? Science discoveries for the whole family.
  Based on a syndiated newspaper column which answers young readers' questions. Colourful and very informative--with a light touch. To get the flavour try Why do elephants have trunks? or Which came first--the chicken or the egg?
  http://www.word-detective.com/howcome/index.html
  
  
  
• Kathy Shrock’s Guide for Educators
  Part of the teachers' section of Discovery Channel, this offers 2000 categorised links for teachers, updated daily. A rich and reliable source.
  http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/
  
  
  
• Kids’ Castle
  The Smithsonian Institution’s interactive site for kids. It’s bright, colorful and fun. Arts, sciences, sports, worldwide….
  http://www.kidscastle.si.edu/ 
  
  
  
• KidsClick!
  Web search for kids by librarians—covering over 500 subjects and giving access to 5200 sites. Really attractive pages, e.g. on evaluating websites..
  http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/
  
  
  
• Kid Space (of kids, by kids, for kids)
  A charming site for younger children. Try Folktales or Global Story Train, an illustrated collaborative project or Kits' Gallery. Emphasis is on children's participation.
  http://www.kids-space.org/
  
  
  

• Learning Studio @ The Exploratorium
  This science museum in San Francisco mounts electronic versions of hands-on exhibits e.g. explore your brain, track severe storms, dissect a cow’s eye (or a sheep's brain). play games with memory... An archive of the best art, science and education sites. Hosts the online Exploratorium Magazine which takes an in-depth look at a single topic each issue (e.g. paper), with plenty of activities.
  http://www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/
  
  
  
• Mikids
  The aim is to encourage primary children's interest in maths, science, world studies and language through games, puzzles, pictures and activities. There is also a teachers' resource page.
  http://www.mikids.com/
  
  
  

• Multnomah County Library Kids Page
  An action-packed, animated site from Portland, Oregon. Special features include a scavenger hunt and other games, "good stuff to read," homework help and a family guide to the web.
  http://www.multcolib.org/kids/
  
  
  
• National Geographic for Kids
  Quality site. Pages include: Amazing Facts, Creature Feature, Fun and Games, Try This! Archive of past features/articles
  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/index.html>
  
  
• Neuroscience for Kids
  Similarities and differences between the brain and a computer are presented in colourful table format. Move on to the Metaphors for the Brain page.
  http://staff.washington.edu/chudler/bvc.html
  
  
  
• Scholastic
  All kinds of resources. The Teachers section offers lower and upper primary sections, toolkit, lesson plans and reproducibles, online activities…
  http://www.scholastic.com/kids/index.htm
  
  
  
• Skewlsites
  Excellent categorised lists of educational sites--in this case Language Arts: Writing; --and a means of getting to sites such as the Phonics Room which otherwise now require you to join AOL in order to gain access. Curriculum support, teachers' rsources, fun and games and web-based projects.
  http://www.skewlsites.com/write.htm
  
  
  
• Superkids
  A selection of free and easy-to-use educational resources: maths worksheets, vocabulary builders, logic and reasoning problems, a famous quote-of-the-day and other 'brain food'
  http://superkids.com/aweb/tools/
  
  
  
• Surfing the Net with Kids
  This is the free semi-weekly email edition of a syndicated newspaper column which ferrets out the best of online resources for kids, parents and teachers. Considered 'one of the best on the Internet when reviewed for quality, accuracy of content, presentation and usability.' (Britannica Internet Guide)
  http://www.surfnetkids.com/emailedition.htm
  
  
  
• Why Files, The
  Real life approach to science, health, environment and technology news and issues. Current, accurate, attractive.
  http://whyfiles.org/
  
  
  

• Yahooligans
  ‘The Web guide for kids’ with excellent guides for teachers and parents. Organised in categories e.g. School Bell, Science and Nature, Sports and Recreation, Around the World... Check out the Student / Teacher Internet Literacy sections, the Analysis forms (= web evaluation), Activities for Students….
  http://www.yahooligans.com
  
  
  
  

ESL/EFL SITES

• 100 Best Books for Children:Teachers' List
  100 Best Books for Children: Kids' List
  

  The American National Education Association asked teachers to pick a list of 100 books they felt represented the best books for children and young people. (The ELTC resource centre has a good percentage of them.) Compare the teachers' list with the kids' version for some interesting similarit1es and differences.
  http://www.nea.org/readacross/resources/catalist.html
  http://www.nea.org/readacross/resources/catalist.html

• 100 Best Books for Children: by age group and with links
  Besides organizing this particular list by level and adding book and author links to resources and lesson ideas, this site offers a large Suggested Reading section with hundreds of other titles grouped by theme and grade level.
  http://www.teachersfirst.com/100books.htm
  
  

• ABC Teach
  A leading site with lots of ideas and activities for kids, student teachers and teachers: basics, theme units, games/puzzles, report helpers, portfolios...Printable resources. Start with the site map.
  http://abcteach.com
  
  
  
