21 Interesting Ways* to use Google Search in the Classroom

*and tipsThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 3.0 License.

The duckies invade Google by Yodel Anecdota

#1 - Google Wonder Wheel 

Encourage your students to see a regular Google search in a different way.

From the standard results page, click "More Options" under the Google logo.

Select "Wonder Wheel".

Choosing different words from the wheel allows you to drill down into different combined searches too.

Image by Ivan Walsh

@tombarrett

Generate a timeline of dated Google search results...

A screenshot of the timeline could make for a nice mystery starter...

Click on parts of the timeline to zoom into a specific time period.

#2 - Google Timelines

#3 - Calculator & ConverterGoogle Tip:

You can use Google for much more than searching.  It is a quick way to perform calculations and conversions.

My class find it more useful than looking for the calculator application or finding a conversion site as they can type straight into the Google search on the browser toolbar.

Try typing

3.8 * 27.416 oz in g100 c in f

20 gbp in usd

@stuartridout

This search tool was recently described by Ollie Bray (LTS) as allowing people to search the future web.  Along with RSS, this changes many conceptions of the web around sifting what is already there. Type in a term, choose a search type and how often you wish to be notified of new web content featuring your term, and provide an email address to receive the intro to content and a link.

I use this to keep embedded delicious 'virtual libraries' updated on websites that I run eg ACTS.  Go to http://www.google.com/alerts and complete this form.

#4 - Google Alerts

Learners could set up some alerts: • Prior to commencing a research project• to keep up-to-date on college/uni focus• to track what is being written about them• to find out what is going on in their area• as part of their computing/ICT studies• to be better and more quickly informed.

@parslad

#5 - Google SquaredCreate a table that compares a range of specifications for a subject with Google Squared:http://www.google.com/squared

Type into the search bar and compare things like:

• Australian primeministers• Chemical elements• Canadian states

It is simple to edit and remove unwanted data oradd extra specifications.

Eugene de Gouw

#6 - Google Custom Search

If you want to focus your students' searching on specific sites use this tool to build your own search engine. Additionally you can let students contribute and help build the sites available to be searched. @itmadesimple

Or even create a search engine based on your websites and resources.

http://www.google.com/coop/cse/

#10 - Google Define:    If you want a definition of a word then just type in define: into the search bar. Don't forget the colon. Use Google as a dictionary!

    

@prettejohn

#7 - Making Google Custom Search Safe

Putting a Google Custom Search on your blog or VLE can be useful: You can make it default to Safe Search and if you are a school you can remove the ads. You could also use it to build a themed search engine as described on the previous page to put on a topic page.It's simple:

Link to instructions 

Children with SEN can also benefit from using Google Custom Search as you can present them with a much smaller set of search results.

@hgjohn

#8 - Google Scholar

A scholarly search should begin with a formulated question. When you have the question, use the advanced options to fine tune the search to get a more focused set of results.

@michael_rowe

Note: you can also create Google Alerts for new scholarly publications

#9 - Google Scholar - Cited By

Click on 'Cited by' under each search result to search for academic works that have cited that work. This allows you to search forward in time instead of backwards.

@jessternrays

#11 - Investigating HistoryUse the timeline tool to investigate and question historical events, e.g. The career of The Beatles, Mods and Rockers, The Spanish Armada. Zoom right in down to the month for most detailed view.

@primarypete_

#12 - Authoritative vs Timely

On the left extreme end are more authoritative works but take a long time before being published. On the right extreme end you have very timely works, but they may lack credibility from recognized institutions.

Students learn to decide which search tool to use for their projects. For example, timely searches can be used for a specific natural disaster while authoritative searches for cross comparisions with other natural disasters.

@jessternraysvia @markwagner at #gtauk

#13 - Google Fast FlipThe little known, but powerful, Google Fast Flip allows you to quickly browse through a wide variety of news articles from across the globe. Narrow by search, section, popularity, topics and even sources. 

http://fastflip.googlelabs.com

@jessternrays

#14 - Weather resultsTyping 'weather' and the name of a city or place will return a weather forecast. This can be used in science or geography lessons where researching weather patterns is required. It is also useful before planning a school trip that is outside!

#15 - Search StoriesYou can use the Google Search Story tool for creative story writing. You can see what other people have come up with on the YouTube Search Story Channel. Can make for some fun story writing...

#16 - Google Squared on People

If you search Google Squared for an individual it will return a variety of facts and pictures about that person. You can add your own criteria at the bottom and Google will search to find the facts to fill it.

Sally Thorne - @MrsThorne

Great for work on biographies

#17 - Convert Currency

Insert the amount and the currency code.

Use "in" and then the currency code to convert to.

@tombarrett

A full list of currency codes is here.

#18 - Spell

Type any word in a Google search query and it will suggest corrections if you have spelled it incorrectly. 

#19 - Define

Type define: and then the word you are looking up to return a quick definition.

Often searches will return a definition at the top of the results. 

#20 - Independent research in MFL

Type a French / German word into an Image Search.

Students will be able to guess the word without having to resort to dictionary.

@MarieFrance

#21 Use agoogleaday to set up a starter

Agoogleaday.com poses a daily question. Once students hit the start button they are timed and must use the search engine to find the correct answer to a question.

There is no correct way of searching only the correct answer!

Once kids are done, you can share how they conducted their searches to share best practice in effeciency.

@ali_mulla@LearnICTit

If you would like to: • Contribute your ideas and tips to the presentation.• Let me know how you have used the resource.• Get in touch. 

You can email me or I am @tombarrett on Twitter

Thanks for helpingTom Barrett 

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