Search engines
Google search tools
Standard Google search
This is the NZ version of Google. Use the options on the left side of search results to further refine your results. Also reorganise your results using the Wonder Wheel tool. Use the options at the top of the screen to change to different types of searches eg images, maps, news etc.
Google alerts
Use this tool to get email alerts sent to you related to topics you are interested in.
Google squared
This is an experimental feature that builds a grid of information related to a category you search for . eg search for dogs and Google Squared will create an information grid of different breeds of dogs.
Features of Google search
This Google help page shows all the different kinds of specific searches you can do within Google such as currency conversions. Unlock some of the hidden features.
Other large search engines
Bing
This is Microsoft's search engine. You can also search for images and news.
Yahoo Search (NZ)
Again do a web search or search for an image, video or news item. The NZ site allows you to search Stuff or the New Zealand Herald.
Wolfram Alpha
A computational search engine. Can be a very useful tool in the classroom.
For Children
Quintera for Kids
This is a great search engine that helps kids refine their searches by showing them clouds of keywords for topics they search for and then showing kid friendly results.
KidsClick
A search engine for kids by librarians. Great search results.
List of search tools for kids
There are shortcuts to all the kids search engines on this site.
KidRex
A safe search for kids by kids.
Ask Kids
A search engine for kids that also helps teach them about refining their searches.
AgaKids
A visual search engine for kids.
Yahoo Kids
You can search topics on this site as well as access study resources.
Boolify
This site is designed to education kids about how to search effectively.
Variations on Google
Soople
This is a site that puts all of the advanced Google search options on one page and is very clear and easy to use. It helped me realise some more things I could do with Google which was also useful!
Visual
oSkope
A visual search tool that lets you look for content from Amazon, eBay, Flickr and YouTube. It then gives you a visual display of the results which you can say how you'd like them displayed such as in a stack or pile. If you want to keep one of the results, you can drag it into your folder for safekeeping.
Quintera
A search returns both a list of search results and a tag cloud. The tag cloud contains the original search terms surrounded by related tags. The closer to the search terms, the larger the keyword suggestions (both in terms of font size and boldness), the more relevant they are deemed.
Visuwords
A graphical dictionary that gives you related words or concepts to the entered word in a cloud around which is a very attractive interface (and a lot of fun to drag around on the screen :-) Great for enriching writing.
Kartoo
A visual search engine that presents search results in a series of interactive maps
PageBull
A search engine that gives you a screenshot of each website it has found in the search results.
Metasearch Engines
Dogpile
The site claims to take the best search results from a number of search engines.
Clusty
This search engine organises your search results from an number of different search engines into topic areas
Human Generated
Librarian's Internet Index
This site contains reliable and safe links indexed by trained librarians.
Mahalo
These search result pages have been submitted by actual people who are paid by the Mahalo staff if their contribution is accepted.
Creative Commons Searching
Creative Commons.org
On this website, there is the option to do a Creative Commons search in Google, Yahoo, Flickr, Owl, Blip TV and SpinExpress.
Flickr CC search
Flickr has its own way to do CC searches. Click on 'see more' under each type of CC license to be able to do a search by that type of license.
Compfight
Search for CC images from Flickr.
Scholar/ Research Searches
Infomine
Search scholarly internet resource collections.
Intute
A database of education and research resources.
Video Search Engines
Blinkx
This site searches many different video sites.
Lists of Search Engines
On this site there is an exhaustive list of search engines organised by the type of search you could do
Alt Search Engines - This website has a huge list of alternative search engines. Very interesting!
Still want more? Here is a huge list of other databases and search engines to try.
News sites
Stuff
A NZ current events website - not designed for children but a useful reference.
CBBC Newsround
News stories designed for older primary aged children (UK site)
Pitara Kids Network
News designed for kids - world, environment, and science news.
Link TV
Designed for older students. Has video clips on topics from different news networks and learning guides to accompany then.
Newspapers in education
Site to support the programme available to schools to subscribe to but also has free online activities on the site.