• About.com
  This is a large established portal site. Click on Kids>Young Learners for fingerplays and songs to use in teaching ESL.
  http://home.about.com/
  
  
• BBC Schools
  Listening material, lesson plans, worksheets and other resources for all subject areas. The Primary section covers ages 4-11.
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
  
  
  
  
• Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site >
  The main purpose is to recommend good children's books but there are also features on e.g. using picture books in class, children as readers….
  http://www.carolhurst.com/index.html
  
  
• Child's Play
  Part of Taiwan Teacher. EFL/ESL games and activities for the ESL/EFL classroom. Other sections include Grammatics and EFL Ideas.
  http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/1979/games.html
  
  
• Children's Literature Web Guide
  Quality site which gathers together Internet resources related to books for children and young adults, e.g. book awards, storytelling, readers' theatre, information about authors, reviews...
  http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown
  
  
• Conversation Questions for the ESL/EFL Classroom
  A project of the Internet TESL Journal. There are now nearly 30 categories. For primary classes, look at Animals, Family, Food and Eating, School, Sports, Technology, What If?…
  http://iteslj.org/questions/
  
  
• Cool Teaching Lessons and Units
  Offers a variety of teaching formats for ‘engaged learning ‘ with models such as Webquest and Problem-Based Learning and as well as readymade lessons and resources for building your own units. Helpful even if you have only one or no computer in your classroom.
  http://www.coollessons.org/coolunits.htm
  
  
• Drama in the Primary School
  Scroll down to Arts on the Move, then click on Drama in Education, then on Drama in the Primary School. Follow links to Developing a Primary Drama Syllabus, Lesson Planning, Basic Drama Methods, Drama Games, Resources… A very attractive helpful site (once you get there). http://www.q-ten.co.uk/"
  
  
  
• Drop Everything and Read (DEAR)
  Rationale and brief clear tips for this excellent programme. Aimed at creating independent readers, it works! This is part of the ESL4 site (below) but important enough to list on its own. The idea is promoted, with good reason, by Malaysia's Ministry of Education.
  http://members.tripod.com/~ES>L4Kids/tips/read.html>
  
  
  
• EFL Playhouse
  Chants, fingerplays. games, crafts, phonemic awareness, songs, recipes for art supplies and links for teachers of young learners. The DEAR programme (above) is found under Teaching Tips.
  http://members.tripod.com/~ESL4Kids/
  
  
  
• ESL Café
  Meeting place for ESL/EFL students/teachers worldwide. Click on Web Guides, then a topic e.g. grammar, listening, reading, music, tongue twisters, lesson plans. With about 3500 sites in 75 categories there is plenty on offer but quality varies considerably and you will need to do your own sifting.
  http://www.eslcafe.com
  
  
  
• ESL for Young Learners
  The selections of About.com's human guide for K-12 ESL learning and teaching resources. Links to games, lesson plans, songs, fun activities and teaching techniques, as well as other sites of interest to K-12 ESL educators.
  http://esl.about.com/cs/childrensesl/
  
  
  
• ESL Partyland
  A well-organised site. Click on Teachers and then your choice of Teaching Grammar/ Conversation/ Reading, Writing and Vocabulary/Integrated Skills, Teaching with the Internet/Teaching Music.... There is a large section for students too. The lists of questions under Teaching Conversation are popular with teachers.
  http://www.eslpartyland.com/teachers/Tinitial.htm
  
  
  
• ETNI's Music
  Provides the lyrics to popular children's songs which can be used for ESL/EFL. You need to know the tunes (or find them elsewhere). Organised by topic, e.g. animal songs, parts of the body
  http://www.etni.org.il/music/songsbysubject.htm
  
  
  
• Grandpa Tucker's Rhymes and Tales
  Deservedly popular site (over a million visitors so far) for primary level with the purpose of making language play fun: poems, stories, songs, poems contributed by kids, music, art gallery. Well-illustrated.
  http://www.grandpatucker.com/
  
  
• Infant Explorer
  Click on Children's Pages, then Infant Explorer which aims to help young primary children become ‘confident and competent' users of the Internet. There are literacy and cross-curricular activities, interactive books, an emphasis on the natural environment (Sebastian and Sarah Swan are key characters) and help for teachers. Children are encouraged to contribute letters and pictures for others to read. Linked to UK Key Stage 1. There are other pages to explore, e.g. Exploring Through Art.
  http://www.naturegrid.org.uk
  
  
  
• Kididdles
  Try the Musical Mouseum for dozens of songs organised by subject and type. Then try Trunk o' Tales for stories which children can add to. Also: art, jokes...
  http://www.kididdles.com/mouseum/subject.html
  
  
  
• KidzPage
  Poetry and verse for children of all ages. Recommended: Have a bash with Ogden Nash, For Better or Verse, Verse or Worse, all delightfully illustrated. Two pages for younger children are KidzSing Garden of Song (nursery rhymes) and Critter ABC's. There is is a huge collection of poetry by children all over the world, some of it quite good. Click on More KidzLinks for more kids' sites.
  http://www.veeceet.com/index.html
  