Google search tools
Standard Google search
This is the NZ version of Google. Use the options on the left side of search results to further refine your results. Also reorganise your results using the Wonder Wheel tool. Use the options at the top of the screen to change to different types of searches eg images, maps, news etc.
Google alerts
Use this tool to get email alerts sent to you related to topics you are interested in.
Google squared
This is an experimental feature that builds a grid of information related to a category you search for . eg search for dogs and Google Squared will create an information grid of different breeds of dogs.
Features of Google search
This Google help page shows all the different kinds of specific searches you can do within Google such as currency conversions. Unlock some of the hidden features.
Other large search engines
Bing
This is Microsoft's search engine. You can also search for images and news.
Yahoo Search (NZ)
Again do a web search or search for an image, video or news item. The NZ site allows you to search Stuff or the New Zealand Herald.
Wolfram Alpha
A computational search engine. Can be a very useful tool in the classroom.
For Children
Quintera for Kids
This is a great search engine that helps kids refine their searches by showing them clouds of keywords for topics they search for and then showing kid friendly results.
KidsClick
A search engine for kids by librarians. Great search results.
List of search tools for kids
There are shortcuts to all the kids search engines on this site.
KidRex
A safe search for kids by kids.
Ask Kids
A search engine for kids that also helps teach them about refining their searches.
AgaKids
A visual search engine for kids.
Yahoo Kids
You can search topics on this site as well as access study resources.
Boolify
This site is designed to education kids about how to search effectively.
Variations on Google
Soople
This is a site that puts all of the advanced Google search options on one page and is very clear and easy to use. It helped me realise some more things I could do with Google which was also useful!
Visual
oSkope
A visual search tool that lets you look for content from Amazon, eBay, Flickr and YouTube. It then gives you a visual display of the results which you can say how you'd like them displayed such as in a stack or pile. If you want to keep one of the results, you can drag it into your folder for safekeeping.
Quintera
A search returns both a list of search results and a tag cloud. The tag cloud contains the original search terms surrounded by related tags. The closer to the search terms, the larger the keyword suggestions (both in terms of font size and boldness), the more relevant they are deemed.
Visuwords
A graphical dictionary that gives you related words or concepts to the entered word in a cloud around which is a very attractive interface (and a lot of fun to drag around on the screen :-) Great for enriching writing.
Kartoo
A visual search engine that presents search results in a series of interactive maps
PageBull
A search engine that gives you a screenshot of each website it has found in the search results.
Metasearch Engines
Dogpile
The site claims to take the best search results from a number of search engines.
Clusty
This search engine organises your search results from an number of different search engines into topic areas
Human Generated
Librarian's Internet Index
This site contains reliable and safe links indexed by trained librarians.
Mahalo
These search result pages have been submitted by actual people who are paid by the Mahalo staff if their contribution is accepted.
Creative Commons Searching
Creative Commons.org
On this website, there is the option to do a Creative Commons search in Google, Yahoo, Flickr, Owl, Blip TV and SpinExpress.
Flickr CC search
Flickr has its own way to do CC searches. Click on 'see more' under each type of CC license to be able to do a search by that type of license.
Compfight
Search for CC images from Flickr.
Scholar/ Research Searches
Infomine
Search scholarly internet resource collections.
Intute
A database of education and research resources.
Video Search Engines
Blinkx
This site searches many different video sites.
Lists of Search Engines
On this site there is an exhaustive list of search engines organised by the type of search you could do
Alt Search Engines - This website has a huge list of alternative search engines. Very interesting!
Still want more? Here is a huge list of other databases and search engines to try.
News sites
Stuff
A NZ current events website - not designed for children but a useful reference.
CBBC Newsround
News stories designed for older primary aged children (UK site)
Pitara Kids Network
News designed for kids - world, environment, and science news.
Link TV
Designed for older students. Has video clips on topics from different news networks and learning guides to accompany then.
Newspapers in education
Site to support the programme available to schools to subscribe to but also has free online activities on the site.