  
  
• KinderArt Drama
  Drama lessons for K-12. Exercises (e.g. for voice projection), theatre basics, pantomime, tips, theatre workshops and access to plays for schools.
  http://kinderart.com/drama/
  
  
  

• Lingolex
  An example of good online material for a lesson on reading for specific information—interesting text on Ants with a corresponding page for teachers with instructions and activities. Other free materials available here.
  http://www.lingolex.com/ants.htm
  
  
  
• Musical Activities for Young Learners of EFL
  An ITESL-J article by A Cakir giving the why and how of using musical activities in teaching English to young children. Includes sample lyrics with activities, teaching tips, recommended books and tapes, and suggestions for older children too.
  http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Cakir-MusicalActivities.html
  
  
  
• Star Online, The
  This site has been revised and expanded.   It includes news, lessons, activities, contests, Internet tutorials and the Newspaper in Education. 
  http://thestar.com.my/education/
  
  
  
• PETA (Primary English Teachers' Association, Australia)
  This excellent organisation and its website promote children's language literacy learning in all areas of the school curriculum. Click on Projects > Literature Circles for an example of a useful article. Click on Resources for Internet Links and lists of books and journals.
  http://peta.edu.au/
  
  
  
• Phonics Room Website
  Poems, songs, literature, and activities for every letter of the alphabet plus links to other teachers and classrooms.
  http://members.aol.com/phonicsrm/
  
  
  
• Pizzaz
  Simple creative writing and oral storytelling activities with copyable handouts. Great source of enjoyable poetry-based lessons.
  http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~leslieob/pizzaz.html
  
  
  
• Poetry Pals
  Resources, activities, lessons, projects, links to child-appropriate sites, how to integrate technology and poetry… This site has won a number of awards.
  http://www.geocities.com/cponykid/pages/lessonplans.html
  
  
  
• Planning a Drama Lesson
  Simple clear guide to five stages: aim, objectives, conditions, preparation, outcome, each with example questions to trigger teachers' thought processes for their own classes and circumstances.
  http://www.q-ten.co.uk/artsotm/education/primary/lessonplanning.html
  
  
  
• Primary Poetry
  There is plenty here. The first link alone (PoemHunter) contains 106,831 poems from 11,602 poets.. 39,210 Songs, 1,323 Artists, 64,870 Quotations... Also try: Poetry Links for Teachers or Poetry Soup for classroom ideas.
  http://www.colegiobolivar.edu.co/library/primary_poetry.htm
  
  
  
• Primary Resources: English
  A much visited, frequently updated UK site covering all primary subjects. with lesson plans, activities and resources. Click on Word and Sentence level for grammar work. Click on Text level for reading, writing, instructions, newspaper work…. There are several sections on literacy, reading and enjoying books as well as cartoon and homework resources. . Check the ICT section too.
  http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/english/english.htm
  
  
  
• Read Aloud and Spot the Differences
  A pair work activity from the Internet TESL Journal
  http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Goodmacher-ReadAloud.html
  
  
  
• Reading Skills: Web English Teacher
  This link takes you to the Reading Skills and emediation page in the Children's Literature section. There are links to a variety of resources including free stories, activities, worksheets and lesson plans. You will want to explore the rest of the site too.
  http://www.webenglishteacher.com/readingmain.html
  
  
  
• Scholastic's Poetry Writing with Jack Perlutsky (and others)
  Fun with poetry for primary school children who can listen, read and follow tips and techniques to producing their own poems. They can even publish them on the web.
  http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/index.htm
  
  
  
• Songs for Children Theme Page
  Links to Internet sources of song lyrics popular with children. Some sites provide downloadable sound files as well and a few also provide musical scores.
  http://www.cln.org/themes/songs.html
  
  
  
• To Learn English
  Free materials to learn/teach/play with English. Games, interactive stories, word puzzles and crosswords.
  http://www.tolearnenglish.com/
  
  
  
• Teach a Child to Read
  A wide range of helpful pages, e.g. Auditory Skills, Teaching Alphabet Sounds, Improving Short Term Memory, Reading Selections, Alphabet Chart, Literacy Websites for Parents and Teachers...
  http://www.succeedtoread.com/resources.html
  
  
  
• Tongue Twister Database
  A huge collection, in no particular order, from which to select for your class. One way to make vocabulary, pronunciation and oral work fun.
  http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8136/tonguetwisters.html
  
  
• Tongue Twisters for Kids
  A long list for use with all primary grades. Liven up work on pronunciation, listening and speaking, vocabulary, reading….
  http://www.indianchild.com/tongue_twisters.htm
  
  
• Word Central
  Lively, award winning site for upper primary and secondary levels. Winner 2000 Webby award for best educational website.
  http://www.wordcentral.com
  
  
  

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